Forbidden love
Forbidden love is a major theme in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. In the novel, Phyllis is assigned a man that she will have to marry. However, after he disappears, Phyllis grows close to — and in love with — Matthaüs, a Hussar of the German Legion. In Phyllis' culture, marriages took place because they were arranged; they did not take place because of love, as is common in other cultures.
Phyllis was expected to marry the man she was set up with. Instead, she falls in love with Matthaüs, a man who she was not allowed to be in love with because of her culture and her family's values. In other words, their love is forbidden.
Like Romeo and Juliet, the love story at the center of The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is about forbidden love. That theme is one of the most popular themes in popular culture throughout history. But love will make people do strange things.
Independence
Independence is another significant theme in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion. At the start of the novel, Phyllis is a young woman with very little experience and who is still under the control of her parents, who set her up for marriage. But as the novel goes on, and Phyllis' love for Matthaüs grows, she grows more independent. And as she grows more independent, she grows farther away from her parents, who are a controlling force in her life and who don't allow her to be a grown-up and a grown woman — two things that are very important to her.
Heartbreak
Heartbreak is a theme that plays a significant role in the novel. For example, Phyllis is heartbroken when the man who she was instructed to marry by her parents goes missing. She is also heartbroken by her parent's disinterest in the man she is truly in love with — Matthaüs, a Hussar of the German Legion. Despite Phyllis being heartbroken by people who are incredibly important to her life, she perseveres. In that sense, the novel is a lesson for readers: if you are scorned and ridiculed, carry on. If you are mocked and looked down upon, carry on. Things are bound to work out in the end for those that do.
