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A Night at Greenway Court

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Author
  
Willa Cather

Language
  
English

Publication type
  
Periodical

Country
  
United States

Genre(s)
  
Short story

Published in
  
Nebraska Literary Magazine

"A Night at Greenway Court" is a short story by Willa Cather. It was first published in Nebraska Literary Magazine in June 1896. Four years later a revised version was published in the Library.

Contents

Plot summary

In 1752, Richard Morgan — a citizen of Winchester, Virginia — visits his friend Lord Fairfax at nearby Greenway Court. There, he meets Philip Maurepas, a Frenchman who tells them about his years in India. He expresses his disdain for the King, to Viscount Chillingham's dismay. They compare the political orders both in England and in France. Maurepas then attacks Fairfax because of the painting of a woman with a lily that he has. The next day, Fairfax acts regally and Fairfax pretends nothing happened. The narrator concludes that he acted in accordance with his Virginian duty.

Characters

  • Richard Morgan, the narrator.
  • Richard Morgan's father.
  • Josiah Goodrich, a friend of Richard Morgan's.
  • M. Philip Marie Maurepas, a gambler who left France because of his debts. He learnt his English in India.
  • Lord Thomas Fairfax
  • Viscount Chillingham
  • Mr Courtney, a pastor.
  • Fernando Fairfax, a forebear of Thomas's.
  • Mistress Crawford, Thomas's housekeeper.
  • Murzapha Jung, Dupleix's ally.
  • Nabob of the Carnatic, Dupleix's enemy.
  • Tecunda Sahib, Nabob's enemy.

    • Literary significance and criticism

    The story has been deemed Poesque. It has also been said to be 'straight out of' William Makepeace Thackeray's Henry Esmond. Others have stressed the influence of John Esten Cooke, who wrote about Greenway Court, or Anthony Hope.

    References

    A Night at Greenway Court Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA