>create interesting, Machiavellian antagonist who drives the story's plot
>slowly develop his relationship with main female character
>devote pages upon pages to examining his motives of ambition and greed
>suddenly he goes crazy and starts killing people for no reason, then dies
Was Peake a hack, /lit/?
>>9432701
>for no reason
>>9432706
Yeah, for no reason. Do you have a reading comprehension problem?
What?
>>9432706
Steerpike was always a creature of chaos. Once he became a part of Ghormenghasts structure he worked unconsciously at his own destruction.
The fire is the symbol of his self inflicted wounds.
>>9432701
>yfw Sepulchrave got ATE BY OWLS xD
lol wtf