Riders of the Purple Sage

Riders of the Purple Sage is a novel by western writer Zane Grey. Set in 1871, the novel follows the story of Jane Withersteen, a Mormon woman being persecuted by her church leaders for refusing to become the third wife of church leader, Elder Tull, as well as her fondness for non-Mormons, or gentile, settlers in the area. The novel first appeared as a 19-part series in the magazine, Field and Stream, in January of 1912 before being published as a novel by Harper and Brothers, New York, that same year. The novel is considered to have played a significant role in creating the popular formula of the western genre. Riders of the Purple Sage has also played a noteworthy role in American arts. It has seen the production of five movies, inspired the names of multiple country music bands as well as a rock band, influenced an opera of the same name, and appeared in popular culture references in Dungeons and Dragons as well as earning a mention in the Stephen King novel, Tommyknockers. Riders of the Purple Sage utilizes the western formula to explore Religious Conflict, Gender Dominance and Dynamics, as well as Morality Versus Virtue Signaling as Grey illustrates the Mormon community and life of Jane Withersteen.

This guide refers to the 2014 Enhanced Media e-book edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source text depicts assault, murder, violence towards children, religious discrimination, gendered violence, sexual assault, and persecution of members of the Mormon faith.

Plot Summary

Jane Withersteen is a Mormon woman who lives on property founded by her father. As her father’s heir, Jane owns part of the village of Cottonwoods, a source of water in Amber Springs, the Withersteen House, acres of property, and thousands of head of cattle. Jane’s father wants her to marry their church leader, Elder Tull, but she refuses. Instead, Jane is in a relationship with a Gentile, or non-Mormon, man named Bern Venters. Elder Tull attempts to drive Venters out by force, but a notorious gunman, known to have killed many Mormons, named Jim Lassiter, arrives and stops Tull.

Jane speaks with Lassiter and learns that he is looking for the grave of a woman named Milly Erne. Milly lived in Cottonwood for a time with her small daughter, but when Milly left the Mormon Church, her child was stolen from her. Milly died of heartbreak. Jane promises to show the grave to Lassiter the next day. That night, Venters witnesses a group of local cattle rustlers led by a man named Oldring ride toward Jane’s property. He makes note of Oldring’s infamous masked rider who is rumored to have killed many men and stolen a great number of cattle. Venters wonders why Oldring is in the area, so he goes to Cottonwoods and notes that Elder Tull and the Bishop, Dyer, are not at their homes. Venters suspects the Mormon leaders are plotting against Jane.

The following morning, Jane takes Lassiter to Milly’s grave. When he sees the grave, Lassiter is grief-stricken, causing Jane and Venters to wonder if he might be Milly’s husband. Later, Judkins, Jane’s head rider, arrives on the property and tells Jane that rustlers have stolen her red herd of cattle, leaving her with one white herd. Venters volunteers to follow the tracks of the herd to see where they are. He enters Deception Pass and finds both the herd and the rustlers’ hiding place. He camps high in the canyon to spy on the rustlers when he is set upon by two of Oldring’s men, including the masked rider, and he shoots them both. Venters approaches the masked rider, curious about who hides under the mask, and is shocked to find that the rider is a woman, and she is still alive.

Back in Cottonwoods, Jane learns that her riders have deserted her because the Mormon leaders threatened them and their families. This leaves Jane with only Judkins and a small crew of non-Mormon individuals he gathered to watch over her remaining herd. After this development, Jane adopts a little non-Mormon girl named Fay. Jane also begins to seduce Lassiter in the hopes of convincing him that not all Mormons are bad and to encourage him to lay down his guns. In the process, Lassiter falls in love with Jane.

Back in Deception Pass, Venters cares for the masked rider in a cave. While chasing a rabbit, Venters finds a series of caves high in the canyons that he realizes will be a good place to hide, so he brings the masked rider up to caves. The masked rider grows stronger each day, and soon is able to speak to Venters. He learns that her name is Bess, and that she was kept prisoner by Oldring. When Venters asks who Oldring is to Bess, she doesn’t answer, but the blush on her cheeks makes him believe that she was his lover. Despite this, Venters falls in love with Bess.

Venters decides to return to Cottonwoods to end his relationship with Jane. However, when he arrives at Jane’s home, he instead tells her that he has brought danger to her by being a non-Mormon and that he can no longer be responsible for what is happening to her. Venters goes into town and confronts Tull, telling him that he is no longer with Jane, and that Tull should leave Jane alone. Venters returns to the caves with supplies for himself and Bess. His original intention was to remain in the caves indefinitely, but now that he is free and knows that Bess loves him, he decides that they should go to his family in Illinois and marry.

Venters leaves to go to Cottonwoods again, but on the way, he runs into a group of men who have stolen Jane’s horses. Venters chases them down and takes the horses back. He returns to Cottonwoods with the horses, informing Tull and his people that he has them and that several of the men who stole them died. Venters hears that Oldring is in town and that Lassiter had a conversation with him. Venters confronts Oldring, killing him for what he believes he did to Bess. However, when Venters returns to Bess, he learns that Oldring was her father. Venters feels intense guilt for killing Oldring, but he doesn’t tell Bess what he’s done.

A man steals Fay, so Lassiter kills Bishop Dyer in an attempt to end the war against Jane. When Lassiter returns, he burns down Withersteen House and takes Jane away. As they escape, they run into Venters and Bess. Jane is initially angry when she realizes Venters ended their relationship to be with Bess, but Lassiter reveals that Bess is actually Elizabeth Erne, Milly’s daughter. Lassiter and Jane give Venters and Bess their horses to give them a better chance of getting out of Utah safely. Lassiter then takes Jane into Deception Pass where he rescues Fay from the rustlers. He leads both Jane and Fay up into the caves as Tull finds them. He pushes over a rock that guards the entrance, killing Tull and sealing himself, Jane, and Fay in the canyon.