Analysis: In this chapter, Newland falls in love with Ellen, as signified by his calling her “Ellen” instead of “Madame Olenska.” In a society as proper as New York in the 1890s, calling a woman by her first name indicated that there was a significant emotional tie. He loves her because she defies the rules of society by seemingly not understanding them. She makes light of the powerful figures Manson Mingott and the van der Luydens. She is close friends with one of the most respectable figures — the Duke while simultaneously friends with Beaufort, a man of no reputation.
Also, intriguing is the fact that Ellen believes New York society to be plain and straightforward: “I thought it so up and down like Fifth Avenue. And with all the cross streets numbered.” Whereas Newland says, “Everything may be labeled but everyone is not.” This is ironic, too, because everyone is labeled people judge each other by family name.
Another theme in the novel is suggested by Ellen when she says, “The real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask one to pretend.” The book is about pretenders; everyone pretends to be something they are not; everyone but Ellen. Newland was frustrated in a prior chapter by the realization that he, too, is being forced to pretend in his relationship with May.
Chapter 10 Summary: May and Newland go for a walk in the park. May thanks him for sending her flowers every day and remarks that it is nice that she gets them at different times of the day; it means he thinks each day to send her flowers, unlike Larry Lefferts who had a standing order for Gertrude+s flowers to be sent each day. Newland tells May that he sent Ellen beautiful roses but May remarks that Ellen had not discussed them, although she had discussed flowers from other friends. Newland changes the subject and remarks that their engagement seems very long; May says that everyone else has had similarly long engagements. Newland feels like all of May+s comments have been fed to her by others and wonders how long it will be until she can speak for herself. He worries that when he takes her bandage of innocence off her eyes, she won+t be able to see anything. He suggests that they travel and May remarks that he is terribly original. Then Newland shouts, “Original? We+re all like each other as those dolls cut out of the same folded paper.” On the suggestion of elopement, May balks, “We can+t behave like people in novels, though, can we?”
Later, Archer skips his regular trip to the club for fear that his life is becoming to repetitive and predictable. While he is reading novels in his study, Janey tells him that the Countess has gone to a party at Mrs. Struthers. This is horrible, of course, because Struthers is too “common.” Newland remarks that he is “not married to Countess Olenska” and has nothing to do with her affairs. Luckily, Henry van der Luyden comes for a visit and does not blame Ellen for her attending the party. She probably just doesn+t understand convention. Henry+s nonchalance about the affair puts Mrs. Archer+s heart at ease: decorum is still intact.
Analysis: Here we see a deepening of Newland+s infatuation with Ellen. He vocalizes “I+m not engaged to be married to the Countess Olenska” as if he is truly voicing his own desire. He also says, “Ellen was the best looking woman [at the van der Luyden+s party]” without even considering May.
Also important is the theme of reading in this novel; perhaps Newland is getting his fantastic ideas about what romance and love should be like from his novels. Are the novels to blame for his love of the “exotic” and his infatuation with Ellen? Does May recognize Newland+s new literature-induced impulses? Is this why she says, “We can+t live like people in novels”?
Also, the fungibility of decorum is displayed in this chapter. Mrs. Archer is totally afraid that Ellen+s behavior is out of place, but when Henry van der Luyden is ready to place the blame for her actions on the Duke, Ellen+s actions are vindicated. We see that morality in this society is quite flexible and dependent upon what those in “power” dictate.
Summary and Analysis of Chapters 11-15
Chapter Eleven Summary: Newland is a junior lawyer and is asked by one of the senior partners, Mr. Letterblair, to advise Ellen Olenska in her divorce. Archer reads the papers and decides that Ellen should not divorce; but when he listens to Mr. Letterblair argue that she should not divorce, he realizes how self-righteous he sounds and believes the best thing would be to talk to Ellen first before he unilaterally condemns her decision.
Analysis: Newland disregards propriety to allow for Ellen+s freedom, or so he believes. There is a lot in this chapter that deals with facades and hidden intentions. The first question that we must ask is, why is Newland chosen to convince Ellen not to divorce? On first glance, it seems that he is chosen because family members think it is in his best interest to curtail any bad gossip in his fiance+s family. Hence, he should want to keep her from divorcing, out of a selfish desire to make his new marriage successful. However, there is another possible answer perhaps, members of May+s family have noticed that Newland seems interested in Ellen and they want to force him to understand the mandates of propriety. So, they place him in the position where either he does the “right” thing, makes Ellen choose not to divorce or does the “wrong” thing, encourages Ellen to divorce so she can be free to remarry anyone. Perhaps society is using this predicament as a litmus test of Newland+s character.
Chapter Twelve Summary: Unlike the members of New York Society, Ellen has no fear of literature. Archer reflects on this fact and the fact that Ellen has the mysterious ability to “reverse his values” as he walks to her home.
Newland walks through the snowy night and arrives at Ellen+s home. Beaufort is there, trying to woo her away from her trip to Skuytercliff. Skuytercliff is the vacation home of the van der Luydens. Ellen tells Beaufort to leave because she has business with Archer. Newland is there to discuss the divorce. Newland encourages Ellen not to divorce because there is no way she can prove her innocence from a love affair after she left her husband. For this reason, she will be scandalized by the papers. Ellen agrees with Newland reluctantly.
Analysis: Ellen pleads that she wants to be the same as everyone else; that, and her freedom, are what drive her desire for a divorce. This is ironic because it is Newland+s desire to have a life different than everyone else+s that leaves him dissatisfied with his engagement. It is these opposing needs which draw them together. It is how they fulfill each other.
Chapter Thirteen Summary: On a crowded night at the Wallack+s theater, Newland Archer attends a showing of Shaughraun for the love of one scene: two lovers parting in silence. It reminds him of when he left Ellen the last time they were together: when they had discussed her divorce. On seeing the scene and remembering Ellen, Newland begins to cry and gets up to leave the theater. As he is walking out, he sees Ellen; as he catches her eye, Mrs. Beaufort (sitting next to Ellen) calls Newland over. He sits behind Ellen and Ellen whispers, “Do you think he will send her yellow roses tomorrow.” She was alluding to the roses that Newland had sent her. He says, “I was thinking that too.” She says, “What do you do while May is away?” May is on vacation with her family in Florida. Newland is upset by the obviously suggestive question. She tells him that she has decided not to go through with the divorce because of him. Archer leaves the theater reflecting on a letter that May had sent him. In the letter, May pointed out that Newland is the only one in New York that can truly understand Ellen and that he should take care of her because she is lonely and unhappy.
Analysis: Here we see that everything that has been left unsaid by Ellen (because the narration only reflects Newland+s thoughts) may be true. Ellen may feel the same way about Newland as he feels about her. Her understanding of the roses in the same context that Newland understands the scene of the play is eerie and points to the similarities between these characters. Their un-discussed romance becomes real in this chapter; this is a point of pivot in the novel.
There are some more interesting allusions to the mortal/immortal contrast. Mr. van der Luyden is described as a protecting diety; May has a “gift of divination.”
Chapter Fourteen Summary: While leaving the theater, Newland runs into his friend Ned Winsett. Ned immediately asks the name of the “swell dark woman”. Newland recognizes that his curiosity is directed at Ellen and he is annoyed. Winsett explains that Ellen had bandaged up his little boy when he had fallen. Newland tells Ned that her name is Countess Olenska. Ned asks why a countess would live in his neighborhood; Newland says it is because she doesn+t care about social sign-posts.
The next day, Newland searches all over town for yellow roses but cannot find them. He sends her a message so they can meet later in the day, but she doesn+t write him. On the third morning of hearing nothing from Ellen, he finally receives a letter from her. She said that she has “run away” and that she is staying with the van der Luydens in Skuytercliff. She says she feels “safe” with them. Newland immediately decides to accept an invitation and visit the Chiverses (whose invitation he had previously rejected) because they are only a few miles from Ellen.
Analysis: What is interesting in this chapter is the discussion of freedom between Ned and Newland. Ned insists that “Life isn+t much of a fit for either of them.” For Ned, life stinks because he cannot find a respectable job as a writer. Yet, for Newland, the loss of freedom is far more subtle. Ned encourages Newland to become a politician. But Newland thinks that such a life is not appropriate for a gentleman. Newland cannot even aspire to be a good lawyer because it is inappropriate to work for money. Like, Ellen desperate for freedom, Newland recognizes that there is no freedom to be had: the only approporate lifestyles include sport or culture.
Also interesting in this chapter are two motifs: translation and literature explaining life. First, Archer does not quite understand Ellen+s letter to him; he thinks “I have run away” could mean much less than it seems to say. In English, the expression, “I have run away” usually suggests quite a dramatic situation; Newland believes it may be more correctly understood in French: the expression “Je me suis evadee” is the same as “I have run away” but has a much more casual significance. Newland also uses literature to “translate” Ellen+s letter. At first he cannot understand why the van der Luydens would invite Ellen to their home; but then he remembers a play he had seen in Paris and understands that the van der Luydens are kind to her because they are her saviors. The play, a form of literature, provides Newland with a way of translating life into meaning.
Chapter Fifteen Summary: Newland arrives at the Chiverses on Friday and on Sunday he leaves to visit Ellen. She has gone to church so he takes a cutter (light sleigh) to find her. He sees her on the path from the church. They play in the snow and then go to the small Platoon house so they can talk privately. They had only spoken a few moments when she indicates that she is running away from Beaufort; suddenly he arrives and there can be no more discussion of the topic. Newland returns to New York, curious about just why she was running away. He drowns himself in great novels for a few days and then Ellen sends him a message asking him to visit her late and at night. Newland is not sure how to reply; so he leaves for St. Augustine Florida to visit May.
Analysis: It seems that Ellen and Newland are playing a little bit of cat and mouse; running away from each other and then meeting again. First Ellen runs off to the mountains, then Newland runs off to St. Augustine. Ellen is seen throughout the scene in a red cloak; a sign of revitalization and passion.
Summary and Analysis of Chapters 16-20
Chapter Sixteen Summary: Newland travels to St. Augustine to see his fianc May. With her, “here was truth, here was reality.” Newland kisses her when they can find a moment of seclusion, but the kiss is so hard and adamant that May pulls away. May and Newland have breakfast with her family. They thank Newland for convincing Ellen not to divorce. The day before his departure, Newland takes May to the Spanish gardens in order to encourage her to be his wife sooner. May says that perhaps the pressure is due to the fact that he may not continue to care for her much longer and marriage would be a security. She is worried he is still in love with the mistress from two years ago. Newland convinces her that this is not the case and she believes him and they embrace.
Analysis: The true irony in this chapter is that May is right on the mark about Newland; he has fallen in love with another woman; he does want to rush the marriage because he fears that his love may not last for May. The only thing she has wrong is the woman. Newland is in love with Ellen and not Mrs. Thorley Rushmore. It is ironic and unfortunate that May+s intuition could be so accurate and yet not enough to reveal the truth.
At the same time, we cannot dismiss May for being inaccurate. It is possible that she know the “other woman” is Ellen; she just does not disclose that she knows and alludes to Mrs. Thorley Rushmore just to show Newland that she knows what+s going on and has the proper composure to conceal her knowledge.
Chapter Seventeen Summary: While Newland had been away, Ellen had stopped by to meet his mother and sister. Mrs. Archer does not think she is as plain as she first appears. Indeed, Newland remarks that she is quite different than May. Newland goes to visit Mrs. Catherine Manson Mingott when he returns because he has so many messages for her. Mingott jokes, “Why don+t you marry Ellen?” Newland remarks that she had not been around. Newland reveals to Ellen and Manson Mingott that he wanted to convince May to marry him sooner. Ellen suggests that perhaps she and her grandmother can be of assistance. Ellen asks Newland to visit her and he does the next day.
When he arrives at her home, Newland is greeted by a cast of strange people. There is his friend Ned, who leaves at first opportunity. There is a hokey Dr. Carver, who leaves to attend a lecture. And, there is the Marchioness Mingott, Ellen+s aunt. She tells Newland that she has come on Count Olenski+s behalf to convince Ellen to return to Europe.
Analysis: We must notice the constant questioning, “Why isn+t Newland marrying Ellen?” There seems to be an unconscious realization among people that they are right for each other. What do they seem to have in common to Catherine?
Many academics site Dr. Carver as a very important character. His religion of love is a hoax and exists in opposition to the other religion, that of the strict moral conduct of the society members. His religion is clearly a sham; but interestingly very few regard the religious conduct of the society as being a sham, although both have very little basis in reality.
Chapter Eighteen Summary: Ellen comes down the stairs. She sees that someone has brought her a bouquet and she is annoyed, “I+m not engaged to be married,” and asks Nastasia to take the bouquet to Ned+s wife. Newland puts the Marchioness Mingott in her carriage. After she is gone, Ellen and Newland smoke. Newland reveals Mingott+s belief that Ellen will return to Europe. Ellen blushes and says, “Many cruel things have been believed of me.” Then after some conversation, Newland reveals that he is in love with Ellen. Ellen is angry because it is Newland that has made it impossible for them to marry; he convinced her not to divorce. Newland says that it is his right to renege on the marriage since May refused to marry him early. But just as he says this, a telegram arrives informing Ellen that her help has made it possible for the two to marry just after Easter one month away!
Analysis: The first point of interest in this chapter is a bit of dialogue between Newland and Ellen. Newland asks, “Is your aunt+s romanticism always consistent with accuracy?” And Ellen says, “You mean: does she speak the truth?” It is interesting that Newland believes the language of his society to be straightforward and honest, but it is clear that in reality the New Yorkers speak in twisted circumlocutions. Ellen, is the only one who speaks in plain honest language.
Also interesting is the line by Newland, “I+m still free and you+re going to be.” He vows to call off the engagement but loses all heart when he receives the telegram from May. If his freedom is so easily retracted, is he ever free? In fact, Ellen notes that she only chose against divorce because it seemed to be what Newland wanted. Newland seems to be imposing his shackles on others, rather than liberating them.