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- Reading time of the complete text: about 12 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 27 minutes

"The Virginian" is a 1902 novel by Owen Wister, considered the first true fictional western. Set in Wyoming Territory during the 1880s, it follows the life of a cowboy on a cattle ranch. The story revolves around the Virginian, a ranch hand at Sunk Creek Ranch, who becomes the full-time foreman and is known for his deep personality and integrity. The novel explores his ongoing romance with Molly Stark Wood, the newly appointed schoolteacher. It also delves into themes of action, violence, hate, revenge, love, and friendship. The Virginian's conflict with his enemy, Trampas, is resolved in a fatal shootout. The novel had a significant cultural influence, establishing the Western genre and the cowboy ideal as an American icon. It was adapted into stage productions, films, television series, and comics. Modern scholars debate whether "The Virginian" was the first cowboy novel, with some arguing for an earlier work.