Phyllis and Matthias found consolidation in their relationships they were equally desperate for happiness and change in the lonely lives they led. They both felt isolated and unloved by the people they were surrounded by, except when they were with each other. Even though they had a language barrier, as Matthaus could not speak English very well, “The eyes no doubt helped out the tongue” as they “Communicated visually if speech became hindered”(P.4). Their meetings hastily turned from friendship to love, a love that Phyllis tried to delay not to betray Humphrey Gould; her fiancée. The narrator uses the classical reference of Shakespears Desdemona, referring to her forbidden love and secret marriage to Othello to describe how Phyllis pitied Matthaus’s unhappy gaze, and her emotional interest in the young handsome soldier; “Like Desdemona, she pitied him, and learnt his history”(P.4).
Phyllis had become unexpectedly engaged to a man called Humphrey Gould, he was not a man of her choosing, but someone she could be content with. He was from a well-respected family, and Dr Grove had known the family for a long time and this was supposedly a good basis to prove his worth. Humphrey was a thirty year old, bachelor and as “Poor as a crow”(P.3), he was plain by appearances, but as his family were of good social standing he was thought to be a gentleman, who Phyllis was expected to learn to love, which is typical of women of a certain class in this historical period. Her father through his knowledge of his social standing, and his position attending the King’s Court accepted Humphrey. The narrator regarded Humphrey as an “Idler” as he “Professed to have connections and interests with the court”(P.2). In the author’s viewpoint this was solely for social standing, as he was not considered a hard workingman, he was simply a follower of the King’s court.
There was courtly love between Phyllis and Humphrey through formal letters, which bred an “Indescribable dreariness in the heart of Phyllis”(P.3). The marriage was expected to take place, as it was accepted by the English class system, Phyllis feared how people would view her if the engagement fell through, marriage at that time was seen as an accomplishment for someone such as Phyllis as she was in such a constrained position due to her shy manner, and Phyllis’s sense of duty prevailed over her emotions when she choose Humphrey over her true love, Matthaus.
Phyllis felt a lack of parental love from her father and resented him for the way in which he treated her, Dr Grove had been a professional man whose medical practice had diminished, and he grew more irritable with the lapse of time and became bitter with boredom and loneliness, he treated Phyllis like a prisoner and had little respect for her own interests in life, “Her position in her father’s house was growing irksome and painful in the extreme; his parental affection seemed to be quite dried up”(P.7). Phyllis was willing to leave her father as she felt little love towards him, as she disliked the way he behaved towards her.
Phyllis Grove found true love with a handsome, young and honourable soldier in the York Hussars. Phyllis viewed Matthaus Tina as a “Refined and well educated man”(P.5), who “Treated her with respect which she has never before been accustomed”, to by her father or by Humphrey, “He showed himself to be virtuous and kind”(P.8). Matthaus suffered from “Chronic home-sickness which depressed many of the men to such an extent they could hardly attend to their drill”(P.5). Matthaus missed his mother deeply and was willing to leave the army; without discharge, to be with her. Phyllis and Matthaus were of different social classes and their marriage would never have been allowed by her father; this Phyllis had no doubts of, as when Matthaus asked her “Would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in the York Hussars?” she replied, “My father would not – certainly would not”(P.7). Matthaus was seen as a lower class as he was a foreigner, and as her father told her of the York Hussars, “Foreign barbarians, not much better than the French themselves!” which added insult to injury as the French were regarded as the lowest of the low since the French Revolutionary war; this shows a total contrast of opinions between father and daughter.
When Phyllis and Matthaus spoke it was always during the night, when her father or the camp could not see them, as it was a secret love. The symbolic white boundary wall of Phyllis’s house separating them was a metaphor; as in innocence they spoke, the wall is also a symbol of the separation of the English social class system. The boundary wall allowed their meetings to become acceptable as Phyllis was already engaged to Humphrey Gould, and marriage was expected of her by society; even though Humphrey, through hearsay “Was not sure, indeed, that he might not cast his eyes elsewhere”(P.5), which states clearly Humphrey was not such an honourable man as he was believed to be. Phyllis believed the rumours to be true, “And felt herself free to bestow her heart as she should choose”, even though her father believed the story to be “Fabrication”. Humphrey’s family’s matrimonial proverb was “Love me little, love me long”(P.6) a future marriage which now Phyllis was free of.
Phyllis and Matthaus found comfort in their meetings, as they only became happy when they were with each other. The atmosphere is melancholic as they are both suffering emotionally, in one form or another, and they both share each other’s strength to help them through their depression. Phyllis was relieved to hear of Humphrey’s betrayal, as now she felt liberated, and able to leave without losing self-esteem and respect of her father, and the village community. Here the plot thickens as Phyllis decides to leave with Matthaus, for a life in Germany, living with his mother whom he loved so dearly.
Phyllis encountered a test of their love, when she is left to choose between her only true love Matthaus, and Humphrey Gould, a man which holds no interest for her other than his social standing, and the blessing of her father for their marriage, when Humphrey unexpectedly arrived near her pre-arranged meeting place with Matthaus. She overhears the conversation of his true intensions, he stated “She has been in my mind these last two much more than I should care to confess” he also spoke of a peace-offering gift. Though this Phyllis is lulled into a false sense of security with Humphrey, and reveals to her the “Enormity of her conduct”(P.9).
Phyllis then decides to decline a life of happiness with Matthaus, as she was still considered to be the possession of another, for her own “Esteem must take the place of love. She would preserve her self-respect. She would, stay at home, and marry him, and suffer”(P.10). This opinion is typical of women in this historical period within a certain social class. The narrator shows through he is clearly against the oppressive views of the small-minded, middle class community, which has forced Phyllis to follow the English class system as expected in those times.
Matthaus respected Phyllis’s decision to stay, “He forbore to urge her, grieved as he was at her decision” this shows through strength in his character as he loved her so dearly and did not pressure her to leave with him. It showed a great sense of the type of person he was compared to Humphrey. Matthaus then left without her as he “Could not break faith with his friend”(P.10), Christoph, or his mother who were both waiting for him. He then began his fateful journey. Here the narrator refers to a classical reference of how courage failed Cleopatra, the illfated Queen of Egypt, at her critical moment with Anthony, even though she was celebrated for her love affairs and power which she had over men; and no more can be expected of Phyllis Grove. This becomes apparent through the monumental actions that she was about to take.
Phyllis then began to move alone “Mechanically onwards in what she conceives to be her allotted path” with Humphrey Gould, as she was mistaken to believe, he had “Been adhering all along to the old understanding” of marriage, “She would do the same”(P.11) as it was socially expected of someone like Phyllis. The narrator uses a simile to describe Phyllis feeling of hearing the tattoo sounded on the camp, as she returned home, with a biblical reference of the death of the Assyrians after the passage of the Destroying Angel, this can be perceived that a part of her soul died that night.
The twist of fate begins as Matthaus and Christoph’s boat journey, unfortunately lead them to Jersey, and not French coast as intended, also the dramatic irony as Phyllis believes Humphrey has returned to marry her; but it turns out to be completely the opposite as he is already married, and seeks the approval of his father, which shows a weakness in his character. From the outset Humphrey does not seem to be the gentleman he was first portrayed to be. However, looked at in greater detail he can be seen to be a product of his families social class, and his behaviour does not always depict his true character.
The cruel and unexpected results of this story lead to the execution of both Matthaus and his friend and fellow soldier, Christoph, at the hands of the Hussars as they were “Perceived to be deserters”(P.13); poignantly dated June 30 1801. Phyllis witnessed the execution, and for the sake of social standing has never found true love again, as she felt it was her duty to marry a man who her father approved of, and was accepted within the community.
The tragic setting created is one of complete isolation and darkness, with a ghostly, gloomy atmosphere, which becomes a little light-hearted during the love scenes. There is also a tense feeling, as Phyllis fears her father discovering her. I found that Thomas Hardy is sympathetic towards the character of Phyllis Grove, as she lived her life confined to her home, almost like a prisoner. She always sought approval from her repressive father, and the community as a whole. Even though she found an opportunity of escape, she still felt the need to preserve her self-respect, and unfairly suffer in a loveless marriage, which fatefully did not take place. The author could also be sympathetic to Humphrey, as his actions were not part of his true personality but were a result of his social background. Phyllis is buried nearby Matthaus and Christoph’s unmarked graves at the back of a little church; near the crucial wall of their doomed love relationship.
Thomas Hardy’s short story seeks a reminder, through ambivalently, of the passing of time and the death of love; but, longing to preserve the dream and the dilemmas of ninetieth century men and women.
