Man and Wife · Chapter
XLV: The Footrace explained
A foreign observer attends a footrace in Fulham, witnessing the English upper and middle classes' intense enthusiasm for athletic competition, contrasting with their apathy toward the arts.
What happens
A foreign observer attends a footrace in Fulham, witnessing the English upper and middle classes' intense enthusiasm for athletic competition, contrasting with their apathy toward the arts. The race between Geoffrey Delamayn and another runner ends with Geoffrey collapsing. Sir Patrick Lundie and surgeon Mr. Speedwell attend to him; Speedwell reveals Geoffrey has narrowly escaped a paralytic stroke due to overexertion from rowing and running, and that paralysis is now imminent. Sir Patrick, concerned for Anne Silvester's future, learns Geoffrey may still be able to keep an appointment on Saturday.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy of Society
The foreign observer contrasts the English public's apathy toward theater and art with their fervent excitement for a footrace, highlighting societal hypocrisy.
Suffering and Resilience
Geoffrey Delamayn's collapse and the permanent damage to his health from athletic overexertion illustrate physical suffering and the limits of resilience.
Characters to notice
- Geoffrey Delamayn
Competes in the footrace and collapses from exhaustion; narrowly escapes a paralytic stroke.
- Sir Patrick Lundie
Attends the race with Mr. Speedwell; inquires about Geoffrey's health and its implications for Anne Silvester.
- Arnold Brinkworth
Present at the race but keeps apart from the crowd; walks back alone, changed by his separation from Blanche.
- Mr. Speedwell
Surgeon who warns of Geoffrey's condition; diagnoses a narrow escape from paralysis due to athletic overexertion.
Key passages
“The foreigner lifted his hands and eyes to heaven. Oh, multifarious Providence! who would have suspected that the infinite diversities of thy creation included such beings as these!”
The foreigner was astonished that such a trivial event as a footrace could generate such intense national excitement.
Highlights the foreigner's bewilderment at English sporting culture.
“He has had a narrow escape from a paralytic stroke.”
Geoffrey barely avoided a stroke due to the extreme physical strain of the race.
Mr. Speedwell reveals the severity of Geoffrey's condition.
“His rowing and his running, for the last four years, are alone answerable for what has happened today.”
Geoffrey's athletic training over the past four years caused his collapse.
Mr. Speedwell attributes the health crisis to overexertion in sports.