In both stories there is a metaphorical barrier that is formed between the two different worlds of social convention and personal desire. In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, a wall at the bottom of Dr. Grove’s garden forms this barrier. It is this wall that Phyllis often goes and sits upon: “ever since childhood it had been Phyllis’s pleasure to clamber up this fence and sit on top”. To me this suggest that Phyllis has had problems going with her personal desires ever since childhood and to sit on top of the wall is as far as Phyllis could get. Although there is also reference to the fact that sitting upon this wall was normal routine for Phyllis and it is as if by fate she has come across Matthaus Tina. The fact that “the stone wall of necessity made anything like intimacy difficult, and he had never ventured to come near or to ask to come, inside the garden, so that all their conversation had been overtly conducted across the boundary”, confirms that there definitely is a barrier between the two worlds of social convention and personal desire and also that Matthaus is the one man that to be with would be difficult as he is the personal desire part of Phyllis.
This barrier between the two worlds in Roselily is the preacher that speaks the wedding vows that break up her stream of consciousness. It seems to me that he is interfering with what goes on in Roselily’s mind, in her life. “It seems to her he has always been standing in front of her, barring her way”. The fact that it is a preacher that is getting in the way of letting Roselily go with her personal desires, suggests that there is some link to the bible and how, back in the times when the bible was written, women were oppressed into doing what convention had taught them to do.
“sound of cars whizzing by on highway 61
we are gathered here
like cotton to be weighed.”
As you can see, the preachers’ words are written in italics in the actual text. I believe this to be because it is much more ornate and reflects a higher spiritual order.
In each short story, there are many themes that are linked to the exploration of the choice each protagonist character has to make between personal desires and social convention. Marriage for one is an issue which is included in both stories, more so in Roselily. Today marriage is seen as something, which is expected once people have fallen in love and want to spend the rest of their life with that someone. I would consider the ceremony something society nowadays would see as social convention. As Roselily is a contempory piece of writing we, as readers find it easy to relate to issues raised in the text as they apply to conventions and personal desires of people of today’s world. It is much harder, however to relate to issues and standards that were expected of people in the time that The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion was set, as things change. They move on and it is clear through the two piece of writing that conventions and the expectations from society today compared with the society of the eighteen hundreds are different.
Another theme that is explored in the two texts in isolation and alienation. Both women are isolated from society. In both texts there are no references to motherly figures, which I feel adds to the fact that the two women are isolated also from sex. Words such as “silently” and “alone” which are common in both texts suggest such ideas. Both women are also stepping into alien culture by following either their personal desires or social convention; both worlds are ones that are un experienced by both protagonist characters.
Culture and surrounding environment is another theme that is dwelled upon by the writers. Roselily is very much focused on culture and religion more so than The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, but home and way of life is mentioned quite frequently in both texts.
The language of each individual piece of writing is an area in which the two texts differ. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion uses language which does date the piece: “aforesaid”, bonnet and tippet” – are used the first word is a word we would no longer use and bonnet and tippet is attire of the time in which is was written, this is one of the main ways in which a piece can be dated, through reference to cloths and fashions of the period. Hardy uses very formal language at times: “impedimenta of the soldiery” and “most unexpectedly”, this again is to do with the time and style of writing. Hardy follows a very concise traditional style of writing, which in effect is formal, which is the reason for the language used. The fact that Phyllis is having her marriage arranged for her also dates the piece of writing; this is a old tradition that I believe is now only carried out in the Muslim faith. The formality of the actions in the writing is how things ‘should’ have been done and so again indicates the following of social convention.
The language used in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion when the males representing the two different worlds I feel is one of the best examples of portraying the major difference between the two worlds. The following of social convention seems all so normal like the way in which Humphrey Gould is described: “Humphrey Gould, a bachelor; a personage neither young or old; neither good looking nor positively plain. Too steady going to be ‘a buck’.” Yet when Matthaus Tina is described it is very elaborate and special like the following of your personal desires would seem to you: “ So striking, so handsome and his eyes were so blue.” This shows how the two characters differ totally, the fact that they are in two totally different worlds – Matthaus is the man of Phyllis’s dreams.
In Roselily there is no need for difference in men because there is only one, although the following of convention and marrying into “his” religion, in the beginning is told in a very dull manner: “ She thinks of ropes, chains, handcuffs, his religion”. Yet Roselily wants to escape her roots, as does Phyllis in The Melancholy Hussar of The German Legion. I believe at the beginning Roselily fears that by marrying into such a strict religion that is “his religion” she will lose her independence. This is because throughout the text Roselily sees no freedom in what her future husband has to offer her, “a lifetime of black and white”. This is different in The Melancholy Hussar of The German Legion as Phyllis is in love with Matthaus and puts all her faith and trust in him and her future seems all so bright until she decides to follow convention and not flee with the German Solider and his friend.
A lot of words in Roselily are repeated. I feel this is to make it seem more and more like a stream of thoughts as when u think, one particular thought may run over and over in your mind many times and this effect is given off by Walker in the repetition of certain words. The writing is also quite mixed up, just like thoughts in any bodies head are, no-body thinks to plan its all messed up. This is also shown by Roselily sometimes listening and linking to what the preacher says and other times completely ignoring him.
Linking to him – “ together
In the city”
Ignoring him – “ or forever hold
She does not know if she loves him”
The sentence structure of both pieces also differs quite significantly. In Roselily very short, sharp sentences are used to convey the idea of thoughts being very short and quick and then the brain move son to something else. “She thinks of her mother, who is dead. Dead, but still her mother.” In this piece the average line length is 6 words. This also shows how nervous and un-easy Roselily must be feeling as when you are feeling any of the above you tend to speak very abruptly. However in The Melancholy Hussar of The German Legion, the average line length is about 15 words. Much more detailed, descriptive and complex sentences are used in this piece to inform the reader of setting, feeling and attitude. “Dr. Grove had been a professional man whose taste for lonely meditation over metaphysical relinquished it and hired at a nominal rent the small, dilapidated, half farm half manor house of this obscure maintenance.” This particular choice of format allows the conflict in Phyllis’s head to be explored with more depth and description although in Roselily her thoughts are conveyed very strongly. Both writers, however, have chosen to write their text from the female perspective, which does allow room for thought of each character to be explored in great detail. The Melancholy Hussar of The German Legion begins in 1st person and then moves on to 3rd person removed whereas Roselily is written in 3rd person removed throughout. I feel in Roselily this has some symbolism, the fact that she in herself doesn’t really want to be at the marriage ceremony by writing in 3rd person removed, she is allowing herself in effect to be removed from the ceremony herself. The actual realism of this is bought back through the wedding vows read aloud by the preacher.
In conclusion, it is clear that both women in both texts are oppressed and dominated by their higher male figures – In The Melancholy Hussar of The German Legion it is her father, which dominates, and in Roselily it is her future husband. Both women end up doing what they believe to be for the best although they both express doubt is doing so, and also both women went against the convention of the society they are surrounded by. The texts have got their similarities and differences but both are extremely effective in conveying the conflict between social convention and personal desires and the problems people have to overcome when deciding which to follow. I think the piece, which appealed to me most, was Roselily; this is because it is contemporary so I found it easier to relate to the moral values of people and the issues of the story and how they were raised. Also the informality of it appealed to me more than Hardy’s traditional formal style of writing.
