Classics of English literature: the novel "The Headless Horseman", summary

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Hot Texas prairies, wild horses galloping freely across their expanses racing with the wind, courageous handsome cowboys and wise hunters-pathfinders, pretty girls and gloomy villains, cruel Indians and noble heroes risking their lives in the name of honor and beautiful ladies, bloody secrets and the eternal struggle between good and evil for love and happiness - this is the "gentleman's set", which consists of an adventurous adventure novel of the second half of the 19th century. An example of this is the Headless Horseman, beloved by all of us since adolescence.

A few words about the author

“The Headless Horseman” is a book by the most popular English writer of Scottish origin Thomas Mine Reid, written by him in 1865, then published by a major London publishing house and sold out at a tremendous speed. In 1868, a translation of the work into Russian appeared. The reading public devoured the content overnight. Naturally, young people were especially read. Enthusiastic teenagers raved about the adventures of Maurice the Mustanger and dreamed of setting off to conquer America. With his characteristic humorIn one of the stories, Chekhov very vividly reproduced the atmosphere of the special popularity of the book in Russia. But let's get back to the author himself, because the novel "The Headless Horseman", the content of which so excited the public, is closely connected with its creator. The writer often signed under the pseudonym "Captain Mine Reed". The hint of a military profession added elements of authenticity, truthfulness, and realism to his plots. A great adventurer, a fidget with a slight degree of adventurism in character, Reed from his youth dreamed of an eventful life, therefore, instead of the path of a priest, which was his father, he, having received an education, goes to the USA in search of his share and stories, from which he then his books will appear. He was an active participant in the war in Mexico, the Bavarian Revolution, and was seriously wounded more than once. Most of what we read in "The Quad", "The Seminole Chief", the same "Horseman" is based on quite truthful situations that the author himself heard about or encountered.

And having returned to the Old World, to England, Mine Reed completely devotes himself to literature. They have written more than 60 works, and most of them are destined for a long glorious life. And although in recent years fate has not been kind to the master of words, Captain Reed has already outlived his time, and for most girls and boys, boys and girls around the world from 11 to 20 years old, he will remain one of the favorite authors whose romantic vision of the world awakens in young soul best feelings, thoughts and dreams.

The most famous novel

"Headless Horseman",the summary of which we will now consider is rightfully recognized as Reed's best work. It has everything you need for a good adventure novel. A knight without a tribe, fear and reproach, who ends up as a nobleman (Maurice Gerald) and his rival - Captain Cassius Calhoun - vile, arrogant, ready for vile murder to satisfy his whims. Two stunningly beautiful girls - the Mexican senorita Isidora and the Creole Louise Poindexter, who are fighting for a place in the heart of Maurice, noble, devoted friends, an exciting intrigue, a sharp plot with twists and turns and even a terrible monster, either a ghost, or a victim of a ruthless crime – a rider whose head is tied to a saddle.

the inhabitants of which every minute expect an attack by the Indians. Hacienda actually belongs to his nephew Cassius, which is not known to the beautiful Louise and the young, pure and generous youth Henry, her brother - the children of Poindexter. On the way, they fall into a sandstorm and, for sure, could have died if it were not for the unexpected help of a pleasant, courageous man, whose noble manners could not be spoiled by dusty clothes and poor equipment. Between Louise and the savior, the very Mustanger Morim, love at first sight breaks out. From this moment begins the main invisible confrontation between the male characters of the novel "The Headless Horseman". A brief summary of the subsequent events looks like this: with the help of old Zeb Stump, Gerald's true friend, the lovers exchange tender letters, and then meet in the garden of the hacienda. But the enemy does not sleep. Calhoun first tries to get Maurice out of his way by setting Henry on him, because the connection with the rootless horse hunter supposedly dishonors his sister and the whole family. However, the clash ends peacefully, which is not at all included in Cassius' plans. He decides to finish off the opponent with his own hands. Further, the action in the novel "The Headless Horseman" develops very rapidly. The summary is reduced to the following events. Having tracked down the enemy, the captain kills Maurice, cuts off his head and returns home. Local residents see a terrible vision in the district: a rider with no head on his shoulders. After many adventures, during which the mustanger almost died, and Zeb Stump almost climbed the whole prairie on his knees in search of evidence of a crime, justice triumphs. Calhoun is waiting for inevitable retribution, Louise marries her beloved, and old Poindexter, in return for his dead son, accepts his son-in-law, who turned out to be a noble Irish gentleman, into his family. In general, everyone is happy!