First Things First…
After rereading and reviewing “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” the past two weeks, I’ve exhausted my familiarity with Washington Irving. But there are three more stories in the little Puffin Classics compilation I bought a few years ago. “The Spectre Bridegroom” is next. I don’t know anything about it, but it sounds like a ghost story, so I’m gonna give it a shot.
2 Things I Like
2. Spooky Vibes
Irving is great at conjuring up a spooky setting.
In this story, we leave New York’s Hudson Valley and the Catskills (home of the Headless Horseman and our guy Rip) for the forests and castles of Germany. To give a sense of place, here’s part of the story’s opening paragraph…
“On the summit of one of the heights of Odenwald, a wild and romantic tract of Upper Germany… there stood, many, many years since, the Castle of Baron Von Landshort. It is now quite fallen to decay and almost buried among beech trees and dark firs, above which, however, its old watchtower may still be seen, struggling… to carry a high head and look down upon the neighbouring country.”
Later, as the narrative shifts from the Baron in his castle to his daughter’s soon-to-be betrothed, Count Von Altenburg, and the Count’s new friend, Herman Von Starkenfaust, we hear about the forests they’re traveling through…
“… they had entered among the mountains of the Odenwald, and were traversing one of its most lonely and thickly wooded passes. It is well known that the forests of Germany have always been as much infested by robbers as its castles by spectres; and at this time the former were particularly numerous, from the hordes of disbanded soldiers wandering about the country.”
This story isn’t scary. There’s no dread. It would probably be too strong to even say it stirs any suspense. But the setting still evokes a feeling that something isn’t quite right. And that always makes a story more fun to read, regardless of if I like the plot or characters.
1. Becoming the Spectre Bridegroom
When Herman arrives at the castle to make good on his promise to the Count by telling the Count’s fiancé of his death, a combination of misunderstanding and deception causes things to get bungled. Suddenly, everyone assembled believes Herman IS the Count, there to marry the Baron’s daughter. And they’re all pleased by this. I wondered how Herman would find his way out of it.
He does so brilliantly by telling everyone at the end of the night part of the truth—that the Count died…
But to save his own skin, he also tells a pretty big lie—that he is the Count’s ghost.
Best of all, it makes sense. Whether or not he acted this way intentionally, his mood got dourer as the night progressed, which other guests eventually began to notice. So when he makes this false reveal, it rings true (if you believe in ghosts).
And the way he reveals it is awesome. He says…
“… my engagement is with no bride – the worms! The worms expect me! I am a dead man – I have been slain by robbers – my body lies at Wurzburg – at midnight I am to be buried – the grave is waiting for me – I must keep my appointment!”
For a guy who’s just making this shit up—especially if he’s really making it up as he goes—he’s awfully convincing.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. Stock Characters
Herman and the Baron are more unique, but there are a few characters who feel overly familiar.
Like the Baron’s daughter, the immaculately beautiful young woman who’s been protected from the world until it’s time to marry her off.
We learn that “… she had not her equal for beauty in all of Germany” and “… she became a miracle of accomplishments.”
She’s skilled at embroidery, reading, writing, singing, playing the harp and guitar. And because she’s so well-guarded by her maiden aunts, her decorum and propriety are second to none.
She’s the picture of perfection in every way.
Meanwhile, those aunts are the ones who taught her everything and are overly attentive to her skills, her behavior, and her swearing off men until a groom was chosen for her.
I enjoyed reading this section about these characters, but they still feel stock to me. Nothing feels unique about the daughter or the aunts. I feel like I’ve read or watched variations of them many times before.
1 Thing I Don’t Like
1. The Truth
Herman tells such a clever and egregiously bold lie to save himself and get out of the Baron’s castle. And then he throws it all away in favor of the truth.
Total bummer!
He not only reveals his identity to the Baron, but also tells him about the true Count being killed by robbers, and about why he lied in the moment.
It all leads to a syrupy sweet happy ending where everything works out.
Herman and the daughter get to be together, and the Baron forgives him and ends his longstanding feud with Herman’s family—which was another reason Herman was hesitant to reveal his true identity in the first place.
I guess I was just hoping for this to be a much darker story where he deceives everyone. Or maybe where he only reveals the truth to the Baron’s daughter, and together they pretend he abducts her, while really they run away together and she escapes her oppressive aunts. That would’ve been far more interesting to me. I mean, I was already disappointed when I realized the title character wasn’t actually a ghost—and this isn’t a ghost story—but it would’ve been for the best if such a clever ruse played out to the end.
Tim Matassa
