The Night-Jar by Grant Allen (1896)
The Night-Jar is a novel by Grant Allen that tells the story of a young woman named Eve who becomes involved in a love triangle with two men, one of whom is her cousin. The book explores themes of jealousy, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships.
By Grant Allen · First published 1896 · Genre: Nature Writing, Poetry, Romanticism · 1,473 words
First lines
WE sat late on the verandah last night, listening to the low trilling croon of the night-jar. It was a balmy evening, one of the few this summer; the sunset was lingering over the heather-clad moors, and the lonely bird sat perched on one bough of the wind-swept pine-tree by Martin's Corner, calling pathetically to his mate with that deep passionate cry of his. I know not why, but the voice of the night-jar seems to me fuller of unspoken poetry than that of any more musical and articulate songster. Away down in the valley a nightingale was pouring his full throat among the oak-brush; but we hardly heeded him. Up on the open moorland, in the twilight solitude, that grey bird of dusk sat keening and sobbing his monotonous love-plaint; and it moved us more than all the nightingale's gamut. I think it must be because we feel instinctively he is in terrible earnest. Those profound catches in the throat are the very note of true love; they have in them something of high human passion.
What this Textopian page supports
The Night-Jar is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Nature Writing, Poetry, Romanticism, Ornithology, Travel Writing
- Length: 1,473 words
- Structure: 1 section, 12 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Night-Jar by Grant Allen
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Night-Jar?
- How does this short story by Grant Allen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Nature Writing first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Nature Writing — The text focuses on the natural environment, describing the night-jar and its habitat in detail, emphasizing the connection between the bird and its surroundings.
- Poetry — The narrative is rich with poetic language and imagery, capturing the beauty and emotion of the night-jar's song and its setting.
- Romanticism — The themes of passion, solitude, and the sublime in nature align with Romantic literary traditions, highlighting the emotional response to the natural world.
- Ornithology — The text provides detailed observations about the behavior, appearance, and ecology of the night-jar, reflecting a scientific interest in bird life.
Tags
mystery · thriller · suspense · crime · detective · investigation · dark · atmospheric · psychological · literary · character-driven · plot twist