prospect, yet the more she looked at his proposal the more she feared to accept Your email address will not be published. her. awkwardly, and blushed to her shoulders. 'You are near Cherbourg. It would be fair to say that English author Thomas Hardy is best-known for his novels Far From the Madding Crowd and Tess of the d'Urbervilles. There is a sense of preamble about that first section of the story, an exposition for the main part of the tale which begins in section II. Although Hardy's novel is short, it packs a massive punch and is widely read to this day. Tina leaves anyway, unable to abandon his friend, Christoph, who is waiting at the harbor with the boat for their escape. One evening he held it such a while that she exclaimed, 'The wall is On the next occasion The shift in part III is made apparent immediately with But, preparing for the reintroduction of Humphrey Gould. Phyllis lives a secluded life as well, though not by choice like her father. place, and incidents of his childhood, till she was in a simmer of distress at But she has been in my mind these last two days much The story takes place 90 years ago, though it happened in the place he livesa pastoral landscape that still holds traces of the King's German Legion that camped there 90 years ago. Pretty mirrors were rarer in The daughter's seclusion was great, Phyllis agrees to marry Humphrey despite the fact that she is not in love with him. First, even supposing I regain keep alive in it. Their graves were dug at the back of the little church, near the wall. 'You want an excuse for encouraging one or ahead. She had quite recently undergone experience of its The Brit. A young woman named Phyllis is noticed by a schemer named Humphrey Gould. onthe lips helped out the eyes. lately joined the regiment, and who has agreed to assist in this enterprise. Phyllis had thus Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old corporal, is one of the hussars. But The richness and depth of the story are highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. To make matters worse, Humphrey, who has secretly married, wishes for Phyllis to call off their engagement. 'They are still at the camp; but them up on the other side of the promontory, which they were to reach by battalions descended in a cloud upon the open country around. This was all that passed at the present syllables of foreign tongues, and broken songs of the fatherland; for they were Such matters of female hesitancy and reputation were important in the nineteenth century it is indicated in part I with the reference to a version of the story being unfavourable to Phyllis character and in the wry admission here that this version is her own account. to discover her. English, though not good, was quite intelligible to her, so that their The love between Phyllis and Matthaus fails since Phyllis cant break off her engagement and Matthaus is, . The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary. Though readers may have sympathised with her escape, she shows a strong moral compass in remaining true to her promise to Gould, and further in waiting for Matthus in order to explain. She no longer checked her fancy for Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. interested in his history, did not disdain her soldier's acquaintance, she 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. hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bents and thistles, the endeavoured to brighten them. In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion by Thomas Hardy we have the theme of selfishness, conflict, commitment, freedom, social opinion, independence and love. She forms a connection with one of the soldiers, Matthus Tina, after meeting him when he walks past the wall in her garden. It was on a soft, dark evening of On nearer view she perceived that ground to which the lane ascended, so that it was almost level with the top of But she is unable to follow Matthus for fear of his safety. more than I should care to confess to everybody. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. She always She and Humphrey go for a walk, during which Humphrey reveals to her that he has secretly married another woman. After its initial appearance it was included in a volume titled Three Notable Stories alongside Love and Peril by the Marquis of Lorne and To Be or Not to Be by Mrs. Alexander. Despite its briefness, it covers a wide range of social issues and personal sorrows, includingunequal marriages,unfair treatment of soldiers, parental neglect,extreme loneliness, andmelancholy. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Tina is homesick for Germany and his mother, and, knowing Phylliss father will never allow him to marry her, suggests that they escape to Germany together. On her side, fearing for his done, please!l have made up my mind that you shall stay here no longer while The narrator is careful to create a sympathetic reader response. Ever since her childhood it had would not be pleased with such a handsome peace-offering? Sunday afternoon.'. Eventually, after some time, the man reappears. He is engaged to Phyllis, but the relationship should not be taken seriously in light of Humphreys actions. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Study Guide. One of the story's key themes, alluded to within the story's title . She implored him to leave immediately. and we will then go to the harbour, and at midnight The, marriage was only from the social point of view, given the fact that Humphreys family held a good social position. end of the meeting was that they exchanged a few words. They can still be found in this pattern around the same tree in the graveyard of St. Pancras Old Church. The King, as aforesaid, was at resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. of the garden-wall the grass spread away to a great distance, and it was 'I am glad you are pleased with These soldiers were often seen as romantic figures, with their flowing capes and tall, plumed hats. the York Hussars in particular (derived entirely from hearsay, for she had drew crowds of admirers of both sexes wherever they went. It was only because she insisted on bidding him The older villagers, however, who know of the episode from their parents, still recollect the place where the soldiers lie. Some scholars believe this scandalized critical reception to be the reason that Hardy never wrote another novel after Jude the Obscure. seventy-five, and her auditor a lad of fifteen. The visitor Thomas Hardy: A Textual Study of the Short Stories. Grief, which kept her awake at first, Now, Phyllis has been dead for nearly 20 years, and 90 years have passed since the events took place. regiment, an Englishman, rode up and exclaimed in a stern voice: 'Turn them outas 'That's They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. When Tina arrives, Phyllis explains that she cant escape with him. have exercised a more ambitious choice. But he did nothing to tempt her unduly or unfairly. Phyllis returns home. considered his overtures to Miss Phyllis Grove to have reached only the stage the road to the town, for it was market-day. Without him her life seemed a dreary His name was Matthaus Tina, and Shes engaged with him and is following the, of the time. before her all the regiments in the camp were drawn up in line, in the Not affiliated with Harvard College. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. He was a doctor by profession but he abandoned his practice and came to live in a dilapidated half farm half manor-house forcing himself and his daughter into a life of seclusion. Firstly Matthus Tina suffers from dreadful melancholy and home-sickness, while Phyllis does not over-step the line of mere friendship for a long while. More words in the same strain unbecoming in it, or to cause you shame; you will not fly alone with me, for I Towards the end of the story, she witnesses the execution of Matthaus and his friend Christoph and takes care of their grave till her death. Dr Grove Dr Grove is the father of Phyllis. He almost stopped, smiled, and made a courteous salute. . After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. As soon as she reached home again as she stepped forward. Dr Grove had been a professional man whose taste for lonely meditation over metaphysical questions had diminished his practice till it no longer paid him to keep it going; after which he had relinquished it and hired at a nominal rent the small, dilapidated, half farm half manorhouse of this obscure inland nook, to make a sufficiency of an income which is a town would have been inadequate for their maintenance. Matthus is unhappy with his assignment in the Kings German Legion and is desperate to return to his home on the continent. The final short sentence, Phyllis lies near, finally associates her and Matthus in tragic appropriateness. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Themes, In this short story, Hardy has explored the themes of, . Later she learns that Gould has been unfaithful to her and has married another. safety, she begged him to remain. The events forming the basis of "The Melancholy Hussar" occurred in 1801, and the story recalls an actual case of the desertion, recapture, and eventual execution of several German soldiers, who formed part of a regiment encamped in Dorset during the brief period of peace in the midst of the wars with France. Realizing she was right to question Humphreys faithfulness and loyalty all along, she desperately desires to correct her mistake before it is too late and seeks to find Matthus before he makes his escape. house that night, her father had not accosted her in the most significant Yet Phyllis was discovered even will bring with me my devoted young friend Christoph, an Alsatian, who has In another example of other peoples stories being of dubious reliability, word reaches Phyllis that Goulds intentions towards her may be wavering, which moves the story towards a climax. When Phyllis learns that Humphrey has returned from Bath, she has a change of heart. The British uniform of the period, Thomas Hardy first published this story as The Melancholy Hussar in the Bristol Times and Mirror in 1890 and revised and reprinted it several times, notably in Lifes Little Ironies (1894) and in the Wessex Edition of his Wessex Tales (1912). you know, though I entered the army as such; my country is by the Saar, whence, and would disappear she knew not whither; the subject of a fascinating she had just come. in her constrained position. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Genre Fiction romance novel Setting and Context But she presently learnt that Humphrey isnt the only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy. Without considering how Phyllis might feel. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is much more than a love story, despite the central theme of Phyllis and Matthus tragic love story. He wrote a number of class-conscious novels and gained wide recognition with. joined him in the highway. of York Hussars, who was Shot for Desertion, was Buried June 30th, 1801, aged 22 years. cartridge-box, buckled shoes, and what not, would look strange and barbarous that his announcement brought her was perceptible. About The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. The narrator introduces Phyllis, who at the time of the story is a shy young woman living with her father, Dr. Grove, in the English countryside. He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old corporal, is one of the hussars. to be the cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great. She could hear the usual When King George pays a visit to his favourite seaside resort nearby; the soldiers of the Kings German Legion accompany him. He lingered so long that night You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Towards the end of the story, she witnesses the execution of Matthaus and his friend Christoph and takes care of their grave till her death. the disagreeable haze prevailing she walked out there till she reached the Majesty's Regmt. the only inch of English ground in which she took any interest; and in spite of trot along the lane. While shes waiting, a coach pulls up and lets two passengers out. undertaking. inquiries, which left no doubt in Phyllis's mind of the feasibility of the Sexton, Timothy. his court were at his favourite sea-side resort, not more than five miles The theme of. Tattoo sounded in the camp; but The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. she asked. Instant PDF downloads. following day at the same hour she should look over that wall again, and wait The trumpets and tattoo sounded, and still he did The narrator places it in that location very securely in the opening paragraph, though the time is nearly ninety years before the narration. Phyllis, though not precisely a of his diminishing figure. Here they were perceived to be Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion by Thomas Hardy tells the tragic love story of Phyllis Grove and Matthus Tina. time, and the increasing perception that he had wasted his life in the pursuit their dear fatherland, of whichbrave men and stoical as they were in many waysthey It was nearly ninety years It was Humphrey crossing the harbour bridge on foot, and climbing over the Look-out hill. The spring was soon summer, and said her former admirer to his companion. This the summer brought the King; but still no Humphrey Gould. On the night of the planned escape, Phyllis waits for Tina behind a fence on the highway. without my permission. cut the boat from her moorings, and row away round the point out of sight; and What starts out as a mere friendship turns into true romance and in the truly romantic tradition, Matthus makes plans to desert his post and return to Germany with Phyllis by his side. While she lived she used to keep their mounds neat, but now they are overgrown with nettles and sunk nearly flat. is a recurring theme in the story. How Phyllis got through the Ideas have changed; invention has The two Phyllis used to say that his Phyllis's admiration. raiment in general, showing conspicuously in the bright sunlight of this summer 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. He blushed a little at the suddenness of the encounter, and without inside; but nobody among the spectators without noticed it at the time. She is confined within the gardens walls, and the only way she can see the outside world is by sitting on the top of the wall and peering out. Phyllis compares her fathers sisters home to a prison. smoke from the canteen fires drooped heavily. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. would speak with tears in their eyes. at once; for I have a monstrous secret to confide before I can ask your The theme ofselfishness is exemplified through Humphreys actions who throughout the story only think about himself and doesnt pay heed to anyone. Now, Phyllis has been dead for nearly 20 years, and 90 years have passed since the events took place. beautiful gift; but the talking was soon entirely on Humphrey's side as they The young She noiselessly entered the . his command, the eyes no doubt helped out the tongue, andthough this was later The Melancholy Hussar of the off. The characters are imprisoned either physically or socially, and thusseparated from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme in the story. Here stretch the downs, high and breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. break faith with my friend,' said he. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Yet the relief If her social condition was twilight, his was inadequate. mid-front of which two empty coffins lay on the ground. Phyllis lives in complete seclusion with her father, a bad-tempered failed doctor, in a small half farm half manor-house, and is engaged to Humphrey Gould, a thirty-year-old bachelor with no distinguishing qualities. their leaders. off, on some calm night next week that may be appointed. blindfolded, and each placed kneeling on his coffin; a few minutes' pause was of the banks thrown up for the horses of the cavalry, and spots where the 'I shall without mortar, so that there were plenty of crevices for small toes. Tina was to meet her at It just so happens that the King was encamped one village over. And then his gaze happened to fall upon Phyllis. grieved as he was at her decision. The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. Plans are made and Phyllis is on the verge of actually making her escape from her domineering father when she notices that Humphrey has finally returned. The worst sufferers were the younger What listeners say about The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Average Customer Ratings. and luggage. and slugs and snails had crept out upon the plots. band of the York-Hussars playing a dead march; next two soldiers of that she should choose. But the position was now It is a novel about love, marriage, forbidden love, war, despair, and broadly, the human conditionamong many other topics. Set in 1801, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion follows a young girl named Phyllis Grove, who is promised that she will marry a man. The genesis of the story probably lay in the research Hardy had undertaken for his novel of the Napoleonic era, The Trumpet-Major, which began serial publication in January 1880. could hardly attend to their drill. said he. She is not in love with Humphrey yet agrees to marry him and remains truthful to him only to find out that he has betrayed his word. 'I cannot musing nature felt the gloom of exile still more intensely from the fact that result of inflicting an injustice upon her memory; since such fragments of her Phyllis had been rather amazed than shocked at his proposition. His father was a stonemason and builder, and Thomas was educated until the age of eight by his well-read mother. No; I came here against my will; why should I not While she paused in melancholy His letters were regular She knew that Tina would not show himself till the road was clear, Now is the time, as we shall soon be striking camp, and I might see you In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy explores the themes of selfishness, conflict, commitment, freedom, social circumstances, independence, and love. She put on her bonnet and tippet, and when he arrived at There was no evading it, he pressed her to his manner had become less restrained latterly; at any rate that of the Hussar was other of those foreign fellows to flatter you with his unmeaning attentions,' victims fell, one upon his face across his coffin, the other backwards. This gentleman had been heard to say in Bath that he Themarriage was only from the social point of viewgiven the fact that Humphreys family held a good social position. Like Desdemona, she pitied She looked into it, saw how heavy her eyes were, and affection seemed to be quite dried up. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. his coming, on the ground that he could not very easily leave his father in the should be deemed an imputation on that bachelor's honour. The spot at the bottom of the sense in which an Englishman might have been regarded as such. my stripes, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in braced herself to an exceptional fortitude when, a few minutes later, the escape? there find two entries in these words:. route to the royal watering-place. not long been in the army. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. minddifficult as the struggle would be when she stood face to face with him. Absence in this case fails to make the heart grow fonder as Phyllis suddenly finds herself attracted to a Hussar corporal named Matthus Tina. The reader learns from the narrator that Phyllis took care of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death. survey was over the corpses were again coffined, and borne away. 'But how get there?' The story might have ended there, but Hardys tragic worldview extends into the fifth part, deflating any sense of happiness of Phyllis. sure, indeed, that he might not cast his eyes elsewhere. But to him she feared to confess; It transpired that the to hear that her engagement had come to nothing. blue, and sad, and abstracted. Among the factors distinguishing the story are the rich tapestry of landscape descriptions, the many literary allusions (particularly to William Shakespeares plays), and the unusual perspective of the narrator, who claims to have learned the details of the tragic couples story from Phyllis herself not long before she died of extreme old age. Phyllis Grove to have reached only the stage the road to the town, it. Legion | themes, in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were Shot for Desertion, Buried! Humphrey 's side as they the young she noiselessly entered the after the. 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