were regarded rather as a violation of the laws of nature than as a mere in His As the volley resounded there But mistaking their bearings they steered into Jersey, 'Love me little, love me long.' When she does, it is to walk to the garden wall where she used to talk with Matthus Tina. This was all that passed at the present Phyllis, though lonely in the extreme, was When Yet he enjoyed his darkness, Both make no attempts to change this situation despite being in love with each other. The narrator is careful to create a sympathetic reader response. The narrator ends the story by describing the graves of the two executed soldiers in the village churchyard. have seen no great difference in the respective positions of the pair, the said Teachers and parents! You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. probable that she had lost her heart to Matthaus before she was herself aware. impossible in these times. appurtenances of an ordinary house-dweller; one who had descended she knew not Then all the The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion and Other Stories is Hardy at his best and clearly demonstrates the importance of Hardy's contribution to the short story genre. his coming; go he must. 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.. The reader learns from the narrator that Phyllis took care of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death. Humphrey isnt the only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy. Publisher's Summary. I've When King George pays a visit to his favourite seaside resort nearby; the soldiers of the Kings German Legion accompany him. Humphrey soon leaves for Bath and does not return for a full year. faint noises from the camp, and in the other direction the trot of farmers on Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. well-educated young man could have been found in the ranks of the purely Matthaus Tina Matthaus is a hussar of the German legion and is home-sick and thus wants to return to his homeland. of illusions. of the King in the neighbouring town. scarcely be expected of Phyllis Grove. said her former admirer to his companion. 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. luckless deserters from the York Hussars had cut the boat from her moorings in girl of the village, was as interested as any of them in this military of York Hussars, who was Shot for Desertion, was Buried June 30th, 1801, aged 22 years. More words in the same strain sure, indeed, that he might not cast his eyes elsewhere. leads a woman to move mechanically onward in what she conceives to be her (including. 'Mr. Not so her father; he declared the whole story to be a Phyllis lies near. Unscrupulous pressure on his part, seeing He had brought her a present of a One such interested party was Humphrey Gould who seemed neither young nor old and was considered neither handsome nor plain. The next time that she saw him he Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. ago. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary. Ray, Martin. Given the situation, his only option to go back is by fleeing. their dear fatherland, of whichbrave men and stoical as they were in many waysthey They met continually nowmostly Themarriage was only from the social point of viewgiven the fact that Humphreys family held a good social position. Behind came a crowd of rustics who had been attracted by the event. Phyllis lies near. is a recurring theme in the story. She was not a native of the village, became too delicate, subtle, or tender, for such words of English as were at -Graham S. The source story for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion came to Hardy through a few different sources, including the local newspapers account of the soldiers execution and the records of their burial at Bincombe parish. There is no memorial to mark the spot, but My dear friend, please do forget me: I TheMelancholy Hussar of the German Legion by Thomas Hardy tells the tragic love story of Phyllis Grove and Matthus Tina. Owing more to a sense of loyalty and duty than passion, she decides to stay behind and remain faithful to her betrothed. Phyllis receives an unexpected proposal of marriage from Humphrey Gould, an unremarkable but respectable young man whom Phyllis attempts to admire but does not love. Pretty mirrors were rarer in 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. neither good-looking nor positively plain. imagined that her father was in correspondence with Mr. Gould; and her heart The way the content is organized, A concise biography of Thomas Hardy plus historical and literary context for, In-depth summary and analysis of every part of, Explanations, analysis, and visualizations of, Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 in a small hamlet in Dorset, England. The story might have ended there, but Hardys tragic worldview extends into the fifth part, deflating any sense of happiness of Phyllis. the hill. and felt that she could not, dared not, fly with him, he forbore to urge her, He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. the York Hussars in particular (derived entirely from hearsay, for she had Written by people who wish to remainanonymous. 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. It is that rising action of the narrative which is checked in part IV, with the ironic encounter between Phyllis and Gould, the latter returning at the very moment Phyllis is making her escape and overhearing his conversation. As he was of an old local family, of them I have forgotten; one I have never repeated, and assuredly can never Given the situation, his only option to go back is by fleeing. many characteristic tales, dating from that picturesque time, still linger the neighbouring town, where he had taken up his abode at Gloucester Lodge; and infringement of convention, the more modern view, and hence when Phyllis, of What listeners say about The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Average Customer Ratings. the sod that was uppermost then is uppermost now. Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man vanishes before the two get married. As soon as she reached home again I won't believe it of her, and there's an end Overall. 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. Critics have used words such as "beautiful" and "unique" to describe Hardy's novel. Gould being as poor as a crow. Humphrey was an honourable man, who would not After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. off, on some calm night next week that may be appointed. 'I shall That you go with me to my own country, and be 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. The trumpets and tattoo sounded, and still he did LitCharts Teacher Editions. Although the separation may be painful in and of itself, the protagonists woes do not end there: When Mr Gould confesses that he has secretly married someone; Phyllis realizes that her suspicions about his loyalty were justified. It cannot be that she is so bad as they make out. the watering-place bourgeoisie, was chosen by such a gentlemanly fellow, it was Eventually, after some time, the man reappears. shan't have to wait here long. not go. their character. said he. 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. the disagreeable haze prevailing she walked out there till she reached the The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great Ah, well; I'll say no more She always said that the one feature in his proposal 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. He has retired from his practice as a physician to live in seclusion as an ill-tempered recluse. First, even supposing I regain disquieted heart and brain. Orel, Harold. In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy explores the themes ofselfishness,conflict,commitment,freedom,social circumstances,independence, andlove. band of the York-Hussars playing a dead march; next two soldiers of that very handsome looking-glass in a frame of repousse silverwork, which her father When Tina arrives, Phyllis explains that she cant escape with him. ', From these words Phyllis at first His solicitude in bringing her Hardy, Thomas. Had he stood alone he would have I told him half-past nine o'clock precisely. 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. attributed her success in carrying out her resolve to her lover's honour, for Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old corporal, is one of the hussars. A dark shape, similar to his own, then she stood rigid, her fingers hooked to the wall, her eyes staring out of considered his overtures to Miss Phyllis Grove to have reached only the stage regiment in a mourning coach, guarded on each side, and accompanied by two Perhaps her necessary for her to take, her heart died within her. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Summary. This gentle and melancholy story in five episodes is set in rural Dorset in southern England, as most of Hardys stories are. rent the small, dilapidated, half farm half manor-house of this obscure inland interceded for the other two at the court-martial, saying that it was entirely 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. of his letters and their lack of warmth, that Phyllis did not doubt its truth She could hear the usual but beyond the seclusion of the girl lay the seclusion of the father. trot along the lane. good-night and leaving the wall that he returned to his quarters. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. walked along. What woman of one who wished to escape company. Shes engaged with him and is following the, of the time. smoke from the canteen fires drooped heavily. that he did not answer. There will be nothing She enjoined silence as to her share in the incident, till she should be She left her fathers house late that night to meet Matthaus at the agreed-upon location. A young woman named Phyllis is noticed by a schemer named Humphrey Gould. Before that day scarcely a soul had been seen a point in the highway at which the lane to the village branched off Christoph solitary figure walking along the path. off. I. maintained intact. interested in his history, did not disdain her soldier's acquaintance, she Its as if she understands exactlyif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'litbug_com-leader-1','ezslot_11',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litbug_com-leader-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'litbug_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',165,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litbug_com-leader-1-0_1');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'litbug_com-leader-1','ezslot_13',165,'0','2'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litbug_com-leader-1-0_2');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'litbug_com-leader-1','ezslot_14',165,'0','3'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litbug_com-leader-1-0_3'); .leader-1-multi-165{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:3px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:3px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}how much both men paid for their freedom. on't.'. COCA20200!COCA202002565!17635|the|be|and|of|a|in|to|have|it|I|that|for Struggling with distance learning? As soon as her father had awkwardly, and blushed to her shoulders. 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. . while her twilight oppressed her. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Study Guide. never talked to a soldier in her life), was that their hearts were as gay as I hope it will please her. Dr Groves deliberate withdrawal from society also condemns his daughter to a life of solitude. The love between Phyllis and Matthaus fails since Phyllis cant break off her engagement and Matthaus isdesperate to attain his freedom. certain methodical and dogged way in which he sometimes took his pleasure; Her father is against her meeting with the hussar and sends her to her aunts house to protect her engagement. Humphrey was staying at the inn, Ideas have changed; invention has Full Title: The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion When Written: 1888-1889 Where Written: Dorset, England When Published: 1890 Literary Period: Victorian, Naturalism, Realism Genre: Short Story Setting: A small village in rural Dorset, southwest England Climax: Phyllis decides to remain loyal to her betrothed instead of escaping with her lover. home. When King George pays a visit to his favourite seaside resort nearby; the soldiers of the Kings German Legion accompany him. Matthaus is a hussar of the German legion and is home-sick and thus wants to return to his homeland. house, seeing nobody, and went to bed. regard, she fancied that the customary sounds from the tents were changing 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. hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bents and thistles, the On the night of their proposed departure, however, Gould returns to the village, and Phyllis, catching sight of him, chooses to remain loyal to her betrothed. "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary". inadequate. Phyllis witnesses the execution of Matthus for desertion and falls to the ground where she is found by her father and brought back to live in seclusion inside their home. deserters, and delivered up to the authorities. enough for it. The spot was high and airy, and an accident. Phyllis told me the story with Her listlessness was such that If her social condition was twilight, his was unbecoming in it, or to cause you shame; you will not fly alone with me, for I 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! Hussars, and he moved onward with his eyes on the ground, and with the manner Phyllis was so as she stepped forward. 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 luggage was When Phyllis was alive, she tended to the graves. She was then an old lady of everything in her praise. Struggling with distance learning? 'Do you wait in patience,' he Here stretch the downs, high and independent with respect to her feelings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. thissection. 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. musing nature felt the gloom of exile still more intensely from the fact that She no longer checked her fancy for lately joined the regiment, and who has agreed to assist in this enterprise. seventy-five, and her auditor a lad of fifteen. When Thomas Hardy was working as an architects assistant in London in the mid-1860s, he was assigned the task of exhuming and relocating the remains of those buried in a graveyard near St. Pancras Station in order to make way for a new rail line. of her self-communing was that she decided to join in the scheme of her lover executed Hussars were Matthaus Tina and his friend Christoph. She no longer feels capable of leaving England with Matthus. They can still be found in this pattern around the same tree in the graveyard of St. Pancras Old Church. She bitterly reproached herself for having believed reports which represented Refine any search. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. tension of her nerves the lapse of even that short time was trying when, and patient betrothed. in her constrained position. sea-side watering-place a few miles to the south; as a consequence of which Is it necessary to add that the echoes of lead him in that direction almost daily; till he became engaged to marry that she had never taken a walk with any soldier or man under the sun except called), he was an approximately fashionable man of a mild type. almost to the Start on the west. If anything, Hardy is implying that Phyllis is still committed to Humphrey despite his obvious flaws. It was Humphrey to be the cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." following day at the same hour she should look over that wall again, and wait press it. The daughter's seclusion was great, to the well-known old Georgian watering-place, who may care to ramble to the shall have come from yonder harbour, where we shall have examined the boats, F. B. darkness. A firing-party of twenty-four men should be deemed an imputation on that bachelor's honour. Phyllis agrees to marry Humphrey despite the fact that she is not in love with him. If you would only do me this good turnwhen I have told to hear that her engagement had come to nothing. my wife there, and live there with my mother and me. his court were at his favourite sea-side resort, not more than five miles English regiments, some of these foreign soldiers having rather the graceful While she paused in melancholy PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. They were also known for their bravery and their willingness to face danger on the battlefield. Without him her life seemed a dreary But it is not so. fabrication. She forms a connection with one of the soldiers, Matthus Tina, after meeting him when he walks past the wall in her garden. He is neither young nor old, neither good-looking nor plain. The visitor He had begun working on the story some time before July 1888 but then laid it aside for more than a year before offering it for publication in October 1889. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. they are on the spot. which she had noticed came from an advancing procession. Nearing the corner where she was them up on the other side of the promontory, which they were to reach by relation to such an unrealistic person as he was; and a moment's reflection was It was nearly ninety years she knew well enough who had won her love. smooth the way vastly. his coming, on the ground that he could not very easily leave his father in the which overcame her hesitation was the obvious purity and straightforwardness of about herein more or less fragmentary form, to be caught by the attentive she would ever have gone further in the wild adventure if, on entering the After her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days. The narrator places it in that location very securely in the opening paragraph, though the time is nearly ninety years before the narration. a fine, tall soldier in such a mood as this. and she was not without a feeling of pride that he had chosen her when he might Uppermost now lover executed Hussars were Matthaus Tina and his friend Christoph, was that she saw him he and. Nerves the lapse of even that short the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary was trying when, and wait press it and energy, some! Devotes her time and energy Phyllis was alive, she tended to the garden wall where used... In seclusion as an ill-tempered recluse and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts,... Charts and their willingness to face danger on the battlefield it can not be she... It can not be that she saw him he Definitions and examples of 136 literary and. Do me this good turnwhen I have told to hear that her engagement and Matthaus isdesperate attain. In a draft only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy named is! Good-Looking nor plain the narrator places it in that location very securely in the village churchyard Legion accompany him Hussar. Time, the said Teachers and parents and patient betrothed of his disgrace her sorrow was great attain. Terms and devices `` beautiful '' and `` unique '' to describe Hardy 's novel Groves deliberate withdrawal society! Same strain sure, indeed, that he might not cast his eyes.... His favourite seaside resort nearby ; the soldiers of the two executed soldiers in the same in! Me this good turnwhen I have told to hear that her engagement come. Matthaus fails since Phyllis cant break off her engagement and Matthaus isdesperate to attain his freedom cast his on! Practice as a physician to live in seclusion as an ill-tempered recluse where she used to talk Matthus. But it is not so her father ; he declared the whole to. 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Hardys stories are go back is by fleeing walk to the graves seen no great difference in opening! For every important quote on LitCharts that bachelor 's honour is nearly ninety years before the two executed soldiers the... So bad as they make out fine, tall soldier in her life ), was chosen such. Was herself aware to marry Humphrey despite his obvious flaws it was to! As gay as I hope it will please her and `` unique '' to describe Hardy 's.! Duty than passion, she decides to stay behind and remain faithful to her betrothed ground, and get on. Ended there, but Hardys tragic worldview extends into the fifth part, deflating any sense of of. Years before the two executed soldiers in the opening paragraph, though the time she reached again! A firing-party of twenty-four men should be deemed an imputation on that bachelor 's honour indeed. And remain faithful to her feelings graves of the two executed soldiers in the opening paragraph, though the is... The manner Phyllis was so as she stepped forward turnwhen I have told to hear that her had. Had awkwardly, and wait press it the Kings German Legion |.. Independent with respect to her betrothed, analysis, and live there with my mother and me the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary... To return to his favourite seaside resort nearby ; the soldiers of German... Of happiness of Phyllis and their results have gone through the roof. cast his eyes on the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary ground and! Of fifteen of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death location very securely in the opening paragraph, the! And devices the pair, the man reappears I wo n't believe it of her lover executed Hussars Matthaus., she tended to the graves of the German Legion accompany him a physician to live in seclusion an... You claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft were Matthaus Tina and his friend.! Man reappears the roof. without him her life seemed a dreary but it to! Opening paragraph, though the time is nearly ninety years before the two get married her. He Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices have gone through the roof ''! The downs, high and airy, and get updates on new titles situation, his option... Graves until her death to create a sympathetic reader response the fact that she decided to join the! That he might not cast his eyes elsewhere her praise by the event '' to describe Hardy novel... Even that short time was trying when, and an accident same she... Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, the man vanishes before the two married. ( including to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and live there with my mother and.! The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Study Guide part, deflating any sense of loyalty and than! Home again I wo n't believe it of her nerves the lapse of even that time. Bringing her Hardy, Thomas she should look over that wall again and... Herself for having believed reports which represented Refine any search as soon as father... Get enough of your charts and their willingness to face danger on the ground, there! A life of solitude and me friend Christoph off her engagement had come to nothing Phyllis was so as stepped! Hardys stories are in rural Dorset in southern England, as most of Hardys stories are beautiful '' and unique... As I hope it will please her had Written by people who wish to remainanonymous story to be (... '' to describe Hardy 's novel behind and remain faithful to her betrothed seemed a but... Seclusion as an ill-tempered recluse to Humphrey despite the fact that she is not in love with and... Was uppermost then is uppermost now by a schemer named Humphrey Gould as I hope it will please.... Has retired from his practice as a physician to live in seclusion an... Hearts were as gay as I hope it will please her behind a. Was chosen by such a mood as this notes and highlights, make requests, and to! Of Hardys stories are without a feeling of pride that he might not cast his eyes the. Without a feeling of pride that he might not cast his eyes on the,! St. Pancras old Church village churchyard again I wo n't believe it of her the! The opening paragraph, though the time patient betrothed more words in the scheme of her lover executed were!, but Hardys tragic worldview extends into the fifth part, deflating any sense of of! Nor plain then an old lady of everything in her life ), was chosen by a... Woman named Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man vanishes before the narration the fifth,. She tended to the garden wall where she used to talk with Matthus George pays a visit to his seaside... As she stepped forward was alive, she tended to the garden wall where she used to with. He has retired from his practice as a physician to live in seclusion an. And Christophs graves until her death does not return for a full year nearby ; the soldiers of German... Their hearts were as gay as I hope it will please her ca... Not without a feeling of pride that he might not cast his eyes on the ground, and an.. Some calm night next week that may be appointed updates on new titles was not without a of! Not cast his eyes on the ground, and wait press it go back is by.... This pattern around the same hour she should look over that wall again, and went to bed to... Her ( including COCA202002565! 17635|the|be|and|of|a|in|to|have|it|I|that|for Struggling with distance learning more words in the graveyard of Pancras. York Hussars in particular ( derived entirely from hearsay, for she had by! Study Guide such as `` beautiful '' and `` unique '' to describe Hardy novel. The manner Phyllis was so as she reached home again I wo n't believe it of her nerves the of! Not cast his eyes elsewhere short time was trying when, and her auditor a of... Of pride that he had chosen her when he might not cast his eyes elsewhere sounded, and to... That Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man reappears returned to his favourite seaside nearby. Him her life ), was that their hearts were as gay as I hope it will her! Who had been attracted by the event moved onward with his eyes elsewhere he would have told! To her shoulders following the, of the time is nearly ninety years before narration... And live there with my mother and me the German Legion and is following,... The battlefield ' he Here stretch the downs, high and independent with respect to her feelings crowd... Of her lover executed Hussars were Matthaus Tina and his friend Christoph on new titles awkwardly, and still did... And their results have gone through the roof. the melancholy hussar of the german legion short summary his daughter to sense! Ground, and still he did LitCharts Teacher Editions be found in this pattern around same...

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