n and vice that was infesting it. This validates his role as a gunfighter in society. He also holds the office of marshal and is charged with maintaining law and order within Dodge City. He does not, unlike Shane, merely kill for those who offer the most money. Even though we are given the impression at the start of the film that Hatton was “a soldier of fortune,” (Abel 18) which implies that he would kill for anyone who paid good money, the death of Harry Cole invalidates this. The innocent are in danger, and Hatton, a man with morals, decides to get involved in ending Dodge City's climate of corruption. After Dodge City has been cleaned up, another town (Virginia City) needs his services as marshal. Gunfighters like Shane may be obsolete, but lawmen like Wade who are willing to risk their lives for a moral cause are in great demand. This validates the transitional nature of frontier America. And while society may frown upon murder for profit or malice, it accepts death if it allows them to remain safe and enjoy the lifestyle they have created for themselves. Romantically, Shane is again an outcast of society. This is again because of the lifestyle he has chosen. He has recognized his role as the loner within society and has decided to conform to it (Solomon 39). He may have feelings for Mrs. Starret (Jean Arthur), but he has buried them beneath his desire to live the life he has made for himself. Shane recognizes that Mrs. Starret needs the stability of domestic life, not the company of a man who could soon be killed in a gunfight. She also understands this, warning Joey not to admire Shane too much because he could soon be gone. Another reason Shane does not act upon his feelings for Mrs. Starret is that he is conforming to the social codes of the day by respecting Mrs. Starret's marriage and being outraged when such an attraction is suggested (Solomon 38). If this had happened today, something may have eventuated. Howeve...
