# XXVII explained — A House of Gentlefolk

> Chapter companion for A House of Gentlefolk by Ivan Turgenev.

## What happens

After an evening outing, Lavretsky escorts Marya Dmitrievna, Lisa, and the children home. During the ride, he and Lisa share a quiet, intimate moment, affirming their friendship. Lavretsky returns home in a state of joyful reflection, thinking of Lisa and his own feelings. The next day, while reading French newspapers, he discovers a report of his wife Varvara Pavlovna's sudden death.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

Lavretsky's growing affection for Lisa is contrasted with the false report of his wife's death, highlighting the complexities of love and marital bonds.

### Nature and the Rural Idyll

The peaceful summer night, with its warmth, moonlight, and sounds of quails, mirrors Lavretsky's inner joy and sense of renewal.

### Fate and Free Will

Lavretsky's reflection on his past and the sudden news of his wife's death suggest the unpredictable turns of fate that shape his choices.

## Character check-ins

### Marya Dmitrievna Kalitin

Expresses desire to return home; falls asleep during the carriage ride.

### Lisa Mihalovna

Sits in the back seat of the coach; feels happy and shares a quiet moment with Lavretsky, affirming their friendship.

### Fedor Ivanitch Lavretsky

Escorts the guests on horseback; feels joyful and reflective during the ride; later discovers news of his wife's death in a newspaper.

### Christopher Theodor Gottlieb Lemm

Disappears after the angling; the next day he is scowling and silent.

### Anton

Slammed the coach doors with energy and called sharply to the coachman.

### M. Jules

Author of the newspaper article reporting Madame de Lavretsky's death.

## Key lines

> And I have burnt all I adored, And now I adore all that I burnt.

Lavretsky reflects on a reversal of his former beliefs and affections, now embracing what he once rejected.

_Lavretsky quotes this line to himself during his ride home, indicating a personal transformation._

> the witchery of the summer night enfolded him; all around him seemed suddenly so strange—and at the same time so long known; so sweetly familiar.

The enchanting summer night made everything feel both new and deeply familiar to Lavretsky.

_Describes Lavretsky's heightened emotional state and connection to the natural world._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_house_of_gentlefolk_se/chapters/xxvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_house_of_gentlefolk_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_house_of_gentlefolk_se/chapters