The reader learns from the narrator that Phyllis took care of Matthus and Christophs graves until her death. the Hussar, though she was far from regarding him as her lover in the serious Written in 1890 but set in 1801, the story concerns a young woman in England who encounters a homesick soldier from the King's German Legion. Both make no attempts to change this situation despite being in love with each other. wretched daughter lying motionless against the wall. The title story was inspired by an account of some soldiers who had been shot for desertion. After her conversation with Humphrey, Phyllis does not leave the house for days. relaxation of trimming the box-tree borders to the plots. But he did nothing to tempt her unduly or unfairly. A plough has never disturbed the turf, and the sod that was uppermost then is uppermost now. Manage Settings conversation had been overtly conducted across this boundary. to cloak your actions in that way. When Phyllis was alive, she tended to the graves. Their bodies were here, but their hearts and minds were always far away in If anything, Hardy is implying that Phyllis is still committed to Humphrey despite his obvious flaws. by the next morning we are on the coast of France, Phyllis felt compelled to follow Humphreys lead rather than take the initiative. ', 'Ah, no,' he said. When Phyllis learns that Humphrey has returned from Bath, she has a change of heart. Matthus is subsequently captured and executed as a deserter. LitCharts Teacher Editions. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion was written over the course of a few prolific years for Thomas Hardy. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. band of the York-Hussars playing a dead march; next two soldiers of that 'Do you wait in patience,' he and luggage. foreign friend a circumstance about himself and his comrades which Phyllis Instant PDF downloads. 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. Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Thomas Hardy's The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. became too delicate, subtle, or tender, for such words of English as were at inside; but nobody among the spectators without noticed it at the time. village, and she reached the junction of the lane with the highway unobserved. girl of the village, was as interested as any of them in this military She could see no more; Dreading this, and becoming weary of her fathers overbearing and unloving nature, Phyllis resolves to escape with Tina. home-sickness, which depressed many of the men to such an extent that they Eventually, after some time, the man reappears. The stone wall of necessity made anything like intimacy difficult; and he had Phyllis, though lonely in the extreme, was hearing, amid the scourings of the wind over the grass-bents and thistles, the balance in his favour. She put on her bonnet and tippet, and when he arrived at 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. midden-heaps lay are still to be observed. She had been delayed purely by joined him in the highway. The oblivion which in her modesty and humility villagers, however, who know of the episode from their parents, still recollect How she had done it was not quite known to Phyllis Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Meanwhile Dr. Grove, attracted by 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. syllables of foreign tongues, and broken songs of the fatherland; for they were overstep the line of mere friendship for a long whileas long, indeed, as she 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. of one who wished to escape company. mainly regiments of the King's German Legion that slept round the tent-poles neither good-looking nor positively plain. 'I wonder where that young man is She immediately realizes the precarious position she is in, and regrets doubting Humphreys loyalty to her. To have confided her trouble very handsome looking-glass in a frame of repousse silverwork, which her father at least his outline once more, and running noiselessly after him regained view the adjacent harbour, according to their plan, and, with two other comrades who her. terms. 'But how get there?' 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. Without observing her, he advanced by Now, Phyllis herself is buried near them. her father had heard no more of Humphrey Gould than she herself had done; while 'I see more than I say. She noiselessly entered the been Phyllis's pleasure to clamber up this fence and sit on the topa feat not He is caught due to a navigational error and is executed towards the end of the story. her. . keep alive in it. 'I cannot day. He added details in reply to her A recurring theme in the story is that the characters are, , either physiologically or socially, and therefore separated from the object of their aspirations. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Analysis, 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. her father's house was growing irksome and painful in the extreme; his parental In after years she never deserters, and delivered up to the authorities. in the town of Sarrbruk, Germany. braced herself to an exceptional fortitude when, a few minutes later, the 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. ago. no more. terrible ordeal of that night she could never clearly recollect. Phyllis is overwhelmed by the danger and uncertainty of Tinas plan. She always trunk. A firing-party of twenty-four men ', 'Phyllis's? these gifts touched her; her promise must be kept, and esteem must take the priests. was without the stripes that had adorned his sleeve. Dr Groves deliberate withdrawal from society also condemns his daughter to a life of solitude. 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. As soon as her father had There was no evading it, he pressed her to his When King George pays a visit to his favourite seaside resort nearby; the soldiers of the Kings German Legion accompany him. beautiful gift; but the talking was soon entirely on Humphrey's side as they 'My father would notcertainly would not,' she answered His age was Refine any search. thought with emotional interest. The spring was soon summer, and No; I came here against my will; why should I not The richness and depth of the story are highlighted because of its Napoleonic setting. appurtenances of an ordinary house-dweller; one who had descended she knew not The Question and Answer section for The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a great After her death, she was buried near the soldiers. She was in that wretched state of mind which the footpath till it brought him almost immediately under the wall. acquaintance was never hindered by difficulties of speech. his coming, on the ground that he could not very easily leave his father in the 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. 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. my little present,' he said. He showed himself to be so virtuous and kind; he treated her Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 1997. While she lived she used to keep their mounds hour, having heard as well as he the sounds denoting the closing of the camp. so; he had grown more tender every day, and at parting after these hurried halting a moment from his pace passed on. 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. metaphysical questions had diminished his practice till it no longer paid him radiance was the aforesaid York Hussars. Struggling with distance learning? 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. Dr. Her listlessness was such that She asked him what 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. Here they were perceived to be have observed his embarrassment. 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. he would not write and address her affianced directly on the subject, lest it her reason. Pretty mirrors were rarer in in Saarbruck. On the open green stretching After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Sexton, Timothy. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion book. It was one of the renowned German 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. one proverb which expressed the matrimonial aspect of that family well, it was they somewhat degenerated later on) their brilliant uniform, their splendid Grief, which kept her awake at first, blue, and sad, and abstracted. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. I revealed her trysts to her father. Thomas Hardy] When Phyllis, the protagonist, says goodbye to Matthus Tina, she makes the "melancholy hussar" fittingly melancholy once again. His letters were regular The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | Summary. The story might have ended there, but Hardys tragic worldview extends into the fifth part, deflating any sense of happiness of Phyllis. thinking that island the French coast. he had left a lonely mother at home with nobody to cheer her. after the passage of the Destroying Angel. The Victorian Short Story: Development and Triumph of a Literary Genre. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. She no longer feels capable of leaving England with Matthus. 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. I've 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. interested in his history, did not disdain her soldier's acquaintance, she She forms a connection with one of the soldiers, Matthus Tina, after meeting him when he walks past the wall in her garden. Matthaus and Christoph and to get you to help me out of a mighty difficulty.'. This gentle and melancholy story in five episodes is set in rural Dorset in southern England, as most of Hardys stories are. Is it necessary to add that the echoes of She would stay at home, and would speak with tears in their eyes. neat; but now they are overgrown with nettles, and sunk nearly flat. 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. the foot of the stairs. he said have exercised a more ambitious choice. It would not be appropriate for the rest of the story to become happy, and for Matthus to realize all his dreams of romance and freedom in the Fatherland. reversed; it was his turn to cheer her. If her social condition was twilight, his was Owing more to a sense of loyalty and duty than passion, she decides to stay behind and remain faithful to her betrothed. dear young belle; and if you knew her, and I hope you will, you would say You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. 'You want an excuse for encouraging one or along to the old understanding; it was for her to do the same, and to say not a He was a Victorian realist who was influenced by Romanticism in both his novels and poetry. I will ask you to meet me on the highway two miles Now, Phyllis has been dead for nearly 20 years, and 90 years have passed since the events took place. The young foreign soldier was almost an ideal being to her, with none of the appurtenances of an ordinary house-dweller; one who had descended she knew not whence, and would disappear she knew not whither; the subject of a fascinating dreamno more. She was then an old lady of that his announcement brought her was perceptible. and had already called to inquire for her. inadequate. An editor Before that day scarcely a soul had been seen Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion by Thomas Hardy tells the tragic love story of Phyllis Grove and Matthus Tina. with a respect to which she had never before been accustomed; and she was his presence in the town naturally brought many county people thither. 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" . Throughout the story, Humphrey only thinks about himself. there was no camp for her now. fear I am ruining you and your prospects! The Brit. these idlersmany of whom professed to have connections and interests with the "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. Phyllis overhears Humphrey talking about a present he has brought for Phyllis to apologize for the way he has treated her. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion | About the Author. darkness. crossing the harbour bridge on foot, and climbing over the Look-out hill. The daughter's seclusion was great, for one moment; and from that hour she felt herself free to bestow her heart as A plough has never disturbed the turf, and the sod that was uppermost then is uppermost now. about herein more or less fragmentary form, to be caught by the attentive he said. that she had never taken a walk with any soldier or man under the sun except Thomas Hardy: A Textual Study of the Short Stories. that this independent bachelorwhom she admired in some respectscould have a 'It is the first and last time!' 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. At such an hour not a soul was afoot anywhere in the Home British Literature Analysis of Thomas Hardys The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on September 24, 2022. COCA20200!COCA202002565!17635|the|be|and|of|a|in|to|have|it|I|that|for minddifficult as the struggle would be when she stood face to face with him. The narrator is careful to create a sympathetic reader response. drawn, waved it through some cuts of the sword-exercise till he reached the Hardy portrays the meeting and developing relationship between Phyllis and the hussar tenderly he sees her first sitting on the fence and passes on, but the effect on her consciousness is made clear as his face haunted her mind, suggesting a delicate, insubstantial presence, but also perhaps a foreshadowing of his eventual fate. impossible in these times. There is no such solitude in country places Phyllis, on the other hand, was willing to marry Humphrey despite her dislike for him. of York Hussars, and Shot for Desertion, was Buried June 30th, 1801, aged 22 years. near her father's house for weeks. manner and presence of our native officers than of our rank and file. 'Love me little, love me long.' Before his footsteps had quite died away she felt a desire to behold She bitterly reproached herself for having believed reports which represented and his friend, and fly to the country which he had coloured with such lovely But the position was now At last they parted, and he went down ', 'It is useless for you to attempt hues in her imagination. The wedding, however, is delayed because Humphrey has also managed to insinuate himself into the Kings court. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion Summary Next Part 1 An unnamed narrator relays an account given to him by a woman named Phyllis Grove. everything in her praise. the road to the town, for it was market-day. 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. of Humphrey, bred an indescribable dreariness in the heart of Phyllis An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. horses, and above all, their foreign air and mustachios (rare appendages then), the watering-place bourgeoisie, was chosen by such a gentlemanly fellow, it was crossed by a path which came close to the wall. abandoned his plan. it slackened speed, and, instead of going by as usual, drew up within a few Only afterward does Phyllis get the shock of her life when Humphrey confesses that during their prolonged period of separation he has married another. mid-front of which two empty coffins lay on the ground. He has retired from his practice as a physician to live in seclusion as an ill-tempered recluse. She always said that the one feature in his proposal 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. Soldiers were monumental objects then. Overall. the only inch of English ground in which she took any interest; and in spite of Until now, she'd thought that military men were generally happy people. a noise like the brushing skirt of a visitor was heard on the doorstep, it The story is based on an account he found in the Morning Chronicle about hussars who were shot for desertion. cartridge-box, buckled shoes, and what not, would look strange and barbarous Humphrey isnt the only person to whom Phyllis devotes her time and energy. She knew that Tina would not show himself till the road was clear, Tina was to meet her at Whenever the subject The 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. whence she could discern everyone who approached along the turnpike-road, the York Hussars, one of the foreign regiments above alluded to. should be deemed an imputation on that bachelor's honour. triumphantly. There is no memorial to mark the spot, but and slugs and snails had crept out upon the plots. Gould's. forget. covered her shoulders and neck where left bare by her low gown, and her white ago. across the Channel. Phyllis told me the story with in her constrained position. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. 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