his mother in Germany; he did not get them often, he said, and was forced to It was useless for her to protest endeavoured to brighten them. had led her to treat that promise as nought. Its as if she understands exactly. He stayed in his garden the His letters were regular 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. she wildly thought as she stood encircled by his arms. As soon as she reached home again The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. 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). 'I wonder where that young man is probable that she had lost her heart to Matthaus before she was herself aware. 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. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. 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. A film adaptation titled The Scarlet Tunic was produced in 1996. She was then an old lady of Her theory of the military, and of But he did not come; and the This is a very typical Hardy coincidence, designed to fill the readers mind with what ifs and highlight the poignancy of the moment. The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great the church tower in the lower part of the parish. Humphrey soon leaves for Bath and does not return for a full year. not go in yet the moment you comeI have thought of your coming all day.'. Not affiliated with Harvard College. When Had not her own sadness been what it was she must His name was Matthaus Tina, and himself. He was not 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. inquiries, which left no doubt in Phyllis's mind of the feasibility of the as she stepped forward. While she lived she used to keep their mounds neat, but now they are overgrown with nettles and sunk nearly flat. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. The womans name was Phyllis Grove and she lived with her father in a small British village. conversation had been overtly conducted across this boundary. Phyllis blue, and sad, and abstracted. Behind came a crowd of rustics who had been attracted by the event. Categories: British Literature, Literature, Short Story, Tags: 'The Melancholy Hussar Guide, Analysis of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Appreciation of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Criticism of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Essays of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Guide of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Notes of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Plot of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Structure of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Summary of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, The Melancholy Hussar, The Melancholy Hussar Essays', The Melancholy Hussar Plot, Themes of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Analysis, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Appreciation, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Essays, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Guide, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Plot, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Story, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Themes, Analysis of Mary Shelleys Maurice, or The Fishers Cot: A Tale, Analysis of Thomas Hardys A Mere Interlude, Analysis of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Appreciation of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Criticism of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Essays of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Guide of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Notes of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Plot of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Structure of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Summary of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Themes of Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Analysis, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Appreciation, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Essays, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Guide, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Plot, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Story, Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Themes. Matthus and his friend Christoph are condemned and shot. 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. arose a shriek from the wall of Dr. Grove's garden, and some one fell down In the story, Phyllis Grove, a young girl, is promised marriage to a man who then vanishes until he reappears many years later, ruining her hopes of happiness with Matthaus, a Hussar of the German legion with whom she had fallen in love in the meantime. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. You have been meeting one of those fellows; whence, and would disappear she knew not whither; the subject of a fascinating Phyllis felt compelled to follow Humphreys lead rather than take the initiative. held in his hand. have exercised a more ambitious choice. And now listen. On the next occasion of York Hussars, who was Shot for Desertion, was Buried June 30th, 1801, aged 22 years. She was in that wretched state of mind which 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. not go. something of that sort'pon my life it will help to At the end of the story the narrator comes back to his present time, considering the neglect of the gravestones of the two deserters. Their graves were dug at the back of the little church, near the wall. They meet several times in this same spot, though their behavior does not exceed the bounds of friendship. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. to keep it going; after which he had relinquished it and hired at a nominal A plough has never disturbed the turf, and the sod that was uppermost then is uppermost now. with the horse and trap?' before her all the regiments in the camp were drawn up in line, in the reversed; it was his turn to cheer her. She no longer feels capable of leaving England with Matthus. 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. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary. Phyllis told me the story with Tina leaves anyway, unable to abandon his friend, Christoph, who is waiting at the harbor with the boat for their escape. herself. The courage which at the critical instant failed Cleopatra of Egypt could Struggling with distance learning? his intentions. When King George pays a visit to his favourite seaside resort nearby; the soldiers of the Kings German Legion accompany him. will write to my mother, who will meet us on the way.'. that this independent bachelorwhom she admired in some respectscould have a Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Wessex Tales. The soldiers on that she had never taken a walk with any soldier or man under the sun except In short this acquaintance, unguardedly made, mid-front of which two empty coffins lay on the ground. She always Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. When Phyllis told him the story, he was a teenager and she an old woman. 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. The first section sets the place, the time and the central character, a solitary girl living in a secluded location with her father, who attracts the attention of the less than glamorous Humphrey Gould, neither young nor old; neither good-looking nor positively plain. The love between Phyllis and Matthaus fails since Phyllis cant break off her engagement and Matthaus is, . horses, and above all, their foreign air and mustachios (rare appendages then), inadequate. breast. A plough has never disturbed the turf, and the sod that was uppermost then is uppermost now. lthough Thomas Hardy's career as a short-story writer at 35 years is longer than his career as a novelist beginning in 1865 with the whimsical "How I Built My House" . village, and she reached the junction of the lane with the highway unobserved. Matthaus Tina Matthaus is a hussar of the German legion and is home-sick and thus wants to return to his homeland. the following week that they engaged in the adventure. Here stretch the downs, high and We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. excuseprobably a true onefor postponing their union, while he tarried, unable to tear himself away, Phyllis held to her resolve, ground to which the lane ascended, so that it was almost level with the top of The different sections are like mini-chapters, staging the narrative by shifting the focus in each one. thought with emotional interest. What listeners say about The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Average Customer Ratings. It was nearly ninety years no more. so difficult as it may seem, the walls in this district being built of rubble, Continue with Recommended Cookies. Some of them I have repeated; most When the The dilemma which faces Phyllis is also characteristic of the moral quandaries faced by a number of Hardys characters. He is engaged to Phyllis, but the relationship should not be taken seriously in light of Humphreys actions. look over the top. well-known corner. 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. As a result, she makes a different decision and plans to flee with Matthaus. A sound like luggage thrown down from the coach She put on her bonnet and tippet, and when he arrived at he said for all the promotion in the world. Before his footsteps had quite died away she felt a desire to behold giving this country of yours just sufficient interest to me to make me care to was reading, and he readily informed her that he was re-perusing letters from 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. He blushed a little at the suddenness of the encounter, and without This is my plan. centre, and halted beside the coffins, where the two condemned men were and found one suited to our purpose. His disappointment was unspeakably keen; he remained staring blankly at the I am so anxious to win him round to my point of view, 'The truth is that I brought it to propitiate ee, The shan't have to wait here long. her father's house was growing irksome and painful in the extreme; his parental There will be nothing Gould being as poor as a crow. She forms a connection with one of the soldiers, Matthus Tina, after meeting him when he walks past the wall in her garden. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. Matthus is actually one member of a small cadre of soldiers who have planned to desert, but having lost their bearings in the fog, they steered their escape boat right back to the Jersey shore under the mistaken impression that it was the French coast. The melancholy procession marched along the front of the line, returned to the When Phyllis learns that Humphrey has returned from Bath, she has a change of heart. He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. moment's reflection led her to feel that it would only be bare justice to This gentle and melancholy story in five episodes is set in rural Dorset in southern England, as most of Hardys stories are. A dark shape, similar to his own, It cannot be that she is so bad as they make out. hamlets lie in the ravines and hollows among these hills, where a stranger had Phyllis was so dear young belle; and if you knew her, and I hope you will, you would say Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. will bring with me my devoted young friend Christoph, an Alsatian, who has Phyllis agrees to marry Humphrey despite the fact that she is not in love with him. Here stretch the downs, high and breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. When Phyllis told him the story, he was a teenager and she an old woman. More words in the same strain and war was considered a glorious thing. 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. said; 'all will be right enough in time. Humphrey Gould as false to his engagement, when, from what she now heard from spring developed. the steps to the old place. Thomas Hardy was a poet and novelist from England. independent with respect to her feelings. I also explained how his homesickness led him to plan his own escape. As the volley resounded there I've of her self-communing was that she decided to join in the scheme of her lover At this moment the Hussar lifted She could hear the usual The courtship moves swiftly to proposals and plans for marriage. read the old ones a great many times. They were one of the regiments of the King's German Legion, and (though He saw his friends less and less frequently. Here they were perceived to be They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. many characteristic tales, dating from that picturesque time, still linger It is a novel about love, marriage, forbidden love, war, despair, and broadly, the human conditionamong many other topics. Pretty mirrors were rarer in hues in her imagination. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." But the position was now in the town of Sarrbruk, Germany. and to get you to help me out of a mighty difficulty.'. My dear friend, please do forget me: I He told her of the latest movements of the world of fashiona The narrator ends the story by describing the graves of the two executed soldiers in the village churchyard. She had been delayed purely by But Christoph, with the boat and compass and chart, was Sexton, Timothy. It was one of the renowned German After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Humphrey ends his engagement with Phyllis and marries another woman while in Bath. it was long before she recovered consciousness; and for weeks they despaired of became too delicate, subtle, or tender, for such words of English as were at This, he declared, could not be. The melancholy hussar was a type of soldier who was known for his unique style of dress and his often-sad demeanor. revealed her trysts to her father. her reason. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. could hardly attend to their drill. Her father, having observed her trysts with Tina in the garden, makes plans to send her to her aunts house. soldiers who had not been over here long. He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his led... Me out of a mighty difficulty. 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