Guilt

Guilt and remorse underscore much of Serjeant Musgrave's Dance. Musgrave is overcome by guilt over the death of Billy Hicks as well as the five civilians who were killed in retaliation. Two of his fellow deserters, Attercliffe and Sparky, also knew Hicks and share these feelings. In part, guilt prompted them to desert their posts in order to travel to this coal-mining town.

Musgrave wants to force England to share responsibilities for these deaths. To that end, he makes a public display of Hicks's skeleton, showing the townspeople how one of their sons died in vain. Musgrave also plans to shoot twenty-five of the town's leading citizens, but his dastardly scheme is fortunately stopped.

Ghosts

The ghost of Billy Hicks haunts many of the characters of Serjeant Musgrave's Dance. Musgrave and two of the three soldiers, Attercliffe and Sparky, have deserted their regular posts in order to do...