A Mere Interlude by Thomas Hardy
The narrative follows Baptista Trewthen, a young schoolmistress from the Isles of Lyonesse, who is pressured by her parents to marry David Heddegan, a wealthy bachelor significantly older than her. Baptista, disillusioned with her teaching career and feeling indifferent towards her impending marriage, reluctantly agrees to the union. However, just before the wedding, she misses the boat back home and encounters Charles Stow, a former acquaintance and schoolmaster, who expresses his feelings for her. They share a moment of connection, and Baptista reveals her engagement to Heddegan. In a moment of impulsiveness, Baptista decides to marry Charles instead, and they elope. Tragically, during their brief honeymoon, Charles drowns while swimming, leaving Baptista in shock and grief. She returns home, where she is expected to marry Heddegan, and, overwhelmed by her circumstances, she goes through with the marriage without revealing her past. As Baptista settles into her new life with Heddegan, she struggles with the weight of her secret. Complications arise when a glazier, who witnessed her first marriage, begins to blackmail her for money to keep her past hidden. Baptista feels trapped, torn between her new life and the haunting memory of her lost love. Eventually, she confesses her past to Heddegan, who surprisingly reveals that he, too, has a tragic history—he is a widower with four daughters. This revelation shifts the dynamics of their relationship, as Baptista realizes that they are both bound by their pasts. Over time, she grows to care for her stepdaughters, finding a sense of purpose in teaching them and nurturing their potential. The story explores themes of love, loss, societal expectations, and the complexities of human relationships. Baptista's journey from a reluctant bride to a compassionate stepmother illustrates her growth and resilience in the face of adversity. Ultimately, she learns to embrace her new life, finding solace in her family and the unexpected connections that arise from shared experiences.
By Thomas Hardy · First published 1895 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Drama · 7 chapters · 14,968 words
First lines
The traveller in schoolbooks, who vouched in dryest tones for the fidelity to fact of the following narrative, used to add a ring of truth to it by opening with a nicety of criticism on the heroine's personality. People were wrong, he declared, when they surmised that Baptista Trewthen was a young woman with scarcely emotions or character. There was nothing in her to love, and nothing to hate -- so ran the general opinion. That she showed few positive qualities was true. The colours and tones which changing events paint on the faces of active womankind were looked for in vain upon hers. But still waters run deep; and no crisis had come in the years of her early maidenhood to demonstrate what lay hidden within her, like metal in a mine.
What this Textopian page supports
A Mere Interlude is listed on Textopian as a novella by Thomas Hardy, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Thomas Hardy
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Drama, Victorian Literature, Tragedy
- Length: 14,968 words
- Structure: 7 chapters, 257 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The book explores complex characters and themes, focusing on human emotions and relationships.
- Romance — The plot centers around romantic relationships and the intricacies of love.
- Drama — The narrative involves intense emotional conflicts and character development.
- Victorian Literature — The book reflects the social norms and issues of the Victorian era.
Tags
Romance · Tragedy · Love Story · Social Class · Victorian Era · English Literature · Poetic Prose · Melancholy · Longing · Unrequited Love · Societal Expectations · Marriage