Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
|
|
Template:SharpeSeries Richard Sharpe is the central character in the Bernard Cornwell Sharpe novels.
The stories chart his progress in the Napoleonic era British Army from a Private in Sharpe's Tiger to a field commission of Lieutenant Colonel in Sharpe's Waterloo. The stories have been dramatised for TV with Sean Bean playing the role of Sharpe.
| Contents |
Early Years
Richard Sharpe was born in Wapping to a prostitute mother and an unknown father, and grew up in a foundling home. He escaped from London to Yorkshire, and joined the British Army to avoid the law. His battalion, the 33rd Regiment was posted to India under the command of the East India Company to fight against the Mogul Empire. Sharpe was involved in the Battle of Assaye, the siege of Seringapatam, and is credited in the series with the regicide of the Tippoo Sultan.
India
In India he rose to the rank of Sergeant, and then, because of an act of bravery (saving Arthur Wellesley's life), was given a commission and joined the 74th Regiment as an ensign. This was a highly unusual event at this time, usually ending in the soldier resigning because the upper class commissioned officers would not accept them. Difficult though his position is - he is neither one of the men nor a true officer - he soldiers on, and further acts of bravery result in his being transferred to the newly formed 95th Rifles regiment.
Napoleonic Wars
Returning from India in 1805 Sharpe is caught up in the Battle of Trafalgar. This is his first encounter with France and her allies. His next adventure involves the Battle of Copenhagen and the British capture of the Danish fleet (to prevent Napoleon Bonaparte from taking it). After this Sharpe heads for Portugal, and the books chart his rise in rank as the British Army defeats the French in numerous battles across Portugal, Spain and France. Among his notable achievements during this period is his capture of a French Imperial Eagle at the Battle of Talavera in 1809. The penultimate story is the Battle of Waterloo.
Final Chapter
In the final story Sharpe is commissioned by the Countess of Mouromorto to travel to South America to find out what has happened to her husband (and Sharpe's old friend) Don Blas Vivar, who had disappeared while acting as Spanish Captain General in Chile. In this, as in many of the Sharpe stories, he is accompanied by his Sergeant (and friend) Patrick Harper. En route they stop to visit the imprisoned Napoleon Bonaparte on Saint Helena. In Chile he teams up with the historical character Lord Cochrane.
See Also
Further Reading
Mark Adkin The Sharpe Companion, Harper Collins 1998, ISBN 0 00 2255817 3