The Forsyte Saga · Chapter
X: Soames Entertains the Future explained
Soames Forsyte hosts Annette and her mother, Madame Lamotte, at his riverside property near Mapledurham, showcasing his wealth and possessions in hopes of securing Annette as his future wife.
What happens
Soames Forsyte hosts Annette and her mother, Madame Lamotte, at his riverside property near Mapledurham, showcasing his wealth and possessions in hopes of securing Annette as his future wife. He struggles with the timing of his proposal due to his ongoing divorce from Irene, and the visit underscores his possessiveness and desire for control.
Themes in this chapter
Possessiveness and the Sense of Property
Soames's entire courtship is framed through his possessions—his house, garden, art collection—and his desire to own Annette as a wife and mother of his heir.
Love vs. Marriage as a Contract
Soames views marriage to Annette as a transaction, focusing on her beauty and potential to bear an heir rather than emotional connection.
Social Class and Change
Soames's display of wealth and his consideration of a French wife reflect shifting social dynamics and the Forsyte family's adaptation to change.
Characters to notice
- Soames Forsyte
Soames meticulously prepares his home and entertains Annette and Madame Lamotte, driven by his desire to possess Annette and secure an heir.
- Annette Forsyte
Annette is the object of Soames's courtship; she is demure and charming, and her responses to Soames are ambiguous.
- Madame Lamotte
Madame Lamotte accompanies her daughter, appreciates Soames's possessions, and engages in a discussion about the Boer War.
Key passages
“This visit had been planned to produce in Annette and her mother a due sense of his possessions, so that they should be ready to receive with respect any overture he might later be disposed to make.”
Soames arranged the visit to impress Annette and her mother with his wealth, ensuring they would take his future proposal seriously.
Highlights Soames's strategic use of property to influence the courtship.
“To know what was in her mind! The French—they were like cats—one could tell nothing!”
Soames finds Annette inscrutable, comparing the French to cats in their mysteriousness.
Reveals Soames's frustration and uncertainty in reading Annette's intentions.
“I will and must be free,” he thought. “I won’t hang about any longer. I’ll go and see Irene.”
Soames resolves to take action to secure his divorce from Irene so he can pursue Annette.
Shows Soames's determination to end his marriage and move forward with his plans.