Release date is 2025-05-06

Tuula Temonen

"Ursula tädin onnettomuus: Novelli" by Georges Ohnet is a novella likely written in the late 19th century. The story centers around the Bernard family, particularly the young Aline and her stern, deeply traumatized aunt, Ursula, whose tragic past has left her with a bitter hatred for the military. The primary topic of the novella is the conflict that arises when Aline wishes to marry a young army captain, Roger, and faces the fierce opposition of Ursula, whose own heartbreak is tied to the loss of her fiancée in war. The opening of the novella sets the scene in a peaceful garden where Aline, anxious about a family discussion regarding her potential marriage, distracts herself with roses while thinking of Captain Roger. Through her memories and the ongoing clandestine romance, we witness her innocence and the lengths her father goes to investigate Roger's suitability. When the family brings the matter to Ursula, her vehement rejection is rooted in her own youthful love—a soldier who died in battle—rendering her vehemently opposed to military men. This beginning portion interweaves present tensions with Ursula’s poignant backstory, explaining her sorrow and bitterness, and setting up the emotional stakes that drive the conflict between personal happiness and the burdens of inherited trauma. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: Hämeenlinna: Arvi A. Karisto, 1911