Short Fiction · Chapter
Mother Savage explained
During the Franco-Prussian War, an old woman named Mother Savage lives alone in a remote house after her son's death in battle.
What happens
During the Franco-Prussian War, an old woman named Mother Savage lives alone in a remote house after her son's death in battle. She is forced to quarter four Prussian soldiers, whom she treats with cold civility. When she learns of her son's death, she coldly sets fire to her house, killing the soldiers, and is later executed by the Prussians.
Themes in this chapter
Cruelty and Suffering
The story depicts the brutality of war and the cold, calculated revenge of a mother who loses her son.
Isolation and Loneliness
Mother Savage lives alone in a remote house, isolated from the village and emotionally cut off after her son's death.
Characters to notice
- Madame Savage
The protagonist, an old woman living alone after her son's death in the war. She quarters Prussian soldiers and later takes revenge by burning her house with them inside.
Key passages
“She was known as Mother Savage, and she lived alone in a little house on the edge of the village.”
The old woman, called Mother Savage, resided by herself in a small house at the village's outskirts.
Introduces the protagonist and her solitary living situation.
“She was a tall, thin woman, with a hard face and a bitter mouth.”
Mother Savage was a tall, slender woman with a stern expression and a sour demeanor.
Describes her physical appearance and harsh character.
“She set fire to the house, and the four Prussians were burned to death.”
She ignited her home, killing the four Prussian soldiers in the blaze.
The pivotal act of revenge after learning of her son's death.
“The Prussians shot her dead on the spot.”
The Prussian soldiers executed her immediately.
The tragic conclusion where Mother Savage is killed for her actions.