
Sweethearts
'Sweethearts' Summary
Act I – 1844
A stiff Victorian youth, "Harry" Spreadbrow, has been suddenly called away to India and must leave immediately. He visits his childhood friend, a delicate if spirited young woman, "Jenny" Northcott, who is busy in her garden. He has long loved her. Harry summons the courage to declare his love propose marriage to her, but Jenny is flirtatious and capricious, and frustrates his every overture, letting him believe that she does not care for him. He asks her to plant a sapling near the window that would remind her of him, and they plant it together, despite her protest that it would eventually block the view. He also asks her to give him a flower to remember her by, and he gives her a flower in return, which she puts to one side without seeming to care about it. At last, dejected, he leaves, but then she bursts into tears.
Act II – 1874
30 years later, Jane, still single, lives in the same house with her nephew, though the garden has grown much in thirty years. Harry, now Sir Henry Spreadbrow, also single, returns; he has just retired from his career and returned from India. When they meet again, the full nature of the irony reveals itself: Jane has remained faithful to him all those years and remembers their last meeting in every detail. But Henry had recovered from his passion for her within the month and has forgotten most of the details of their meeting. The sapling that they had planted together has grown into a large tree, and Henry is astonished that Jane would have such a big tree blocking the view. Jane has kept the flower he gave her, while Henry had long ago lost the flower she gave him. "How like a woman!" says Sir Henry, to throw aside the flower and then keep it for thirty years; "How like a man!" Jane retorts, to swear undying love and then forget almost immediately. Henry makes it clear, however, that their romance is only just beginning.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1874Authors

W. S. Gilbert
England
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most f...
Books by W. S. GilbertDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

Point Counter Point by Aldous Huxley
Point Counter Point is an intellectually provocative and satirical novel that explores the complexities of love, relationships, and society. Through t...

Agatha Webb by Anna Katharine Green
Agatha Webb, a beloved woman, is found murdered, leaving behind a web of suspicion and intrigue. Her husband, driven by financial motives, becomes a p...

The Princess of Bagdad by Alexandre Dumas fils
Embark on a captivating adventure into the heart of the Arabian Nights with Alexandre Dumas fils's enthralling novel, "The Princess of Bagdad." Prepar...

First Love and Other Fascinating Stories about Spanish Life by Emilia Pardo Bazán
This collection of short stories by Emilia Pardo Bazán offers a glimpse into the complexities of Spanish life through the lens of humor and insightful...

Nyckfull kvinna del 4 - Modern by Emilie Flygare-Carlén
Nyckfull kvinna del 4 - Modern continues the story of Edith and Ernst's tumultuous relationship. After a near-separation fueled by jealousy and suspic...

Threads of Grey and Gold by Myrtle Reed
This collection of short stories and poems by Myrtle Reed captures the essence of early 20th-century life. Many stories focus on romantic relationship...

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
This is a captivating collection of detective stories featuring the brilliant and astute detective, Sherlock Holmes. First published in 1892, this ico...

Favourite Scenes From Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
Immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare's theatrical genius with "Favourite Scenes From Shakespeare," a captivating collection of the Bard's most...

Madame de Mauves by Henry James
Madame de Mauves is a short novel that explores the complexities of love and marriage, particularly in the context of cultural differences. It follows...

Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
D'amants qu'ils étaient, le Vicomte de Valmont et la Marquise de Merteuil sont restés complices dans leurs projets de liaisons et confidents dans leur...
Reviews for Sweethearts
No reviews posted or approved, yet...