The Unicorn (novel)  The Unicorn is a novel by Iris Murdoch. Published in 1963, it was her seventh novel. "The Unicorn" is set in a remote area on the west coast of Ireland. The book begins with the arrival of Marian Taylor, a young English school teacher who has accepted a position as governess at an isolated country house called Gaze Castle. She is surprised to learn that there are no children at Gaze, and that she will be teaching French and Italian to the lady of the house, Hannah Crean-Smith. Part 1 describes Marian's growing awareness of the situation at Gaze Castle, as recounted to her by other characters. Her main informant is Denis Nolan, the estate's clerk. She learns that Hannah has been confined to Gaze and its grounds by her husband Peter for seven years as punishment for having been unfaithful to him and for nearly killing him. Peter had been an abusive and unfaithful husband, and was often absent. During one of these absences, Hannah had an affair with Pip Lejour, who owns a nearby house called Riders. Peter arrived home unexpectedly and caught them in bed together. Later, after a struggle between Hannah and Peter, Peter fell over a cliff. He was badly injured but survived. He then left Gaze, leaving the estate in the hands of his former lover Gerald Scottow. In Part 2 the narrative focus moves to Effingham Cooper, another outsider who arrives on the scene from London. Effingham is a successful public servant in his forties who is visiting his retired former Philosophy tutor Max Lejour, Pip Lejour's father, at Riders. Effingham is in love with Hannah and he tries to persuade to run away with him, but she refuses. He resigns himself to the situation, seeing himself as a courtly lover adoring Hannah from afar. Marian urges him to join her in a plan to rescue Hannah. He refuses, saying that Hannah is resigned to her fate and does not want to leave. In Part 3 Effingham changes his mind and the rescue attempt takes place. He and Marian try to take advantage of Gerald Scottow's absence to abduct Hannah in Effingham's car, but the attempt fails. Another car, driven by Max's daughter Alice Lejour, unexpectedly comes toward them, and Effingham's car goes off the driveway and gets stuck in mud. Gerald Scottow returns to Gaze just in time to see what has happened. Effingham leaves with Alice in her car.