Other editions of book The Four Feathers

Against the background of the Mahdist War, a young man disgraces himself by quitting the army, which friends perceive as cowardice, symbolized by the four white feathers they give him. He redeems himself, feather by feather, with acts of physical courage to save his friends. He also wins back the heart of the woman he loves.A. E. W. Mason's classic has been the basis for numerous successful film adaptations, including the acclaimed 2002 version starring Heath Ledger.

Just before sailing off to war in the Sudan, British guardsman Harry Feversham quits his regiment. He immediately receives four white feathers-symbols of cowardice-one each from his three best friends and his fiancée. To disprove this grave dishonor, Harry dons an Arabian disguise and leaves for the Sudan, where he anonymously comes to the aid of his three friends, saving each of their lives. Having proved his bravery, Harry returns to England, hoping to regain the love and respect of his fiancée. This suspenseful tale movingly depicts a distinctive code of honor that was deeply valued and strongly promoted by the British during the height of their imperial power.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

This premium quality edition contains the complete and unabridged original classic version of The Four Feathers, printed on heavy, bright white paper in a large 6"x9" format, with page headers and a fully laminated full-color cover featuring an original design. A.E.W. Mason was already a successful novelist when he wrote The Four Feathers in 1902. The book is the best known of the approximately thirty novels of his long career. The Four Feathers is a tale of cowardice, courage, heroism, duty, and redemption set against the backdrop of the British military operations in the Egyptian Sudan in the 1880's. An instant success, the tale is still widely known today, and has been adapted for films and reprinted numerous times. Rather than be separated from his fiancee when his regiment deploys to the Sudan, Harry Feversham resigns his commission. But when his fiancee joins his former comrades in labeling him a coward by presenting him with symbolic feathers, Harry sets out to prove his courage and redeem his good name by committing acts of bravery and returning the feathers to those who presented them. Unlike the film versions, the novel is driven more by the rich depth and diversity of the characters than by action and is an outstanding exposition of the concepts of duty, courage and character that permeated Victorian England.

English officer and gentleman Harry Feversham has wealth, social position, a beautiful fiancée, Ethne Eustace, and a brotherly bond with three close friends. But he also harbors a dark secret. Though he is expected to continue his family’s proud tradition of military service, he cannot forget the shameful stories he heard as a child: tales of men who shirked their duty and disgraced themselves in battle. Fearing he too will flee from combat, Harry resigns his commission when his regiment is ordered to the war-torn Sudan. Following this decision, he receives a white feather—symbolizing cowardice—from each of his friends, and a fourth from Ethne. To redeem himself in their eyes, and his own, he embarks on an epic quest, traveling alone to Africa disguised as an Arab. As Harry endures desert heat, raging enemies, and the hellish prison known as the House of Stone, his heroic exploits become the stuff of legend. Originally published in 1902, The Four Feathers, A. E. W. Mason’s best-known novel of adventure and romance, explores a plethora of complex moral issues within a framework of exotic intrigue and breakneck action. What is courage? What is cowardice? What is loyalty? And how do we balance the conflicting demands of country, family, friends, lovers, and one’s own ideals?

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

British guardsman Harry Feversham stuns his friends when, just before he is scheduled to ship off to the Sudan, he quits his regiment. In shocked retaliation for this dastardly act of cowardice, Harry is presented with four feathers: one from each of his three closest regimental friends and the fourth-and the most devastating-from his fiancée.Determined to prove his bravery-and to clear his name-Harry embarks for the Sudan. In search of service . . . and of honor.

“The Four Feathers,” by A. E. W. Mason, is book is full of noble ideas and notions of Victorian honor in the days of the British Empire. At first glance the book may appear to be a book about war. Thought it does deal with the war in the Sudan in late 19th century, the book consists of superb descriptions of complicated psychology found in the hero, the heroine and their mutual friend. "Four Feathers" as a whole is not a book like "She" or "Beau Geste," but it is rather a special kind of romance which could be found only in this era. To disprove his disgrace, the hero Harry Feversham, who quit his regiment just before being sent to the Sudan, decides to go to Africa, disguising himself as a Greek, and firmly is determined to give back three white feathers sent to him as a symbol of his being a coward. One clever touch is given here; his fiancee also added one feather to them, and rejected him in the face before their marriage. There are certainly descriptions of adventure under the sizzling sun of Africa, but you must wait. Before they come, we are introduced to the complex relationship between Harry and other characters involved in his action. Various feelings of love, regret, courage, and suspicion, all caused as aftermath of the crucial action of sending white feathers, follow with a surprisingly and deeply psychological insight. Though the story is, as you expect, very melodramatic and sentimental, the characters are well-drawn and convincing, and if not as insightful as Henry James, surely deserves much serious attention. The adventure scenes come in the last third of the book, and the descriptions of the House of Stone, concentration camp of POW, (where the author himself visited after the war ended) are still realistic and shocking, and will haunt your mind after reading. As an adventure story, Mason’s book also does not disappoint. In short, "Four Feathers" is one of the greatest forgotten bestsellers in the English literature.

Accused by three of his friends and his fiancTe of cowardice after resigning his military commission on the eve of the British invasion of the Sudan, Harry Feversham attempts to prove his valor in the Sudan during the revolt of the 1880s. Reprint. (A Miramax/Paramount film, directed by Shekar Kapur, starring Heath Ledger, Kate Hudson, & Wes Bentley) (Historical Fiction)

English officer and gentleman Harry Feversham has wealth, social position, a beautiful fiancée, Ethne Eustace, and a brotherly bond with three close friends. But he also harbors a dark secret. Though he is expected to continue his familys proud tradition of military service, he cannot forget the shameful stories he heard as a child: tales of men who shirked their duty and disgraced themselves in battle. Fearing he too will flee from combat, Harry resigns his commission when his regiment is ordered to the war-torn Sudan. Following this decision, he receives a white feathersymbolizing cowardicefrom each of his friends, and a fourth from Ethne. To redeem himself in their eyes, and his own, he embarks on an epic quest, traveling alone to Africa disguised as an Arab. As Harry endures desert heat, raging enemies, and the hellish prison known as the House of Stone, his heroic exploits become the stuff of legend.

Just before sailing off to war in the Sudan, British guardsman Harry Feversham quits his regiment. He immediately receives four white feathers-symbols of cowardice-one each from his three best friends and his fiancée. To disprove this grave dishonor, Harry dons an Arabian disguise and leaves for the Sudan, where he anonymously comes to the aid of his three friends, saving each of their lives. Having proved his bravery, Harry returns to England, hoping to regain the love and respect of his fiancée. This suspenseful tale movingly depicts a distinctive code of honor that was deeply valued and strongly promoted by the British during the height of their imperial power.