The Age of Innocence · Chapter
Chapter XXVI explained
At the Archer family Thanksgiving dinner, Mrs.
What happens
At the Archer family Thanksgiving dinner, Mrs. Archer and Miss Sophy Jackson lament the changing social trends of New York, from extravagant fashions to the rise of figures like Mrs. Struthers. The conversation turns to the Countess Olenska's refusal to return to her husband and her 'Bohemian' lifestyle, causing May to blush noticeably. Later, Mr. Sillerton Jackson hints at impending disclosures from Julius Beaufort's financial speculations. Newland Archer, feeling increasingly detached from his actual life, retreats into a private sanctuary of thoughts centered on Ellen Olenska.
Themes in this chapter
Tradition vs. Change
Mrs. Archer and Miss Jackson lament the 'trend' of social change, from fashion to the acceptance of Mrs. Struthers, reflecting the tension between old customs and new ways.
Hypocrisy and Moral Duality
Society tolerates hypocrisy in private relations but demands honesty in business; Beaufort's potential scandal is met with both fascination and moral condemnation.
Gender Roles and Women's Autonomy
Ellen Olenska is criticized for refusing to return to her husband, reinforcing the expectation that a woman's place is under her husband's roof, despite her desire for independence.
Characters to notice
- Newland Archer
Observes the social changes and his mother's annual lamentations; feels absent from his actual life and absorbed in secret thoughts of Ellen Olenska.
- Mrs. Archer
Hosts the Thanksgiving dinner and decries the 'trend' of social decay, including changes in fashion and the rise of Mrs. Struthers.
- May Welland
Blushes when the Countess Olenska is mentioned, revealing a deeper significance; defends Ellen's indifference to society.
- Sillerton Jackson
Listens to the ladies' complaints and later hints to Archer about Beaufort's impending financial scandal and Ellen's refusal of her husband's offer.
- Ellen Olenska
Discussed as having fallen from family favor due to her refusal to return to her husband and her 'Bohemian' associations; Archer has not seen her in four months.
- Julius Beaufort
Rumored to be involved in unlawful speculations; his potential financial collapse is a topic of concern at the dinner.
Key passages
“For New York, to Mrs. Archer's mind, never changed without changing for the worse; and in this view Miss Sophy Jackson heartily concurred.”
Mrs. Archer believed that any change in New York was a decline, a sentiment shared by Miss Sophy Jackson.
Reflects the theme of tradition vs. change and the conservative outlook of the older generation.
“Outside it, in the scene of his actual life, he moved with a growing sense of unreality and insufficiency, blundering against familiar prejudices and traditional points of view as an absentminded man goes on bumping into the furniture of his own room.”
In his real life, Archer felt increasingly disconnected and inadequate, stumbling against conventional beliefs like a distracted person colliding with furniture.
Highlights Archer's internal conflict and his emotional withdrawal into a fantasy world centered on Ellen.