Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime
Help appreciated. I'm checking proofs. I've got a character called Master Jeopardine. I've capitalised Master when used in place of his full name as in 'I know Master's devilish particular,' but what about these:
...billow of the Master's dressing gown.
'We'll let the Master find out for himself.'
...said the Master.
Confusing myself.
Comments
I'm not sure I entirely agree with Liz. Yes, do use a capital letter if you're using it in place of his name, but I'm not sure that's precisely what you're doing in those examples. Doesn't preceding it with 'the' make it less direct?
As a different example -
'Would you like tea, Vicar?" would be correct, but would you write "I wonder if the Vicar would like tea?" I think the capital would be dropped.
Master is always going to be tricky - the employee's subservient position almost demands he is referring to a/the Master, irrespective of rule.
I don't think anyone would ever write about Dr Who's Master/the Master in lowercase.
'We'll let the Master find out for himself.'
'...said the Master.'
If 'the master' is a reference, not a title, it doesn't take a capital.
For example, if Miss Jeopardine was referred to as the mistress, it wouldn't take a capital - it's not her name, but her position in the household. The same applies to Master J: 'the billow of Master J's dressing gown' is not the same as 'the billow of the master's dressing gown.'
In Baggy's Dr Who example, the Master is always referred to as The Master - therefore he would always take a capital as though he were the Duke.
'Who is Master Jeopardine? He's the master of the house.' -If in doubt, try the line with a different name: 'Who is Lord/Edward Jeopardine? He's the master of the house.' The confusion lies in the difference between Master as title, and the master - a position in the household.
In Ana's example, Master is his title (unless he was christened Master, as one would use Edward, in which case a) I'd give his parents a funny look and b) he'd then be referred to as Master Master Jeopardine); the examples refer to 'the master of the house', not 'the Master Jeopardine'.
Just to add a note: according to the Oxford Style Guide, if you refer to Mr Jones, the head master, there would be a comma but no capitals: that's because you're giving him his position as a form of clarification. If you refer to the Head Master Mr Jones (with no comma) you do use capitals, because it's his title.