Hamlet White Feather

The book The Four Feathers was written by A. E. W. Mason and first published in 1902. It tells the story of the fictional character Harry Faversham, an officer in the British Army who decides to resign his commission on the eve that his regiment is dispatched to fight in Sudan (the 1882 First War of Sudan leading to the fall of Khartoum). Harry's three fellow officers and his fiancée conclude that he is resigning in order to avoid fighting in the conflict and each send him a white feather.

Stung by the criticism, Harry decides to sail to Sudan, disguises himself as an Arab and looks for the opportunity to redeem his honour. He manages this fighting a covert war on behalf of the British, saving the life of one of his colleagues in the process. On returning to England he gives back each of the feathers.

The romantic idealism of the novel has been popular for over a century and it has been the basis of at least six feature films between 1915 and 2002, the most recent being The Four Feathers starring Heath Ledger.