Orley Farm · Chapter
XI: Mrs. Furnival at Home explained
Mrs.
What happens
Mrs. Furnival, feeling neglected by her husband's frequent absences due to law and politics, hosts Lucius Mason for tea in London. The evening is strained by Mrs. Furnival's resentment and Mr. Furnival's late, cold return, highlighting the domestic discord in their marriage.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
Explores the marital strain between Mr. and Mrs. Furnival, highlighting the emotional cost of a husband's public success on domestic harmony.
Gender and Power
Mrs. Furnival's lack of a separate sphere and her powerlessness in the face of her husband's absences illustrate gender dynamics of the era.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Furnival
Feels deserted by her husband, returns early from Brighton, and expresses her discontent about his absences.
- Sophia Furnival
Tries to smooth over tensions, discusses her upcoming visit to Noningsby, and engages in conversation with Lucius Mason.
- Lucius Mason
Visits the Furnivals in London, discusses intellectual topics with Sophia, and leaves early due to the awkward atmosphere.
- Mr. Furnival
Returns home late from Birmingham and Romford, is curt with his wife and guest, and retreats to his own room.
Key passages
“Men who had risen in the world as Mr. Furnival had done do find it sometimes difficult to dispose of their wives.”
Successful men like Mr. Furnival often struggle to integrate their wives into their new social circles.
Reflects the theme of social class and ambition affecting family life.
“If success in life means rampaging about, and never knowing what it is to sit quiet over his own fireside, I for one would as soon manage to do without it.”
Mrs. Furnival would rather forgo success than have a husband who is never home.
Highlights her longing for domestic stability over social advancement.