The Age of Innocence · Chapter
Chapter XXVIII explained
Newland Archer volunteers to fetch Ellen Olenska from Jersey City after Mrs.
What happens
Newland Archer volunteers to fetch Ellen Olenska from Jersey City after Mrs. Manson Mingott suffers a stroke and summons her. He lies to May about a postponed Washington trip to do so, and May detects the deception. The chapter also covers the fallout from Julius Beaufort's financial scandal, which overshadows Mrs. Mingott's illness, and the family's logistical struggles to arrange Ellen's arrival.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Moral Duality
Newland lies to May about his trip while society condemns Beaufort's duplicity, highlighting double standards.
Class and Social Hierarchy
The Beaufort scandal threatens the ruling clans; society debates how to manage without them, reinforcing class boundaries.
Illusion vs. Reality
May pretends not to see through Newland's lie; Mrs. Mingott's stroke is reframed as indigestion, masking deeper truths.
Characters to notice
- Newland Archer
Lies to May about his Washington trip to meet Ellen; feels tension and guilt.
- May Welland
Detects Newland's lie but pretends not to; shows wifely concern and subtle awareness.
- Ellen Olenska
Summoned by Mrs. Mingott; her arrival causes family debate.
- Mrs. Welland
Frets over the inconvenience of Ellen's visit; inadvertently upsets Mr. Welland.
- Mr. Welland
Anxious about health; becomes preoccupied with Dr. Bencomb's reliability.
- Julius Beaufort
His financial failure is announced; scandal darkens New York society.
Key passages
“It did not hurt him half as much to tell May an untruth as to see her trying to pretend that she had not detected him.”
Newland felt worse about May's pretense of ignorance than about his own lie.
Reveals the emotional strain in their marriage and the theme of illusion.
“Society must manage to get on without the Beauforts, and there was an end of it.”
Society would simply exclude the Beauforts and move on.
Illustrates the rigid social hierarchy and ostracism following scandal.