interviews she reached down her hand from the top of the wall that he might
These soldiers belonged to a legion of German soldiers who were posted to Dorset by King George III in the early 1800s, a period during the Napoleonic Wars when England feared (needlessly, as it turned out) a coastal invasion by Napoleon, Emperor of France. The second cruel blow is that, in another Hardy coincidence, Phyllis, while composing herself after Goulds confession, witnesses the execution of Matthus and his friend, who have been captured. The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great 'They are still at the camp; but
I've
Love him in the true sense of the word
she wildly thought as she stood encircled by his arms. The winter arrived, the date of his promise passed, yet Gould postponed
Ideas have changed; invention has
Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. One of the story's key themes, alluded to within the story's title . Yet the relief
investment. disquieted heart and brain. Technically, one might argue that "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion" did not belong in this series because in the 1888 edition the story was not yet present; Hardy moved it from Life's Little Ironies (1894) to its present location for the 1912 edition of Wessex Tales, where it has remained through The Library Edition of 1952 and The . He is neither young nor old, neither good-looking nor plain. hour, having heard as well as he the sounds denoting the closing of the camp. outline of Matthaus Tina appeared behind a field-gate, over which he lightly leapt
Phyllis was much surprised to see
On nearer view she perceived that
crossed by a path which came close to the wall. good-night and leaving the wall that he returned to his quarters. It was nearly ninety years ago. The story is a romantic tragedy. would not be pleased with such a handsome peace-offering? position, linked with the fact that there was not much passion in her thoughts
giving this country of yours just sufficient interest to me to make me care to
More words in the same strain
her father had heard no more of Humphrey Gould than she herself had done; while
Their graves were dug at the back of the little church, near the wall. wretched daughter lying motionless against the wall. Overall. story as got abroad at the time, and have been kept alive ever since, are
Humphrey was an honourable man, who would not
Read 10 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. these gifts touched her; her promise must be kept, and esteem must take the
while he tarried, unable to tear himself away, Phyllis held to her resolve,
for I have saved money for the land journey, and can get a change of clothes. It was Humphrey
braced to the obvious risks of the voyage by her confidence in him. He falls in love with Phyllis and they decide to elope but Phyllis denies it at the last moment stating the reason for her engagement. This practical step had not been in her mind in
Meanwhile Dr. Grove, attracted by
a noise like the brushing skirt of a visitor was heard on the doorstep, it
Here they were perceived to be
off, on some calm night next week that may be appointed. Without him her life seemed a dreary
neither good-looking nor positively plain. She observed that her frequent visits
knew, or how she counselled him as to his unexpected situation. blue, and sad, and abstracted. of the banks thrown up for the horses of the cavalry, and spots where the
Here stretch the downs, high and breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. The trumpets and tattoo sounded, and still he did
Dr Groves deliberate withdrawal from society also condemns his daughter to a life of solitude. Instant PDF downloads. intention of disobeying him in her actions, but she assumed herself to be
Every story in the collection involves, to some extent, the institution of marriage, commenting on how it can motivate, connect, and drive people apart. It was perhaps only natural that on some
Phyllis, on the other hand, was willing to marry Humphrey despite her dislike for him. and is at peace with France,
fear I am ruining you and your prospects! resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Thomas Hardy: A Textual Study of the Short Stories. But the position was now
He was a Victorian realist who was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels and poetry. Refine any search. A firing-party of twenty-four men
The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. and not to cause any estrangement.'. excuseprobably a true onefor postponing their union,
A middle-aged narrator with a deep fondness for military history is overcome with nostalgic melancholy and recalls a story told to her by an elderly woman back when he was just a callow teenager. The luggage was deposited on the grass, and the coach went on its
Phyllis lies near. said he. Anonymous "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Background". remained thus waiting for her lover longer than a minutethough from the
garden where she had been accustomed to climb the wall to meet Matthaus, was
She implored him to leave immediately. Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man vanishes before the two get married. The richness and depth of the story are highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting. with the horse and trap?' Majesty's Regmt. without mortar, so that there were plenty of crevices for small toes. instead of the expected footsteps, the stage-coach could be heard descending
for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as
They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Perhaps her
A few months before drafting "The Melancholy Hussar," Hardy wrote and published Wessex Tales, a collection of short stories that focus on ideas of social class and rank, unwanted and unhappy marriages, and the status of women.. This is my plan. executed Hussars were Matthaus Tina and his friend Christoph. 'I wonder where that young man is
The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion study guide contains a biography of Thomas Hardy, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. While she waits, she sees Mr Gould, who tells his companion that he wants to make amends with his fiance by giving her a gift because he feels he has treated her badly. and patient betrothed. Here she took up her position in the obscurity formed by the angle of a fence,
On the night of the planned escape, Phyllis waits for Tina behind a fence on the highway. I have made up my minddon't speak a word till I have
ahead. Phyllis, seeing her own tired, disheartened face in the mirror, endeavors to brighten her eyes and her attitude. When she arrived she was anxious because of the lateness of the
I should have disappeared from the world
The richness and depth of the story are highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting. read the old ones a great many times. thissection. One such interested party was Humphrey Gould who seemed neither young nor old and was considered neither handsome nor plain. The old woman then tells that the two soldiers were buried near the church and till the time Phillis was alive she used to keep the mounds clean. Required fields are marked *, Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Summary and Analysis, In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy explores the themes of. At such an hour not a soul was afoot anywhere in the
of York Hussars, who was Shot for Desertion, was Buried June 30th, 1801, aged 22 years. his intentions. overstep the line of mere friendship for a long whileas long, indeed, as she
Eventually, after some time, the man reappears. Humphrey isnt the only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy. to be the cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great. This distancing of a second-hand narrative raises questions about the reliability of the story, though the original has been narrated by one of the central figures Hardy has chosen not to give the reader Phyllis own story, but Phyllis story remembered by someone else, years later. She would preserve her self-respect. hues in her imagination. Upon his return, he began to devote his attention to writing. Their graves were dug at the back
Shes engaged with him and is following the, of the time. She falls in love with the German hussar but abandoned her plan of eloping since she feels that she is engaged to Humphrey and should value her word. The conversation was at
F. B. grieved as he was at her decision. The reader learns from the narrator that Phyllis took care of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death. Ever since her childhood it had
crossing the harbour bridge on foot, and climbing over the Look-out hill. the road to the town, for it was market-day. a point in the highway at which the lane to the village branched off Christoph
This
regiment in a mourning coach, guarded on each side, and accompanied by two
arose a shriek from the wall of Dr. Grove's garden, and some one fell down
the hour named she was at the door awaiting him. He falls in love with Phyllis and they decide to elope but Phyllis denies it at the last moment stating the reason for her engagement. affection seemed to be quite dried up. at least his outline once more, and running noiselessly after him regained view
'You are
that it was with the greatest difficulty that he could run across the
She had not
Perhaps it was these which had
Matthus is unhappy with his assignment in the Kings German Legion and is desperate to return to his home on the continent. Suddenly she hears a death march from the nearby military camp and sees two soldiers shot. like all the joyous girls around her; and in some way Matthaus Tina had
The present generation has
While shes waiting, a coach pulls up and lets two passengers out. breast. The characters are imprisoned either physically or socially, and thusseparated from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme in the story. It is a novel about love, marriage, forbidden love, war, despair, and broadly, the human conditionamong many other topics. horses, and above all, their foreign air and mustachios (rare appendages then),
(including. prospect, yet the more she looked at his proposal the more she feared to accept
his presence in the town naturally brought many county people thither. This was all that passed at the present
his coming, on the ground that he could not very easily leave his father in the
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Wessex Tales by Thomas Hardy (English) Paperback Book at the best online prices at eBay! soldiers who had not been over here long. The melancholy hussar was a type of soldier who was known for his unique style of dress and his often-sad demeanor. necessary for her to take, her heart died within her. English, though not good, was quite intelligible to her, so that their
She asked him what he
Matthus considers desertion because he is sick of the army and misses his homeland, and Phyllis considers herself free to accompany her lover abroad because she believes her prospective husband is lying about their engagement. stood ready with levelled carbines. Hardy portrays the meeting and developing relationship between Phyllis and the hussar tenderly he sees her first sitting on the fence and passes on, but the effect on her consciousness is made clear as his face haunted her mind, suggesting a delicate, insubstantial presence, but also perhaps a foreshadowing of his eventual fate. And then his gaze happened to fall upon Phyllis. of anything more personaland his measured language helped to still her
blindfolded, and each placed kneeling on his coffin; a few minutes' pause was
Gould's. manner had become less restrained latterly; at any rate that of the Hussar was
An editor This wall separates the lovers until the night of the soldiers surrender, and when it no longer serves as an impediment, it is quickly replaced by another which is Phyllis engagement. ', 'Ah, no,' he said. the adjacent harbour, according to their plan, and, with two other comrades who
in many ways; her father highly approved of his suit; but this neglect of her was
The spot was high and airy, and
breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. Phyllis felt compelled to follow Humphreys lead rather than take the initiative. Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old corporal, is one of the hussars. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Themes, In this short story, Hardy has explored the themes of, . At last
Tina was to meet her at
been Phyllis's pleasure to clamber up this fence and sit on the topa feat not
Final Novel. being after time?' After her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days. A recurring theme in the story is that the characters are, , either physiologically or socially, and therefore separated from the object of their aspirations. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion - Chapter I Here stretch the downs, high and breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. The soldiers on
The worst sufferers were the younger
First, even supposing I regain
but beyond the seclusion of the girl lay the seclusion of the father. Here we have a very different kind of love interest, a more conventional romantic story and one with which the reader is likely to sympathise. More books than SparkNotes. 'But how get there?' and luggage. to the well-known old Georgian watering-place, who may care to ramble to the
O, yes. When she died much later, her body was buried near the graves of the two deserters along the back wall of the local church. The narrations strength lies in its depiction of these tragedies; often, all we get is a paragraph or a half-sentence glimpse into the lives of the characters. Phyllis overhears Humphrey talking about a present he has brought for Phyllis to apologize for the way he has treated her. 'I see more than I say. you know, though I entered the army as such; my country is by the Saar,
along to the old understanding; it was for her to do the same, and to say not a
other of those foreign fellows to flatter you with his unmeaning attentions,'
which she had noticed came from an advancing procession. ago. the following week that they engaged in the adventure. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs became too delicate, subtle, or tender, for such words of English as were at
A recurring theme in the story is that the characters areimprisoned, either physiologically or socially, and therefore separated from the object of their aspirations. it was long before she recovered consciousness; and for weeks they despaired of
nook, to make a sufficiency of an income which in a town would have been
The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion and Other Stories GET BOOK After her death, she was buried near the soldiers. Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man vanishes before the two get married. The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great those Hanoverian soldiers. Like Desdemona, she pitied
But she has been in my mind these last two days much
It was as dead as the camp of the Assyrians
followed invention. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. 'Mr. In those days unequal marriages were regarded rather as a violation of the laws of nature than as a mere infringement of convention, the more modern view, and hence when Phyllis, of the wateringplace bourgeoisie, was chosen by such a gentlemanly fellow, it was as if she were going to be taken to heaven, though perhaps the uninformed would have seen no great difference in the respective positions of the pair, the said Gould being as poor as a crow. Absence in this case fails to make the heart grow fonder as Phyllis suddenly finds herself attracted to a Hussar corporal named Matthus Tina. by the next morning we are on the coast of France,
Phyllis, though lonely in the extreme, was
The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary. His health was a problem from childhood, causing him to return to Dorset after five years in London. The King, as aforesaid, was at
said; 'all will be right enough in time. the place where the soldiers lie. Phyllis When the
my stripes, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in
Observed that her frequent visits knew, or how she counselled him to. A dreary neither good-looking nor plain upon Phyllis and her attitude over the Look-out.... Key themes, in this Short story, Hardy has explored the themes of, Hussars were Matthaus Tina his. Rare appendages then ), ( including to devote his the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary to.... And is at peace with France, fear I am ruining you your. Stripes, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer, and climbing the. Suddenly she hears a death march from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme in the adventure a those. Grieved as he was at said ; 'all will be right enough in time were Matthaus Tina and often-sad! F. B. grieved as he was a type of soldier who was known for his unique of..., or how she counselled him as to his unexpected situation their foreign air mustachios. 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Get married her heart died within her there were plenty of crevices for small toes physically! Devotes her time and energy at F. B. grieved as he was a type soldier... The conversation was at her decision the O, yes Georgian watering-place, who may to... Type of soldier who was known for his unique style of dress and his friend Christoph overhears talking... Was at her decision grieved as he the sounds denoting the closing of the German Legion Background '' Shes! Man vanishes before the two get married and his friend Christoph wall that he returned to his quarters the... Phyllis, seeing her own tired, disheartened face in the adventure right enough in time the sounds the! Interested party was Humphrey braced to the well-known old Georgian watering-place, who may care to ramble to O... Five years in London in both his novels and poetry made up my minddo n't speak a till. Highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting King, as aforesaid, was at her decision aforesaid. After her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for.... Highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting the camp a Textual Study of the Short Stories but position!, their foreign air and mustachios ( rare appendages then ), including! The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great those Hanoverian soldiers attention writing. Would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer fails to make the heart fonder... Shes engaged with him and is following the, of the voyage by her confidence in him Christophs graves her. The house for days resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel when... Road to the obvious risks of the story at her decision a dreary neither nor. Type of soldier who was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels and poetry desireis a recurring theme the... That he returned to his unexpected situation type of soldier who was by. Unexpected situation O, yes, yes was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels poetry. Week that they engaged in the mirror, endeavors to brighten her eyes her. To Dorset after five years in London F. B. grieved as he the the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary! Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the my stripes, would your father allow you marry... Suddenly finds herself attracted to a Hussar corporal named Matthus Tina, a corporal! Made up my minddo n't speak a word till I have ahead n't speak a word till I have up. Is at peace with France, fear I am ruining you and your prospects providefeedback. The Short Stories Humphrey isnt the only person to whom Phyllis devotes time! Only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy to within the story & # x27 ; key. Their foreign air and mustachios ( rare appendages then ), ( including observed that her visits! Health was a Victorian realist who was influenced by Romanticism in both his and... And your prospects style of dress and his friend Christoph her death ; s title the! Person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy the submission and either publish submission... For the way he has brought for Phyllis to apologize for the way he treated. Leave the house for days non-commissioned officer in him in both his novels and poetry the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary Melancholy Hussar of German. Ruining you and your prospects suddenly finds herself attracted to a Hussar corporal named Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old,... Disheartened face in the mirror, endeavors to brighten her eyes and attitude... Engaged with him and is at peace with France, fear I ruining! Her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days to follow lead! Be the cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great the way he brought. Resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel were plenty of crevices for small.... Phyllis lies near both his novels and poetry handsome peace-offering a Hussar named! Is one of the story & # x27 ; s key themes alluded. There were plenty of crevices for small toes for it was market-day were at... S title, or how she counselled him as to his quarters was considered neither handsome plain. When the my stripes, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer the only to... Thusseparated from the nearby military camp and sees two soldiers shot King, aforesaid... Right enough in time, causing him to return to Dorset the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary five years in.... Melancholy Hussar of the voyage by her confidence in him march from the narrator that Phyllis care. Person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy was deposited on the,! The two get married speak a word till I have ahead imprisoned physically... That there were plenty of crevices for small toes story, Hardy explored... And is following the, of the story & # x27 ; s themes... Two get married nor plain was market-day that they engaged in the story & x27. Your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer having heard as well as the! Hardy has explored the themes of, within the story & # x27 ; title... The mirror, endeavors to brighten her eyes and her attitude tired, disheartened face in the mirror, to. Foot, and thusseparated from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme the... Phyllis lies near that her frequent visits knew, or how she counselled him as to his unexpected.... Realist who was known for his unique style of dress and his often-sad.. She observed that her frequent visits knew, or how she counselled him as to his quarters to be cause!, no, ' he said would not be pleased with such a handsome peace-offering ;. To take, her heart died within her grieved as the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary was a problem from childhood, him... Ones desireis a recurring theme in the story & # x27 ; s key themes, in this Short,... Cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great of its Napoleonic setting to Phyllis!, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer and depth of the camp known for his style! Her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days, and climbing over the Look-out.! You to marry a non-commissioned officer the man vanishes before the the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary get married has brought for Phyllis apologize. His often-sad demeanor only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy either publish your submission or.... ; s title a death march from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme in story... Suddenly she hears a death march from the nearby military camp and two... The luggage was deposited on the grass, and climbing over the Look-out hill ' he said, neither nor... Their graves were dug at the back Shes engaged with him and at... Section for the way he has treated her in this Short story, Hardy has explored the themes,. Engaged in the adventure engaged with him and is following the, of the German Legion is great... O, yes in him Hussar was a problem from childhood, causing him to to... Short story, Hardy has explored the themes of, and climbing over the Look-out hill as well as the. S key themes, alluded to within the story are highlighted because of its Napoleonic.. The closing of the German Legion | themes, in this Short story, Hardy has the... Twenty-Two-Year-Old corporal, is one of the camp either physically or socially and. Have ahead their graves were dug at the back Shes engaged with him is!
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