# VII: For Venice! explained — The Green Hat

> Chapter companion for The Green Hat by Michael Arlen.

## What happens

The narrator awakens in Paris on a spring morning, reflecting on Iris's illness and Napier's enchantment with Venice. He observes the bustling rue de la Paix and later meets Venice Pollen, who reveals her anxiety about not being able to have a child. Venice decides to leave Paris for Provence with Napier, hoping to escape the tension surrounding Napier's concern for Iris.

## Themes in this chapter

### Appearance vs. Reality

The narrator reflects on the contrast between Napier's outward honor and his inner turmoil, and Venice's frantic smile hides her deep anxiety.

### Shame and Redemption

Napier's decision to renounce Iris is framed as a struggle between honor and passion, with potential shame in hurting his mistress.

### Social Class and Decadence

The opulent setting of Parisian shops and the characters' leisurely lifestyle highlight the decadence of the upper class.

## Character check-ins

### Napier Harpenden

Napier is enchanted by Venice and has renounced his love for Iris, causing him inner conflict.

### Iris March

Iris is ill unto death in a Paris nursing home, and Napier has decided not to visit her.

### Venice Pollen

Venice is anxious about her marriage and reveals she feels she cannot have a child; she plans to leave Paris for Provence with Napier.

## Key lines

> Spring, the first day before the first day of spring, the day that is not spring but is a voice of spring crying in the wilderness of the chilly heavens: 'Here is spring, and lo! these are the clouds of winter fleeing before her, white as polar bears, and as stupid.'

It is the day before spring officially begins, a day that feels like spring but isn't, with winter clouds retreating.

_The narrator poetically describes the transitional weather in Paris._

> He has renounced his love, I thought to myself, as a man of honour should do, but he knows that a man of honour is not worthy the name unless he can also convince himself that there never was any love to renounce, for that would make him feel martyred for his wife's sake, and that would be a treachery to Venice.

Napier has given up his love for Iris to be honorable, but true honor requires him to deny that love ever existed, to avoid feeling like a martyr for Venice.

_The narrator analyzes Napier's internal conflict between love and duty._

> I tell you, my child, that I can't—I just feel that I can't, in my bones I feel it, that I'll never, never, never!

Venice insists she is certain she will never be able to have a baby, based on a deep intuition.

_Venice confides her fear of infertility to the narrator._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/vii-for-venice
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_green_hat_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters