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The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion (from Wessex Tales) hosted by Erich
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By Bridget , Moderator · 85 posts · 21 views
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An Imaginative Woman (from Wessex Tales) hosted by Jennifer
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By Bionic Jean , Moderator · 164 posts · 24 views
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The King's Arms Hotel Lounge - Chat thread
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Thomas Hardy: The Time-Torn Man, by Claire Tomalin
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By Bridget , Moderator · 203 posts · 40 views
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What Members Thought
Melancholia is Hardy’s specialty, and this melancholy tale has an ending I was unprepared for. It is the tale of an English girl, Phyllis, who falls in love with a German soldier, Matthaus, who is in service to King George III. The hussars are camped near Phyllis’ home, an isolated patch of England, but Matthaus is an impressed soldier and he longs to return home. When he decides to desert, he asks Phyllis to accompany him.
I was surprised to find this story was based on a historical event. I enj ...more
I was surprised to find this story was based on a historical event. I enj ...more
Set in the early 19th Century, Phyllis is a young English woman who lives a secluded life with her father. She has an understanding with a suitable gentleman who makes no effort to communicate with her while he's traveling. She meets a homesick soldier in the King's German Legion who treats her with tenderness. Phyllis and her soldier are likable characters caught up in tragic circumstances.
There was a lack of choices available to women in the early 19th Century, and people had to follow social ...more
There was a lack of choices available to women in the early 19th Century, and people had to follow social ...more
Wonderfully poignant short story, based on a true story. Read it with the GR group The Works of Thomas Hardy. Here is a link to the discussion.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... ...more
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... ...more
