# Mr. Cheesacre's Hospitality explained — Can You Forgive Her?

> Chapter companion for Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

Mr. Cheesacre, anxious to secure Mrs. Greenow's fortune, fears both Captain Bellfield's rivalry and her spending. He invites Bellfield to Oileymead to keep him close, but Bellfield accepts, planning to outmaneuver him. Mrs. Greenow invites both to dinner, and Cheesacre tries to exclude Bellfield from the visit.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wealth and Financial Dependence

Cheesacre's anxiety about Mrs. Greenow spending her money before he can secure it, and Bellfield's poverty, highlight the financial stakes in courtship.

### Love and Marriage

The chapter satirizes the mercenary and strategic nature of marriage pursuits, with both suitors more interested in Mrs. Greenow's fortune than her person.

### Betrayal and Forgiveness

Bellfield's lies and Cheesacre's distrust create a web of deception; their friendship is strained by rivalry over the widow.

## Character check-ins

### Mrs. Greenow

The widow being courted by both Cheesacre and Bellfield; she maintains a genial but non-committal stance, enjoying their attentions while keeping her independence.

### Mr. Cheesacre

The wealthy farmer, deeply anxious about Bellfield's influence and Mrs. Greenow's spending; he invites Bellfield to Oileymead to monitor him.

### Captain Bellfield

The rival suitor, living on lies and stratagems; he accepts Cheesacre's invitation, planning to continue his pursuit of Mrs. Greenow.

### Charlie Fairstairs

A young woman who looks down on farmers; she accompanies Mrs. Greenow and is invited to the dinner, hoping to catch Cheesacre's interest.

### Jeannette

Mrs. Greenow's servant, who is fee'd by Cheesacre for information about Bellfield's visits.

## Key lines

> She would give herself and all her money to that adventurer, Bellfield; or else she would spend her own money so fast before he got hold upon it, that the prize would be greatly damaged.

Cheesacre feared that Mrs. Greenow would either marry Bellfield and take her fortune with her, or squander her wealth before he could claim it.

_Reveals Cheesacre's primary motivation: securing Mrs. Greenow's money._

> In war, no doubt, all stratagems are fair. The one general is quite justified in making the other believe that he is far to the right, when in truth he is turning his enemy's left flank.

The narrator compares Bellfield's deceptive courtship tactics to military strategy, suggesting that success justifies deceit.

_Highlights the theme of deception in love and rivalry._

> After an hour's work of the nature above described she would play the hostess with a genial hospitality, that eased off all the annoyance of disappointment; and then at the end of the evening, she would accept a squeeze of the hand, a good, palpable, long-protracted squeeze, with that sort of 'don't;—have done now,' by which Irish young ladies allure their lovers.

Despite rejecting Cheesacre's proposal, Mrs. Greenow remained a gracious hostess and allowed him small physical intimacies, keeping his hopes alive.

_Illustrates Mrs. Greenow's skillful manipulation of her suitors._

## Links

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