A Good-For-Nothing 1876

"A Good-For-Nothing" by Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen is a story set in the late 1800s that follows Ralph Grimm, a privileged but aimless young man, as he grapples with societal expectations and his own sense of self-worth. Disappointing his family by failing at military school, Ralph flees his aristocratic life for a rugged existence in America, working odd jobs and striving towards self-sufficiency. A relationship with Bertha, a down-to-earth peasant girl, highlights the stark differences between his upbringing and her grounded values. Ralph's journey towards professional achievement forces him to confront his changing emotions for Bertha, which are interwoven within considerations of love, personal development, and the gap between his prior life and the life he envisions for himself.