Summary
The narrative of "An Alpine Idyll" captures the culmination of Nick Adams' adventures, highlighting his matured perspective. After an extended ski retreat in the mountains with his companion John, Nick undergoes a profound realization while witnessing a peasant's wife's burial. This moment of clarity resonates with Nick alone, illustrating a thematic exploration of solitude in understanding.
Descending from the Peaks
The story begins at the break of dawn with Nick and John descending from their mountain retreat, skis in tow. As they approach the valley, they pass by a churchyard where a burial has just concluded. Nick, the story's narrator, acknowledges the priest, only to be met with silence. The young men pause to watch as the sexton meticulously completes the burial, only to be replaced by a peasant who continues the task with the same diligence he might use in tending his garden.
An Unsettling Burial
The sight of the grave being filled strikes Nick and John as surreal, especially juxtaposed against the vibrant beauty of a May morning. Heading towards the town of Galtur, the narrator reflects on their month-long skiing adventure in Silvretta, lamenting how the warmth of spring had undermined the snow, making their stay too prolonged. The rejuvenating morning in the valley feels more in tune with the season than the lingering chill of the high mountains.
Rest and Reflection
Upon reaching an inn, the two men are greeted by the owner, who hands them their accumulated mail. Settling down with beers, they sift through their letters. During their conversation, John remarks on the futility of prolonging activities, like skiing in spring. Nick's gaze drifts beyond the inn's window to the picturesque scene outside. Meanwhile, sunlight dances through empty glasses, creating patterns on the table as John dozes off.
Meeting the Locals
Two locals soon enter the inn: the sexton from the burial and the bearded peasant. After a brief disagreement, the peasant insists on paying for their drinks, then departs abruptly to a nearby gasthaus. The innkeeper, conversing briefly with the sexton in a local dialect, queries about the young men's dining plans. John, roused by the menu's arrival, joins Nick and the innkeeper for a drink.
Revelation and Judgement
Settling in, the innkeeper disparages the peasants, labeling them as "beasts". Nick recounts to him their encounter with the burial and learns it was the peasant's wife being laid to rest. The innkeeper repeats his harsh judgment, prompting Nick to question him further. The innkeeper beckons the sexton to share the tale, which he does, speaking in a dialect lost on John.
A Grisly Tale
The peasant, as the story unfolds, had been burdened with his wife's body since December, unable to bring her for burial due to snow-blocked passes. While she succumbed to a heart condition, her face had raised questions among those who saw her. The sexton reveals, through the innkeeper, that after her death, the peasant placed her in the woodshed, later propping her up when the logs were needed. Chillingly, he had used her mouth as a lantern holder during his night-time wood chopping.
Moral Outrage
The priest, upon hearing this, was incensed, condemning the peasant's actions. The peasant, however, justified his behavior by professing his love for his wife, appearing unaffected by the priest's admonishments. Despite the shock of the tale, John interrupts, eager to discuss their meal plans. Nick, curious for confirmation, asks the innkeeper about the story's veracity and is met with a terse "Certainly," reiterating the sentiment that "peasants are beasts."
Concluding Thoughts
With the grim story lingering, John insists once more on ordering food,...
(This entire section contains 647 words.)
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and Nick concurs. Through "An Alpine Idyll," Hemingway presents not only a vivid account of Nick Adams' experiences but also an exploration of divergent perceptions of morality and humanity. This poignant narrative encapsulates the complexities of rural life and the stark realities that can lie beneath serene exteriors.
Extended Summary
First published in 1927 as part of a collection entitled Men Without Women, “An Alpine Idyll” features the character of Nick Adams, a World War I veteran, on a skiing trip in the Austrian Tyrol with his friend John. Although not explicitly acknowledged in the story, the narrator of the tale is Nick. The story begins as the two Americans carry their skiing gear down from mountains into the valley. They come across a churchyard where a funeral is taking place. When they pass a local priest, Nick greets him, but the clergyman seems disturbed and does not reciprocate. Nick and John watch as the church’s sexton or groundskeeper shovels the dirt into a newly-dug grave and is then relieved by a forlorn peasant who carefully spreads the soil atop it. In the eyes of the two Americans, this scene of death stands in sharp contrast to the beautiful May weather; indeed, the two were forced to end their skiing trip and return to the valley below the mountains because it was so warm.
Nick and John are welcomed by the owner of a local inn where they stop for a drink while retrieving the mail sent to them during their month-long isolation in the mountains. The grave-digger and the peasant, whom they saw earlier, enter the tavern. They share a drink together, but the peasant becomes angry and leaves the inn when his companion refuses his offer to pay for the round. Nick then asks the innkeeper to join him and John in a drink. When the talk turns to the funeral, the innkeeper discloses that the dead person was the angry peasant’s wife. The sexton then joins the party, and these two locals furnish the young Americans with the background to the funeral. The peasant had brought his wife’s body into town that day, even though she had died several months ago. Until now the peasant was unable to make it through the snow-filled passes to the parish church where he wanted his wife to be buried. When the priest looked at the dead woman’s face and saw that it was horribly deformed, the peasant explained that he had first placed his wife’s corpse in a woodshed on top of some logs. When her body froze stiff, he propped it up against the log pile; and when he visited the shed for fuel, he used her gaping mouth as a hook to hold his lantern. That was, in fact, the reason for the priest’s foul mood. The priest had berated the peasant, but the simple man defended his actions, that he loved his wife, and had done nothing wrong. With this tale nearly completed, John asks when they are going to eat supper. The innkeeper affirms that the story is true and says that the peasants are “beasts” as the vacationing Americans ready themselves for a hearty meal.
