A Tragedy of Two Ambitions

Summary

about two brothers Joshzzua and Cornelius Halborough and their problems

with their father causes. They learn Greek and Latin the two boys Joshua and

Cornelius are interrupted by their drunken father who is an alcoholic. They very

annoyed at their father and Joshua locked him in the straw-shed so that their sister

Rosa cannot see her drunken father.

The father used all the 700 pounds of their dead mother for drinking. it makes

Halborough brothers cannot study at university. Finally they study in a training

college for schoolmasters, where they get scholarships.

A few years later Joshua studies at the theological college where he is

supported by his bishop and is going to be presented for ordination. He visits his

brother Cornelius, who is a schoolmaster but wants to become a bishop, too. Joshua,

who is delighted by church, wants to help him to become a bishop, although Cornelius

doubts the church and they have a discussion about it.

Both love their sister Rosa and want to care about her and help her having a

good life. Joshua meets their father with his new wife at Cornelius’ school and gets

asked for some money. He is shocked about his father, who does not take him

seriously and he decides with Cornelius that their father has to be sent away to

Canada for their own good.

Joshua, who is ordained by now, is loved by the association of church while he

leads the first time and is asked to have dinner with the rich Fellmerv family. During

dinner Mrs. Fellmer is shocked by Rosa, who dines with them. Albert, Mrs. Fellmer’s

adult son, falls in love with Rosa and wants to marry her. Their father returns home

which the brothers want to avoid. They try to find him but fail. They return to the

Fellmer’s house where they diner and find their father there, who is angry about them

for sending him to Canada. He wants to stop Rosa from marrying but by going inside

the Fellmer’s house he falls into the river, where he drowns. His sons do not help him

and stand some meters away from him. They decide not to tell anyone of this

accident.

Joshua moves away but comes back six months later to dig their not identified

father. Rosa tells them that she thinks she recognized the accident but was not sure

about it. The brothers argue about telling her but decide not to tell her. Several times

later Rosa gives birth to her baby and Joshua visits them. He doubts the church now,

too. They find the father’s walking-stick they threw away after he died and think

about drowning themselves someday.