The House of Mirth · Chapter
Chapter V explained
Lily Bart, disappointed to find Lawrence Selden in the company of Bertha Dorset at Bellomont, wanders alone and reflects on her social world.
What happens
Lily Bart, disappointed to find Lawrence Selden in the company of Bertha Dorset at Bellomont, wanders alone and reflects on her social world. She feels a growing sense of isolation and disillusionment with the vacuity of her set, contrasting it with Selden's detachment. After a tense luncheon where she observes Bertha's flirtations and George Dorset's jealousy, Lily resolves to marry Percy Gryce but rebels against the boredom it entails, missing church on a beautiful morning.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Mobility
Lily's critical survey of her social set reveals the emptiness behind their glittering opportunities, highlighting the constraints of her class position.
Gender and Marriage
Bertha's flirtations and George's jealousy illustrate the gendered dynamics of marital power, while Lily's calculations about Percy Gryce show marriage as a transactional necessity.
Appearance vs. Reality
The glamorous surface of Bellomont contrasts with the inner vacuity Lily perceives; Selden's presence reveals the 'dusty daylight' behind the pink lamps.
Characters to notice
- Lily Bart
Feels disappointment and isolation after finding Selden with Bertha; reflects critically on her social circle and her own ambitions.
- Lawrence Selden
Arrives at Bellomont and is found with Bertha Dorset; later catches up with Lily in the woods, embodying a detached perspective on society.
- Bertha Dorset
Appears at an unusual hour to claim Selden's attention; later flirts openly with another man at luncheon, observed by her husband.
- George Dorset
Complains to Lily about his jealousy of Bertha and his digestive troubles, revealing his marital anxieties.
- Percy Gryce
Mentioned as Lily's intended marriage prospect; his crestfallen face is noted when she misses the church omnibus.
- Simon Rosedale
Mentioned in conversation as a potential best man for Jack Stepney's wedding; Lily associates him with hated social possibilities.
Key passages
“How alluring the world outside the cage appeared to Lily, as she heard its door clang on her! In reality, as she knew, the door never clanged: it stood always open; but most of the captives were like flies in a bottle, and having once flown in, could never regain their freedom.”
Lily sees society as a cage that traps its members, though the door is technically open; most choose not to leave.
Reflects Lily's growing disillusionment and Selden's influence on her perspective.
“She would have to go to church with Percy Gryce every Sunday. They would have a front pew in the most expensive church in New York, and his name would figure handsomely in the list of parish charities.”
Lily imagines the tedious, predictable future that marriage to Percy Gryce would entail.
Highlights the theme of moral compromise and the boredom of a conventional life.