The Forsyte Saga · Chapter
Out of the Web explained
Soames Forsyte prepares for his divorce case against Irene and Jolyon, grappling with the impending scandal and its impact on the Forsyte name.
What happens
Soames Forsyte prepares for his divorce case against Irene and Jolyon, grappling with the impending scandal and its impact on the Forsyte name. He plans his retirement from law to focus on art collecting, while news of Jolly's death and Val's marriage to Holly Forsyte adds further family complications. The divorce is granted, and Soames faces public exposure with bitter resolve.
Themes in this chapter
Possessiveness and the Sense of Property
Soames views his name as a 'possession' and the divorce as a violation of his property; he plans a 'Forsyte Bequest' to immortalize his collection.
Social Class and Change
The Forsyte family's pride is threatened by scandal and war deaths, reflecting shifts in social status and values.
Gender and Power
Soames resents the law for treating his wife as property yet punishing him for losing her; Irene's agency in leaving him challenges patriarchal norms.
Characters to notice
- Soames Forsyte
Anxiously awaits his divorce trial, planning retirement and a 'Forsyte Bequest' of art; feels the scandal will tarnish the family name.
- Winifred Dartie
Soames' confidante; receives news of her son Val's marriage to Holly Forsyte and worries about the family scandal.
- June Forsyte
Mentioned in context of the Forsyte family's mixed reaction to Jolly's death.
- Young Jolyon Forsyte
Co-respondent in Soames' divorce; in Italy with Irene, causing Soames bitter envy.
- Irene Forsyte
Soames' estranged wife; in Italy with Jolyon, the subject of the divorce proceedings.
- Val Dartie
Winifred's son; marries Holly Forsyte secretly while on leave, adding to family tensions.
- Holly Forsyte
Jolyon's daughter; marries Val Dartie, creating a new link between the estranged branches of the family.
- Jolly Forsyte
Reported dead from disease while serving as a trooper; his death stirs mixed feelings among the Forsytes.
Key passages
“The name was a possession, a concrete, unstained piece of property, the value of which would be reduced some twenty percent at least.”
Soames sees the Forsyte name as a tangible asset that will be devalued by the divorce scandal.
Highlights the theme of possessiveness and the importance of reputation.
“He had no illusions like Shakespeare that roses by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Unlike Shakespeare's idea that a name doesn't change essence, Soames believes the name is crucial to identity and worth.
Reflects Soames' rigid, property-oriented worldview.
“I don't know what I've done; I never have. It's all upside down. I was fond of her; I've always been.”
Soames expresses bewilderment and lingering affection for Irene, feeling victimized by the situation.
Reveals Soames' emotional vulnerability and sense of injustice.