Literary notes about servitor (AI summary)
The term “servitor” in literature is employed to depict a variety of subordinate roles that range from loyal retainers to somewhat disdainful aides. It is often imbued with dual connotations—on one hand, signifying steadfast loyalty and devoted service, as when a character is praised for being a devoted servant [1] or even offering devotion “to God as servitor” [2]; on the other, it can carry ironic or marginalizing overtones, highlighting the lowly or merely functional status of a character in a larger hierarchical structure [3, 4]. Whether portrayed as a gentle caretaker, an obedient attendant, or a necessary but uncelebrated agent of action—as in academic or domestic settings [5, 6]—the word reflects the complex interplay between duty, deference, and social position throughout literary history.
- A more devoted servitor no man can find, once his affection is won as our little Dorothy has won it.
— from Dorothy at Skyrie by Evelyn Raymond - To God as servitor I my devotion gave, Now Love hath taken me, bound me to be his slave.
— from Hindustani Lyrics - N. subject, liegeman[obs3]; servant, retainer, follower, henchman, servitor, domestic, menial, help, lady help, employe, attache; official.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget - "You can find a seat—that is, if you choose to sit," said the servitor sneeringly, to Robin, pointing at the same time to an empty corner of the hall.
— from The Buccaneer: A Tale by Hall, S. C., Mrs. - 31 March, 1666, he entered Christ Church, Oxon, [Pg 429] as a servitor, and proceeded M.A. 1674.
— from The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume VI by Aphra Behn - “First call for dinner in the dining-car,” a Pullman servitor was announcing, as he hastened through the aisle in snow-white apron and jacket.
— from Sister Carrie: A Novel by Theodore Dreiser