Thomas Hardy

Under the Greenwood Tree (Annotated) Thomas Hardy

Under the Greenwood Tree: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School is a novel by the English writer Thomas Hardy, published anonymously in 1872. It was Hardy's second published novel, and the first of what was to become his series of Wessex novels. The novel follows the activities of a gaggle of west gallery musicians, the Mellstock parish choir, one among whom, Dick Dewy, becomes romantically entangled with a comely new village schoolmistress, Fancy Day. The novel opens with the fiddlers and singers of the choir - including Dick, his father Reuben Dewy, and grandfather William Dewy - making the rounds in Mellstock village on Christmas Eve . When the small band plays at the schoolhouse, young Dick falls for Fancy initially sight. Dick, smitten, seeks to insinuate himself into her life and affections, but Fancy's beauty has gained her other suitors including Shiner, an upscale farmer, and Mr Maybold, the new vicar at the parish church. Maybold informs the choir that he intends Fancy, an accomplished organist, to exchange their traditional gallery singing and string accompaniment to Sunday services. Reuben Dewy and therefore the remainder of the band visit the rectory to barter, but reluctantly subside to the vicar's wishes. Dick seems to win Fancy's heart, and therefore the two become secretly engaged. When he's told, Fancy's father is initially opposed, but changes his mind when as a consequence Fancy stops eating and her health deteriorates. Some months later, after Fancy's first Sunday service as organist, Maybold unexpectedly proposes marriage, and promises Fancy a lifetime of relative affluence; racked by guilt and temptation, she accepts. subsequent day, however, at an opportunity meeting with Dick, Maybold learns that Fancy is actually already spoken for. Maybold writes her a letter, admonishing her to be honest with Dick and to withdraw her commitment to him if she indeed meant what she said in accepting Maybold. Fancy, on reconsideration, withdraws her consent to marry Maybold, and asks him to stay her initial acceptance forever a secret. Maybold again urges her to be honest with Dick about the episode. The final chapter may be a joyful and humorous portrait of Reuben, William, and therefore the remainder of the Mellstock rustics as they celebrate Dick and Fancy's day . The novel concludes after the ceremony with Dick telling Fancy that their happiness must flow from to there being such full confidence between them. He says that they're going to haven't any secrets from one another, "no secrets at all". Fancy replies "None from to-day" and, changing the topic, thinks "of a secret she would never tell".