The Red Cockade

Weyman, Stanley John, 1855-1928Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 585K words
Chapters: 59

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Red Cockade by Stanley John WeymanAuthor: Weyman, Stanley John, 1855-1928,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Mar 29, 2012

Editor's review

Also by Stanley John Weyman, The Red Cockade carries in its title the historical symbol of the red badge, pointing to a story bound up with political turmoil and divided loyalties. Weyman's historical novels are known for tight plotting and suspense, skillfully setting individual fates within the conflicts of their age, and this book continues that blend of adventure and historical atmosphere. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, its chief value lies in giving readers low-cost access to the original work of a once widely read popular novelist, and a window into how late nineteenth-century British historical fiction consumed French historical subjects. While reading, watch for the recurring image of the red cockade and its symbolic role, and how the author handles the tension between partisan立场 and personal loyalty. The English original and its early date make the language and pacing somewhat demanding for modern readers; it suits those willing to read slowly and interested in the evolution of the historical novel.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy adventure stories interwoven with historical background and political conflict
Literature enthusiasts interested in English-language novels on French history
Researchers needing public-domain English texts for textual analysis
Readers patient enough to slowly read nineteenth-century English narrative works

Not a good fit for

Readers who want a Chinese translation and prefer not to deal with the English original
Readers who prefer modern, concise prose and fast-paced plots
Readers with no interest in the historical novel as a genre

Reading tips

Note where the "red cockade" appears in the book and treat it as a clue to factions and allegiances.
After each chapter, briefly summarize the progress of the conflict to keep track of the plot against its historical background.
If the language proves difficult, read the opening and closing paragraphs of each chapter first to grasp the main thread, then return to the dialogue in detail.
Read alongside Weyman's other historical novels to compare the repetition and variation in his narrative formulas.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What does the "red cockade" refer to in the book?

Historically, the red cockade was often associated with a particular political faction or revolutionary group; the book's title suggests a story about factional conflict and political turmoil. How exactly it is used in the plot is for readers to work out from the characters' allegiances as they read.

What is the relationship between this book and The Man in Black?

Both are historical novels by Weyman, both released on Project Gutenberg, and both similar in subject matter, but they are independent stories with no plot dependency; they can be read separately or compared side by side for the author's technique.

How difficult is the English?

This is an English original from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, with long sentences, diction remote from modern English, and historical background vocabulary. Readers with college-level English reading ability who are willing to look up words can manage it; complete beginners are advised to start with easier material.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Weyman, Stanley John, 1855-1928 Author

Stanley John Weyman (1855–1928) was a British writer of historical novels, known for vivid scenes and tightly plotted adventure romances. Thirty of his works are held in this collection, mostly set in sixteenth- to eighteenth-century France and England and often involving religious wars, court intrigue and chivalric adventure. His representative novel A Gentleman of France, cast as the memoirs of Gaston de Bonne, is joined by Under the Red Robe, Shrewsbury, The Wild Geese and For the Cause, which likewise follow characters caught in historical upheaval. His fiction is notable for atmosphere and narrative pace; it found readers in its day and influenced later English historical adventure fiction. Because public information is limited, his early life and education are not discussed here.