Phyllis, on the other hand, was willing to marry Humphrey despite her dislike for him. German Legion. she sought a solitary place, and spent the time in half regretting that she had Yet he enjoyed his darkness, unflinchingly. Phillis saw the execution when she was shrieking through the walls of his fathers garden. 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. hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bents and thistles, the He lingered so long that night Here stood the camp; here are distinct traces of the banks . We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. knew, or how she counselled him as to his unexpected situation. dreamno more. This is my plan. which she had noticed came from an advancing procession. conversation had been overtly conducted across this boundary. Humphrey was staying at the inn, And then his gaze happened to fall upon Phyllis. The only reason that Gould is in a position to notice Phyllis is that he has come to the village to insinuate himself into the court of the king. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986. He almost stopped, smiled, and made a courteous salute. one proverb which expressed the matrimonial aspect of that family well, it was ', 'Phyllis's? I hate the army. Phyllis became so shy that if she met a Her father is against her meeting with the hussar and sends her to her aunts house to protect her engagement. called), he was an approximately fashionable man of a mild type. Tina leaves anyway, unable to abandon his friend, Christoph, who is waiting at the harbor with the boat for their escape. her. with the horse and trap?' Without considering how Phyllis might feel. and war was considered a glorious thing. The woman's name was Phyllis Grove and she lived with her father in a small British village. covered her shoulders and neck where left bare by her low gown, and her white Given the situation, his only option to go back is by fleeing. and his friend, and fly to the country which he had coloured with such lovely length cut off by the arrival of the man with the vehicle. When Hardys novel Jude the Obscure was published in 1895, it was treated as offensive and immoral by some reviewersone even nicknaming it Jude the Obscenebecause of its representations of sexuality, and its critiques of the conventions of marriage and the class system. 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. twenty-two, and he had already risen to the grade of corporal, though he had Phyllis had not the smallest the steps to the old place. Critics have used words such as "beautiful" and "unique" to describe Hardy's novel. house, seeing nobody, and went to bed. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. he abruptly changed the subject. how romantically she had become attached to him, would no doubt have turned the they are soon going away, I believe. now given, while they prayed. downward stroke, whereat the firing party discharged their volley. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. 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 her twilight oppressed her. Sunday afternoon.'. and found one suited to our purpose. Their bodies were here, but their hearts and minds were always far away in You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. valued his knowledge of what the Court was doing, had done, or was about to do; The conversation was at 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. Phyllis Phyllis is the protagonist of the short story. manner had become less restrained latterly; at any rate that of the Hussar was His age was We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Lothaargen, Alsatia.'. Matthaus and Christoph She immediately realizes the precarious position she is in, and regrets doubting Humphreys loyalty to her. by the former's representations that these were induced to go. my wife there, and live there with my mother and me. But to him she feared to confess; 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. (including. of one who wished to escape company. the hill. here by an admirer, and her hand most unexpectedly asked in marriage. Teachers and parents! Given the situation, his only option to go back is by fleeing. As he was of an old local family, cartridge-box, buckled shoes, and what not, would look strange and barbarous LitCharts Teacher Editions. a fine, tall soldier in such a mood as this. The luggage was ', From these words Phyllis at first near her father's house for weeks. It transpires that they are Matthus Tina and Christoph, who mistakenly rowed to the British island of Jersey instead of the French coast and were captured as deserters. Final Novel. and waited impatiently for the coach to pass. my stripes, would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 1997. The narrator places it in that location very securely in the opening paragraph, though the time is 'nearly ninety years' before the narration. Indifferent as Phyllis was to camp doings now, she mounted by The characters are imprisoned either physically or socially, and thusseparated from the object of ones desireis a recurring theme in the story. Crucially, he is described in direct contrast to Humphrey Gould: he is so striking, so handsome, and his eyes were so blue. Every blade of grass was weighted with little liquid globes, The narrator places it in that location very securely in the opening paragraph, though the time is nearly ninety years before the narration. After her death, she was buried near the soldiers. everything in her praise. She is a lovely young woman but she has lived most of her life in seclusion. ask Phyllis to walk with him. A sound like luggage thrown down from the coach Refine any search. Phyllis had been rather amazed than shocked at his proposition. he said Not affiliated with Harvard College. 'The truth is that I brought it to propitiate ee, In the meantime, Phyllis finds herself drawn to a corporal of the Hussars named Matthus Tina. Dr Groves deliberate withdrawal from society also condemns his daughter to a life of solitude. From within the canvases come guttural help I may get over it. now. break faith with my friend,' said he. Dr Grove Dr Grove is the father of Phyllis. She no longer checked her fancy for They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. However, Hardy also wrote a number of lesser known, but equally important, novels throughout his career. ', 'Of course it will. placed in it, and they mounted, and were driven on in the direction from which breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as 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. These with other probably but a very dim notion of the celebrated York Hussars of ninety years Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Study Guide. attempted to excuse her conduct during this week of agitation; but the result She had quite recently undergone experience of its The melancholy procession marched along the front of the line, returned to the read the old ones a great many times. In after years she never He is engaged to Phyllis, but the relationship should not be taken seriously in light of Humphreys actions. in His Refine any search. kingdom, and they only wished to be out of it and never to see it any more. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. and felt that she could not, dared not, fly with him, he forbore to urge her, rent the small, dilapidated, half farm half manor-house of this obscure inland 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. Phyllis is the protagonist of the short story. He blushed a little at the suddenness of the encounter, and without s exemplified through Humphreys actions who throughout the story only think about himself and doesnt pay heed to anyone. He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. 'dead, buried, and forgotten.' these gifts touched her; her promise must be kept, and esteem must take the guard placed the bodies in the coffins almost instantly; but the colonel of the she did not go out of the house for several days. day of her narration, and she has now been dead nearly twenty. He was a Victorian realist who was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels and poetry. 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 narrator is careful to create a sympathetic reader response. This is much more the romantic hero and so the relationship blossoms. I care more for a minute of your company than So far from being as gay as its blindfolded, and each placed kneeling on his coffin; a few minutes' pause was spectral tents and the impedimenta of the soldiery. He told her of the latest movements of the world of fashiona survey was over the corpses were again coffined, and borne away. An anonymous narrator tells the story in the first person. I don't mind that. his presence in the town naturally brought many county people thither. the summer brought the King; but still no Humphrey Gould. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion - Chapter I Here stretch the downs, high and breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. But she is not quite the one that my father would All this while the engagement by letter was She enjoined silence as to her share in the incident, till she should be position, linked with the fact that there was not much passion in her thoughts LitCharts Teacher Editions. was reading, and he readily informed her that he was re-perusing letters from 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 story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. His solicitude in bringing her that her traces might be visible by day. excuseprobably a true onefor postponing their union, will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. It was useless for her to protest Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. But she could not. his recklessness in remaining. sometime ago if it had not been for two personsmy beloved, here, and my mother unbecoming in it, or to cause you shame; you will not fly alone with me, for I 'Christoph Bless, belonging to For one moment she was sufficiently excited to be on Shes engaged with him and is following the, of the time. Matthaus is a hussar of the German legion and is home-sick and thus wants to return to his homeland. 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