Phoebe, Junior · Chapter
Shopping explained
Ursula goes shopping with her cousins Anne and Sophy Dorset, where they encounter Mrs.
What happens
Ursula goes shopping with her cousins Anne and Sophy Dorset, where they encounter Mrs. Copperhead, who buys gifts for Ursula's sisters and secretly orders more for Ursula herself. Mrs. Copperhead offers to be Ursula's agent for future purchases, but Anne and Sophy refuse her offer of a carriage ride, still offended by Mr. Copperhead's behavior. Ursula, however, is captivated by Mrs. Copperhead's wealth and generosity, and on the walk home, she daydreams about marrying a rich man who would enable her to shower her family with gifts, contrasting her own poverty with Mrs. Copperhead's miserable but wealthy existence.
Themes in this chapter
Wealth and Power
Mrs. Copperhead's lavish spending and carriage highlight the privileges of wealth, while Ursula's daydream reveals her longing for the power to provide for her family.
Marriage and Ambition
Ursula's fantasy of marrying a rich man reflects the societal ambition for upward mobility through marriage, contrasting with Mrs. Copperhead's unhappy marriage.
Characters to notice
- Ursula May
Ursula is deeply impressed by Mrs. Copperhead's wealth and generosity, and she daydreams about marrying a rich man who could provide for her family.
- Mrs. Copperhead
Mrs. Copperhead is eager to buy gifts for Ursula's family, revealing her loneliness and desire for connection, but she is ultimately rejected by the Dorset cousins.
- Cousin Anne
Anne Dorset is cautious and disapproving of Mrs. Copperhead, refusing to ride in her carriage due to Mr. Copperhead's earlier behavior.
- Cousin Sophy
Sophy Dorset makes ironic comments about marrying a rich man, but her irony is lost on Ursula.
Key passages
“She bought a couple of very smart little upper garments for Amy and Janey, and then, clandestinely taking no one into her confidence, for Ursula herself, and gave secret orders to have them all sent to the Dorsets’ lodgings that night.”
Mrs. Copperhead purchased stylish clothes for Amy and Janey, and secretly added a gift for Ursula, arranging for everything to be delivered to the Dorsets' lodgings that evening.
Highlights Mrs. Copperhead's generosity and secretive nature.
“There are two things I have a great deal too much of, money and time.”
Mrs. Copperhead laments that she has an excess of both money and time, suggesting her wealth does not bring happiness.
Reveals the theme of wealth and unhappiness.
“Between poor Mrs. Copperhead, who was the most miserable, frightened little slave in the world, with nothing, as she said, but time and money, and Ursula without a penny, and who always had so much to do, what a gulf there was!”
There is a vast difference between Mrs. Copperhead, who is wealthy but miserable, and Ursula, who is poor but busy and content.
Contrasts the lives of the two women, highlighting the theme of wealth vs. happiness.