Definition
The Rake is Greene's archetype of reckless, all-consuming pursuit. Where the Charmer is patient and conflict-free, the Rake floods the target with intense, eloquent devotion — pursuing as if nothing else in the world exists. Greene's exemplars are Casanova and Lord Byron: figures whose verbal devotion and apparent inability to resist their own desire created an irresistible spectacle.
The Rake's appeal lies in the completeness of the attention. To be pursued by someone who seems consumed, who has clearly chosen to abandon caution, flatters the target's sense of being uniquely powerful and worth any risk.
Why it matters
How it works
The Rake operates through escalation and apparent loss of control. By framing the pursuit as something beyond his own management — a passion he cannot rein in — the Rake makes the target feel responsible for an overwhelming force, which is flattering rather than threatening. Language is the central instrument: the Rake describes the target in vivid, individualized terms, so the attention feels earned rather than generic.