The Power of the Dog (Savage novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Thomas Savage |
| Products | Western novel |
The Power of the Dog is a Western novel published in 1967 by American writer Thomas Savage.
The plot revolves around two bachelor siblings, Phil and George Burbank, who operate a ranch in Montana. The story begins when George weds Rose, a local entrepreneur, triggering conflict with Phil that results in significant repercussions.
In 2021, the book was transformed into a critically acclaimed film adaptation that garnered 12 Academy Award nominations, reigniting interest in the original novel.
Plot
Set in 1925 Montana, the story follows brothers Phil and George Burbank as they oversee their family ranch following their parents’ retirement. Phil is highly skilled and well-educated but opts for the rugged lifestyle of a rancher; George is less remarkable by comparison.
While herding cattle toward Beech, Phil mocks Rose Gordon, a widow and hotel owner, by deriding her son Peter. George visits Rose to offer comfort, and they marry in secret. When Rose relocates to the ranch, Phil’s animosity intensifies—he doubts her intentions and creates a hostile environment for her.
Peter attends boarding school but spends summers on the ranch. He supports his mother’s marriage yet experiences tension with Phil after an awkward incident at Phil’s private bathing pond.
Rose begins suffering from headaches and secretly resorts to drinking to manage the stress at the ranch, taking liquor from George’s cabinet without permission. When she confronts Phil about his antagonism, he admits awareness of her drinking; Peter overhears this exchange.
After observing Peter endure humiliation from other ranch hands while maintaining his composure, Phil decides to take him under his wing—aiming to sow discord between George and Rose. However, Phil soon comes to respect Peter’s confidence and inquisitiveness. When Rose sells valuable Burbank hides without consent, Phil is enraged since he intended to craft a rope for Peter. Peter offers him one of his saved hides, which unexpectedly triggers Phil’s sexual attraction toward Peter—an attraction previously only directed at his mentor Bronco Henry.
Phil falls ill shortly thereafter and passes away. Following his death, the Burbank family reconciles: Rose ceases drinking and invites George’s parents for Christmas. Peter reflects that his actions—including providing Phil with an anthrax-contaminated hide—helped ensure his mother’s well-being after his father’s suicide.
Reception
Michelle Nijhuis of Literary Hub observes that although Thomas Savage's 1967 novel initially experienced poor sales and faded into obscurity, its 2001 reissue established it as a regional classic. She characterizes it as "economical, chilling, and masterfully composed," with a storyline that feels both inevitable and startling.
A contemporary review by Kirkus Reviews commended Savage's narrative ability for its "precision and breadth," emphasizing the "measured yet succinct character portrayals" alongside a subtly horrifying conclusion.
In her afterword, author Annie Proulx describes The Power of the Dog as a "work of literary art" and acknowledges it as an influence on her own writing, including Brokeback Mountain.
Film adaptation
The novel was adapted into the 2021 film The Power of the Dog, written and directed by Jane Campion. Campion revealed that she was immediately drawn to the story upon reading it, which motivated her to secure adaptation rights. The film remains largely faithful to the original text.
Literature
- Sue Hart: Thomas and Elizabeth Savage. Boise State University Western Writers Series No. 119, Boise, Idaho, 1995.
- O. Alan Weltzien: "Thomas Savage: The Overlooked Novelist" in Montana. The Magazine of Western History, Vol. 58, No. 4, Winter 2008, pp. 22–41, 93–94.
- Alan Weltzien: "Literary Sociology in a Montana Community: How Novelist Thomas Savage Reimagines Old Dillon." Published in Great Plains Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 2, Spring 2017, pp. 111–130.
- O. Alan Weltzien: Savage West: Exploring the Life and Works of Thomas Savage. University of Nevada Press, Reno/Las Vegas, 2020, ISBN 978-1-948908-86-3.