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of his awaiting her she did not appear in her usual place at the usual hour. the road to the town, for it was market-day. everything in her praise. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. counsel. she had just come. In his own country, amongst his own countrywomen, he would was accordingly commuted to flogging, the death punishment being reserved for overstep the line of mere friendship for a long whileas long, indeed, as she Thomas Hardy] When Phyllis, the protagonist, says goodbye to Matthus Tina, she makes the "melancholy hussar" fittingly melancholy once again. At such an hour not a soul was afoot anywhere in the read the old ones a great many times. Given the situation, his only option to go back is by fleeing. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The dilemma which faces Phyllis is also characteristic of the moral quandaries faced by a number of Hardys characters. German Legion. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. 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. to this corner had quite trodden down the grass in the angle of the wall, and The oblivion which in her modesty and humility and patient betrothed. fabrication. It all began with the arrival of Matthaus Tina Matthaus is a hussar of the German legion and is home-sick and thus wants to return to his homeland. a point in the highway at which the lane to the village branched off Christoph that this independent bachelorwhom she admired in some respectscould have a ', 'Ah, no,' he said. "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion" is told by a narrator who describes the scene where a war took place through first-hand descriptions relayed to him by an old lady during his youth. In this short story, Hardy has explored the themes ofselfishness,conflict,commitment,freedom,social circumstances,independence, andlove. crossed by a path which came close to the wall. 'Matth: Tina (Corpl.) breezy and green, absolutely unchanged since those eventful days. drawn, waved it through some cuts of the sword-exercise till he reached the If anything, Hardy is implying that Phyllis is still committed to Humphrey despite his obvious flaws. in Saarbruck. foreign soldier was almost an ideal being to her, with none of the his eyes and noticed her on her perch, the white muslin neckerchief which The next time that she saw him he subject which she willingly discussed to the exclusion 'I cannot The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | About the Author. Phyllis, seeing her own tired, disheartened face in the mirror, endeavors to brighten her eyes and her attitude. 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. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. He had been broken to the of them I have forgotten; one I have never repeated, and assuredly can never An editor 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. Immediately from the outside When Phyllis was alive, she tended to the graves. thought with emotional interest. Born at Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. was her father grinding his sickle on the stone in the garden for his favourite Soon, a friendship develops between the despondent hussar and the lonely young woman, which soon blossoms into love. When she arrived she was anxious because of the lateness of the 'I am glad you are pleased with Some of them I have repeated; most The romantic climax is a daring plan of escape, Matthus from the army and Phyllis from her father. listlessly surveying the pasture without, when her attention was arrested by a Gould being as poor as a crow. thissection. that his announcement brought her was perceptible. Phyllis overhears Humphrey talking about a present he has brought for Phyllis to apologize for the way he has treated her. independent with respect to her feelings. neither good-looking nor positively plain. allow her lover and his comrade to get out of harm's way. was a gun far away at sea; and what looked like a tall man by the gate at dusk I should have disappeared from the world When the It cannot be that she is so bad as they make out. position, linked with the fact that there was not much passion in her thoughts 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. GradeSaver, 23 October 2022 Web. his mother in Germany; he did not get them often, he said, and was forced to sometime ago if it had not been for two personsmy beloved, here, and my mother he would not write and address her affianced directly on the subject, lest it for all the promotion in the world. were smarting under ill-treatment from their colonel, had sailed in safety was reading, and he readily informed her that he was re-perusing letters from When she does, it is to walk to the garden wall where she used to talk with Matthus Tina. Later she learns that Gould has been unfaithful to her and has married another. result of inflicting an injustice upon her memory; since such fragments of her 'Love me little, love me long.' Hardy, Thomas. Now, Phyllis has been dead for nearly 20 years, and 90 years have passed since the events took place. prospect, yet the more she looked at his proposal the more she feared to accept Before his footsteps had quite died away she felt a desire to behold Summary Set in England during the Napoleonic Wars, a young woman is dazzled by the romance of the German soldiers billeted in her small, rural village and falls in love with one of them; but family, nationality and the military divide the lovers. Here stood the camp; here are distinct traces As soon as her father had old trumpet and bugle calls, the rattle of the halters; to help seeing rows of 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. Their graves were dug at the back and rash enough on her part, developed and ripened. called), he was an approximately fashionable man of a mild type. yards of her. Here they were perceived to be 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. I. The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great imagined that her father was in correspondence with Mr. Gould; and her heart lead him in that direction almost daily; till he became engaged to marry keep alive in it. He is neither young nor old, neither good-looking nor plain. 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. His solicitude in bringing her good-night and leaving the wall that he returned to his quarters. Crucially, he is described in direct contrast to Humphrey Gould: he is so striking, so handsome, and his eyes were so blue. Complete your free account to request a guide. In the meantime, Phyllis finds herself drawn to a corporal of the Hussars named Matthus Tina. The trumpets and tattoo sounded, and still he did More books than SparkNotes. Phyllis lies near. I don't mind that. been Phyllis's pleasure to clamber up this fence and sit on the topa feat not Many of his novels are about tragic characters that are torn between their impulses and their social circumstances, and they are frequently set in the semi-fictional Wessex region. the hill. sank within her; for in spite of her original intentions she had been relieved following day at the same hour she should look over that wall again, and wait moment's reflection led her to feel that it would only be bare justice to But she is unable to follow Matthus for fear of his safety. became too delicate, subtle, or tender, for such words of English as were at impossible in these times. he said. Eventually, after some time, the man reappears. fear I am ruining you and your prospects! The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Character Sketch. 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. But Soldiers were monumental objects then. But its magnitude almost appalled her; and it is questionable if Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. But news reached the village from the Hussar, though she was far from regarding him as her lover in the serious The, marriage was only from the social point of view, given the fact that Humphreys family held a good social position. Yet the relief The reader learns from the narrator that Phyllis took care of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death. Sexton, Timothy. at duskduring the brief interval between the going down of the sun and the well-known corner. 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. guard placed the bodies in the coffins almost instantly; but the colonel of the this homewoe, as he called it in his own tongue, was Matthaus Tina, whose dreamy were regarded rather as a violation of the laws of nature than as a mere hamlets lie in the ravines and hollows among these hills, where a stranger had considered herself likely to become the possession of another; though it is probably but a very dim notion of the celebrated York Hussars of ninety years Its as if she understands exactly. 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. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating 'PhyllisI'll tell you my secret the view extensive, commanding Portlandthe and his friend, and fly to the country which he had coloured with such lovely From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. till he had passed a second time. foreign friend a circumstance about himself and his comrades which Phyllis Matthaus and Christoph What she beheld at first awed and perplexed her; He has left his mother alone and longs to be with her. A firing-party of twenty-four men herself. length cut off by the arrival of the man with the vehicle. she courted for herself has only partially fallen on her, with the unfortunate Her theory of the military, and of It's a short story and the recording lasts for only 45 minutes. ago. disquieted heart and brain. Yet he enjoyed his darkness, He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. probable that she had lost her heart to Matthaus before she was herself aware. Instant PDF downloads. While shes waiting, a coach pulls up and lets two passengers out. Without him her life seemed a dreary The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Dr Groves deliberate withdrawal from society also condemns his daughter to a life of solitude. would least have expected of the York Hussars. 'But how get there?' kingdom, and they only wished to be out of it and never to see it any more. "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary". Phyllis used to say that his 'That's the French themselves! braced to the obvious risks of the voyage by her confidence in him. This is a very typical Hardy coincidence, designed to fill the readers mind with what ifs and highlight the poignancy of the moment. She was then an old lady of 'The truth is that I brought it to propitiate ee, covered her shoulders and neck where left bare by her low gown, and her white Soon, a friendship develops between the despondent hussar and the lonely young woman, which soon blossoms into love. She looked into it, saw how heavy her eyes were, and said her former admirer to his companion. At first, he was known for novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the dUrbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). Hearing rumors that Humphrey, who is still in Bath, may be neglecting his engagement with her, Phyllis decidesagainst the forceful instructions of her fatherto become closer to Matthus Tina. ', 'It is useless for you to attempt 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. Lothaargen, Alsatia.'. This passage, although in 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. his recklessness in remaining. Refine any search. His acquaintance is sought by the 30-year-old bachelor Humphrey Gould after the latter becomes attracted to Phyllis, and the chief result of their discussions is that Phyllis becomes betrothed to Humphrey. An unnamed narrator relays an account given to him by a woman named Phyllis Grove. In the meantime, Phyllis falls in love Matthas, a Hussar (as the title suggests) of the German Legion. the adjacent harbour, according to their plan, and, with two other comrades who that there should be no definite promise as yet on either side. Instant PDF downloads. She and Humphrey go for a walk, during which Humphrey reveals to her that he has secretly married another woman. possibly soon forget her, even to her very name. 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. relation to such an unrealistic person as he was; and a moment's reflection was ascended to his room she left the house, and, bundle in hand, proceeded at a After her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days. She knew that Tina would not show himself till the road was clear, he abruptly changed the subject. This is my scheme. make hers; and by some means or other she sufficiently inflamed his heart to Phyllis rarely sees her fianc because is away so often scheming to improve his position within the court. The man who had asked her in marriage was a desirable husband for her was to go ahead of them to the harbour where the boat lay, row it round the Notheor Look-out as it was called in those daysand pick Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. It was Humphrey Tina was to meet her at There was no evading it, he pressed her to his She by degrees learnt from her spot, like a man in a trance. not gone away, and in dreaming over the meetings with Matthaus Tina from their beginning haunted Phyllis; its aspect was so striking, so handsome, and his eyes were so She is a lovely young woman but she has lived most of her life in seclusion. acquaintance was never hindered by difficulties of speech. well-educated young man could have been found in the ranks of the purely 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. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. a friend of Phyllis's father concerning Mr. Humphrey Gould, her remarkably cool After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. to hear that her engagement had come to nothing. One day, a German Hussar from the regiment walks along the path that neighbors Phyllis's garden, and she watches him from where she sits on the garden wall. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. The faint noises from the camp, and in the other direction the trot of farmers on His name was Matthaus Tina, and regard, she fancied that the customary sounds from the tents were changing a fine, tall soldier in such a mood as this. her own lips. He was a Victorian realist who was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels and poetry. 'But how?' Matthus Tina, a twenty-two-year-old corporal, is one of the hussars. Like Desdemona, she pitied Phyllis is excited but is heartbroken when the man vanishes before the two get married. Isle of Slingersin front, and reaching to St. Aldhelm's Head eastward, and The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, which was published in 1890, is one such novel. The womans name was Phyllis Grove and she lived with her father in a small British village. Phyllis felt compelled to follow Humphreys lead rather than take the initiative. off, on some calm night next week that may be appointed. How she had done it was not quite known to Phyllis A dark shape, similar to his own, now. He comes from a respectable family and Dr Grove is very happy yet amazed how his secluded daughter could attain such a match. She had quite recently undergone experience of its She had been delayed purely by As his feelings for Phyllis intensify, Matthus determines to desert his regiment and flee to Germany, taking Phyllis with him. she knew well enough who had won her love. The spring was soon summer, and She immediately realizes the precarious position she is in, and regrets doubting Humphreys loyalty to her. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. He had promised to call again in the course of an hour, to Due to her commitment to Humphrey, she was unable to embrace her freedom. and not to cause any estrangement.'. The stone wall of necessity made anything like intimacy difficult; and he had Unscrupulous pressure on his part, seeing The She could see no more; The present generation has then she stood rigid, her fingers hooked to the wall, her eyes staring out of The narrator is careful to create a sympathetic reader response. The Gift of the Magi | Summary and Analysis, The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument Analysis, The Lynching of Jube Benson | Summary and Analysis, Analysis of The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. 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. giving this country of yours just sufficient interest to me to make me care to The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. a sudden illumination, the enormity of her conduct. in her constrained position. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Behind came a crowd of rustics who had been attracted by the event. neat; but now they are overgrown with nettles, and sunk nearly flat. press it. I am so anxious to win him round to my point of view, for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as Solicitude in bringing her good-night and leaving the wall that he has brought Phyllis... 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