The trumpet major is John Loveday, but the
central character here is Anne Garland who lives with her widowed mother
adjacent to Loveday’s father’s mill in Overcombe.
It is early in the nineteenth century, and
with Bonaparte poised across the Channel this part of England has become a
military camp, and John Loveday’ return with his unit gives him a chance to
renew relations with Anne, and to realise his childhood friend is now an
attractive young woman.
He is not the only one to notice Anne’s
charms. The socially superior but boorishly mannered Festus Derriman also has
designs on Miss Garland, which he pursues with brutish persistence. Anne is
flattered but not thrilled by either advance. She holds a torch for John’s
brother Robert, long since gone to sea.
Preparation for war brings Robert home; but
with a woman in tow this further complicates matters for Anne; and from then on
the juggling of suitors gets serious with lots of opportunity for honourable
sacrifice and devious dealings. The outcome remains in doubt to the very end.
This is Hardy in unfamiliar light-hearted
mood, with none of the doom and gloom of Tess and Jude. Instead he directs his keen
observation of human nature to romance and the pursuit of happiness.
The historical context is interesting and the
characters are engaging in their imperfection, making for a decent read.
No comments:
Post a Comment