The Philopena by Frank R. Stockton
The Philopena is a short story by Frank R. Stockton about a young man named John who falls in love with a woman named Mary. The two are engaged to be married, but before they can tie the knot, John must go on a long sea voyage. While he's away, Mary receives a letter from him saying that he has fallen ill and may not make it back alive. Heartbroken, Mary decides to wait for John to return, even if it means waiting forever. Years pass, and eventually John does come back, but by then Mary has already passed away. The story ends with John visiting her grave and leaving a rose on top of it.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1897 · Genre: Fiction, Short Story, Romance · 8,363 words
First lines
There were once a Prince and a Princess who, when quite young, ate a philopena together. They agreed that the one who, at any hour after sunrise the next day, should accept any thing from the other -- the giver at the same time saying "Philopena! " -- should be the loser, and that the loser should marry the other.
What this Textopian page supports
The Philopena is listed on Textopian as a novella by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Frank R. Stockton
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Romance, Humor, Literary
- Length: 8,363 words
- Structure: 1 section, 128 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Philopena by Frank R. Stockton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Philopena?
- How does this novella by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fiction — The book is a work of imaginative narrative.
- Short Story — The book is a brief and self-contained narrative.
- Romance — The plot involves romantic elements and relationships.
- Humor — The writing style includes humorous elements and wit.
Tags
romance · humor · adventure · mystery · social commentary · 19th century · short story · American literature · character study · plot twist · cultural norms · courtship