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The Trumpet-Major (Wordsworth Classics)

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The Trumpet-Major is not only a pleasant little novel that one reads for pure entertainment – as one might any romance or fantasy. It is also not only a purely historical novel that evokes the historical times of the narrative. One of the most intriguing characters in Thomas Hardy’s The Trumpet-Major is Anne Garland. Anne is a young woman who is torn between two men: John Loveday, the trumpet-major, and Bob Loveday, his brother. Anne is a complex character who is both strong-willed and vulnerable. She is fiercely independent and refuses to be controlled by anyone, yet she is also deeply in love with John and struggles with her feelings for him throughout the novel. Hardy’s depiction of the Napoleonic Wars is particularly interesting, as he provides a unique perspective on the conflict. Rather than focusing on the battles and military strategy, he instead focuses on the impact that the war had on the people of England. The novel explores the ways in which the war affected the lives of ordinary people, including the soldiers who fought in the conflict and the families they left behind.

Furthermore, Hardy challenges traditional gender roles by presenting strong and independent female characters. Through the character of Mrs. Loveday, John’s mother, Hardy portrays a woman who defies societal norms by taking charge of her family’s affairs in the absence of her husband. Mrs. Loveday’s resilience and determination serve as a stark contrast to the submissive and passive female characters often depicted in literature of the time. The threat of war looms Another interpretation focuses on the novel’s treatment of gender roles and expectations. The protagonist, Anne Garland, is a strong-willed and independent woman who defies societal norms by pursuing her own desires and ambitions. Some critics view Anne as a feminist figure ahead of her time, while others argue that her character is limited by the constraints of the Victorian era.Themes [ edit ] The novel is set during the Napoleonic Wars, when an invasion of Britain by the French was widely feared and was the time of men volunteering to defend the country and to extinguish the French threat. It chanced that the writer was familiar with a part of England that lay within hail of the watering-place in which King George the Third had his favourite summer residence during the war with the first Napolon Secondly, this district, being also near the coast which had echoed with rumours of invasion in their intensest form while the descent threatened, was formerly animated by memories and traditions of the desperate military preparations for that contingency. Thirdly, the same countryside happened to include the village which was the birthplace of Nelsons flag-captain at Trafalgar. It's 1804 and England expects an invasion attempt by Napoleon Bonaparte's armies. Near Budmouth (Weymouth) Anne Garland lives with her widowed mother in part of a flour mill, next to their landlord and friend miller William Loveday. Thousands of soldiers pitch camp on the downs nearby, ready to meet the invasion. Anne attracts the admiration of two of them, both with local connections: Trumpet Major John Loveday, the decent and thoughtful son of the miller, and Yeomanry officer Festus Derriman, the boastful and aggressive nephew of the skinflint local squire. Anne favours John and loathes Festus, but Festus pesters her, a situation not helped by her mother's desire for her to marry him on account of his rank and (assumed) wealth. However, when her mother changes her view (partly due to the miller's courting of her) and favours marriage to John, Anne changes her mind and favours Festus, thinking herself too ‘high’ for a miller's son. From the first it was surprisingly comic - humour isn't a word I tend to yoke with Tom Hardy together, what with its "trifling deficiency of teeth" and other sly observations, the widow preferring to think of the flour dust that permeates her home as the 'stuff of life' or delightfully understated accounts of war wounds 'Why what's the matter with thy face, my son?' said the miller, staring. 'David, show a light here.' And a candle was thus against Bob's cheek, where there appeared a jagged streak like the geological remains of a lobster. 'O- that's where that rascally Frenchman's grenade busted and hit me from the Redoubtable, you know, as I told 'ee in my letter.' ' Not a word!' 'What , didn't I tell 'ee? Ah, no; I meant to, but I forgot it.' 'And here's a sort of dint in yer forehead too; what do that mean, my dear boy?' said the miller, putting his finger in a chasm in Bob's skull.'That was done in the Indies. Yes, that was rather a troublesome chop - a cutlass did it. I should have told 'ee, but I found 'twould make my letter so long that I put it off, and put it off; and at last thought it wasn't worth while.' (p350) and cussing parrots. Since this is an early novel - of 1880, originally published in three volumes as was the custom of those times it seems his vision got only darker over time until he gave up writing novels altogether.

In “The Trumpet-Major,” Thomas Hardy employs a unique language and style that reflects the time period in which the novel is set. The use of dialect and colloquialisms adds authenticity to the characters and their surroundings, while also highlighting the class differences between them. Hardy’s descriptive language paints vivid pictures of the landscape and the characters’ emotions, creating a rich and immersive reading experience. Additionally, the use of irony and satire adds a layer of social commentary to the novel, highlighting the absurdities of societal norms and expectations. Overall, Hardy’s language and style in “The Trumpet-Major” contribute to the novel’s depth and complexity, making it a compelling work of literature. Gender Roles and Relationships The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-fictional land of Wessex, delineates characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. Hardy's poetry, first published in his 50s, has come to be as well regarded as his novels, especially after The Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Moreover, Hardy delves into the psychological toll that war takes on its participants. He delves into the inner struggles and moral dilemmas faced by soldiers, shedding light on the internal conflicts they grapple with as they are forced to confront the harsh realities of violence and death. The author’s vivid descriptions of battle scenes and the aftermath of war serve to emphasize the physical and emotional scars left on those who experience it firsthand. Festus Derriman – Captain: The Captain exaggerated his past exploits, was courageous about the idea of fighting, and cowardly when faced with actual danger. He was usually drunken and incompetent. Festus has all of these characteristics, boasting to Anne, for instance, about his fighting prowess (while demonstrating his incompetence), hiding with the women when there's a rumour of invasion, and partial to drink. The Trumpet-Major is a novel by Thomas Hardy published in 1880, and his only historical novel. Hardy included it with his "romances and fantasies". It concerns the heroine, Anne Garland, being pursued by three suitors: John Loveday, the eponymous trumpet major in a British regiment, honest and loyal; his brother Bob, a flighty sailor; and Festus Derriman, the cowardly nephew of the local squire. Unusually for a Hardy novel, the ending is not entirely tragic; however, there remains an ominous element in the probable fate of one of the main characters.Let me try to explain why I include Hardy’s so-called ‘lesser’ novel The Trumpet-Major in this list of readings and re-readings. The love story at the centre of the novel plays like a complex dance, with the two brothers, John and Bob Loveday and the villainous Festus Derriman all trying to gain the hand of Anne Garland. The sense of impending peril, with the ultimate fate of the young men unknown, in a time of war, serves to make the lightness and comedy that runs through The Trumpet-Major bittersweet, but the novel is all the deeper and richer for that sense of a tragic epilogue. Hardy’s exploration of music and culture in “The Trumpet-Major” reflects the broader societal changes occurring during the Napoleonic era. Music was not only a form of entertainment but also a means of expressing national identity and political ideologies. The novel captures the tension between tradition and progress, as the villagers grapple with the influence of the military band on their way of life. In 1958 The Musicmakers presented a "new musical in three acts" titled Farewell my Fancy at the Everyman Theatre in Reading. With book, music and lyrics by Michael Wild, the piece was a musical comedy "suggested" by The Trumpet Major and it featured all the major characters of the book. It was given six performances from 24 to 29 November 1958. A note of apology in the programme suggests that it was not authorised by the Hardy Estate. [9] Historical analysis [ edit ] Hardy, The Trumpet Major and the Napoleonic Wars [ edit ]

Romance, too, plays a significant role in the narrative. Hardy paints a vivid picture of the romantic landscape of the time, where societal expectations and conventions often clash with the desires of the heart. The reader is transported to a world where courtship rituals and social hierarchies dictate the course of love, adding an additional layer of tension and drama to the story. The novel portrays a society deeply divided by class distinctions, where one’s social standing determines their opportunities, relationships, and even their sense of self-worth. The protagonist, Anne Garland, finds herself caught between two worlds – the lower class she was born into and the upper-class aspirations she harbors.

XVIII.  THE NIGHT AFTER THE ARRIVAL

Hardy also employs a shifting point of view throughout the novel, allowing the reader to see events from multiple perspectives. The narrative is primarily told from Anne’s point of view, but there are also sections narrated by John, Robert, and other minor characters. This technique adds depth and complexity to the story, as the reader is able to understand the motivations and emotions of each character. The very language that Festus uses places him on the stage of a pantomime. He repeatedly says ‘Dash my wig’ or simply ‘My wig’ (chapters 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 27). He is given to saying things like ‘I’ll come… hang me if I don’t’ and, most exaggeratedly, ‘O, my heart and limbs!’ (chapter 28). This way of exclaiming seems to run in the family since Benjamin Derriman says ‘Scrounch it all’ when exasperated (chapters 5 and 14). These are somewhat comic utterances that place their speakers apart from other characters – Festus the bully and manipulator and his uncle Benjamin Derriman the miser and coward. The latter is reminiscent of the miserly Felix Grandet in Balzac’s Eugénie Grandet (published 1833). Both men are deliciously horrible with a touch of pathos.

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