Literary notes about major (AI summary)
The term “major” is deployed in literature in a multitude of ways, often embodying both a formal rank and an indicator of prominence or scale. In military and official contexts, it frequently appears as a title, signifying an officer’s rank or command—such as in historical chronicles and memoirs ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]). Its usage also extends to denote primary importance or a substantial portion, whether referring to central components of an argument or significant geographical features ([9], [10], [11]). In more abstract realms, “major” contrasts with “minor” in musical passages or structural descriptions, highlighting shifts in tone or emphasis ([12], [13], [14]). This versatile employment underscores its capacity to communicate authority, significance, and structural differentiation across diverse narrative landscapes.
- He was a major of the 42d, who came to summon the Representatives to quit their own House.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - I am, etc., W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General commanding.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - They made a mistake, it was M. Guilbot, major of the third battalion of the Tenth Legion.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - I found Major Bliss, who had been my teacher in mathematics at West Point, and was then General Taylor's son-in-law and private secretary.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - “Well, then,” replied the major, “they paid me 50,000 francs down.”
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - Yours truly, U. S. GRANT, Major-General.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - By order of Major-General Halleck, J. C. KELTEN, Assistant Adjutant-General.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - I am, etc., W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - As the latter half constitutes the major portion of our story, we shall consider it first.
— from Filipino Popular Tales - One of our ships found it, and I staked a discovery claim on the major land mass, and the crew made lesser claims that covered all the available land.
— from The Lani People by Jesse F. Bone - This is within the context of France's major push to celebrate francophony among its former colonies.
— from Entretiens / Interviews / Entrevistas by Marie Lebert - He gave them a little push, and they began to walk in a major key instead of in a minor, and then—he blew with his mouth and they were scattered!
— from Howards End by E. M. Forster - I brought in a lively movement in the major key, but in the same tempo, and then at the end the original subject, only reversed.
— from The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Volume 01 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - He mentioned, as a striking instance of this, a brief chorus in C major of male and female nymphs in the third act.
— from My Life — Volume 1 by Richard Wagner
