
Amy Foster
'Amy Foster' Summary
A poor emigrant from Central Europe sailing from Hamburg to America is shipwrecked off the coast of England. The residents of nearby villages, at first unaware of the sinking, and hence of the possibility of survivors, regard him as a dangerous tramp and madman. He speaks no English; his strange foreign language frightens them, and they offer him no assistance.
Eventually "Yanko Goorall" (as rendered in English spelling) is given shelter and employment by an eccentric old local, Mr. Swaffer. Yanko learns a little English. He explains that his given name Yanko means "little John" and that he was a mountaineer (a resident of a mountain area — a Goorall), hence his surname. The story's narrator reveals that Yanko hailed from the Carpathian Mountains.
Yanko falls in love with Amy Foster, a servant girl who has shown him some kindness. To the community's disapproval, they marry. The couple live in a cottage given to Yanko by Swaffer for having saved his granddaughter's life. Yanko and Amy have a son whom Amy calls Johnny (after Little John). Amy, a simple woman, is troubled by Yanko's behavior, particularly his trying to teach their son to pray with him in his "disturbing" language.
Several months later Yanko falls severely ill and, suffering from a fever, begins raving in his native language. Amy, frightened, takes their child and flees for her life. Next morning Yanko dies of heart failure. It transpires that he had simply been asking in his native language for water.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1901Authors

Joseph Conrad
Poland, England
Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, was a Polish-British writer regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language. Though he did not speak English flu...
Books by Joseph ConradDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Tropiquillos by Benito Pérez Galdós
Tropiquillos is a short story by Benito Pérez Galdós, published as part of an almanac that also includes "La sombra", "Celín", and "Theros". It is a f...

The Book of Wonder by Lord Dunsany
The Book of Wonder is the seventh book and fifth original short story collection of Irish fantasy writer Lord Dunsany, considered a major influence on...

The Countess of Lowndes Square, and Other Stories by E. F. Benson
Dive into the enchanting world of "The Countess of Lowndes Square, and Other Stories" by E.F. Benson, where ordinary lives intertwine with extraordina...

Little Minnie, and Other Stories by Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden)
In the enchanting world of "Little Minnie, and Other Stories" by Pansy, embark on a captivating journey through the realm of faith, morality, and pers...

Ghosts I Have Met and Some Others by John Kendrick Bangs
New York-born John Kendrick Bangs was associate editor and then editor of Life and Harper magazines, eventually finding his way into the Humour depart...

The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs
"The Monkey's Paw" is a supernatural short story by author W. W. Jacobs, first published in England in the collection The Lady of the Barge in 1902. I...

The Smoking Leg and Other Stories by John Metcalfe
It is a captivating collection of short stories that will transport young readers into a world of mystery, imagination, and adventure. Written by the...

Eve's Diary by Mark Twain
"Eve's Diary" is a comic short story by Mark Twain. It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper's Bazaar, in book format...

In the Closed Room by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This is a short story about a shy, quiet little girl living in a big city. When her parents are offered the opportunity to take care of a house in the...

Novelle per un Anno, vol. 09: Donna Mimma by Luigi Pirandello
The ninth volume of Luigi Pirandello's Novelle per un Anno (Novels for a Year) collection features a series of short stories that explore themes of id...
Reviews for Amy Foster
No reviews posted or approved, yet...