ABSTRACT
This conclusion chapter presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in this book. The book discusses four texts as realizations, or incarnations, of an absolute and unrealizable “legend” of “Doon and Olive.” Nevertheless—always granting that people do not take their conclusions as absolute—since each of the texts reflects the legend, the examination of the textual series as a whole can afford certain insights into its composition: The comparative study of the narratives reveals a set of elements remaining constant over at least four versions. These elements constitute what people call the “core narrative,” or essence, of the story, which retains its integrity despite the vagaries of time, genre and culture. Olive’s story is the source of the generative power that allows the legend to maintain its vitality. Indeed, the legend would more accurately be entitled the “history of Olive.”
