# VI: The Ball at Ekeby explained — The Story of Gösta Berling

> Chapter companion for The Story of Gösta Berling by Selma Lagerlöf.

## What happens

Two weeks after the ball at Borg, a grand ball is held at Ekeby, hosted by the pensioners while the major's wife is away. The ball features lavish food, wine, music, theatricals, and tableaux. Marianne Sinclair, the famed beauty, attends. During a tableau, the gentle Löwenborg mistakenly draws the curtain, revealing Gösta Berling and Marianne kissing on the balcony. The audience applauds, thinking it part of the performance. Afterwards, Marianne and Gösta agree to pretend it was acting, but a tense exchange reveals Marianne's shame at loving Gösta. Gösta, wounded, retreats to the card room. Later, Gösta and Marianne ride home together with Beerencreutz; Marianne, now emotionally conflicted, gives Gösta a weak embrace, but Beerencreutz remains focused on the Pleiades.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Sacrifice

Marianne's internal conflict between her love for Gösta and the social disgrace of being associated with him, culminating in her shame and a weak embrace.

### Social Class and Power

Marianne's high status as a famed beauty contrasts with Gösta's reputation, highlighting the social barriers to their love.

### Guilt and Remorse

Gösta's guilt and self-loathing after Marianne's words, feeling that being loved by him is a disgrace worse than death.

## Character check-ins

### Gösta Berling

Kisses Marianne during the tableau, feels wounded by her shame at loving him, and retreats to the card room.

### Marianne Sinclair

The famed beauty attends the ball, kisses Gösta during the tableau, and struggles with her feelings of shame and love.

### Anna Stjärnhök

Present at the ball, described as more beautiful than ever with a gentle dreaminess since the wolf hunt.

### The Young Countess

Attends the ball, sparklingly gay and eager for game and dance.

### Löwenborg

The gentle curtain-raiser who mistakenly draws the curtain, revealing Gösta and Marianne kissing.

### Beerencreutz

Drives Gösta and Marianne home after the ball, lets the horse go its own way while staring at the Pleiades.

## Key lines

> thrust aside the crowns which had hovered over her head, and spurned the millions which lay at her feet, out of love for Gösta Berling

She rejected royal proposals and vast wealth for love of Gösta Berling.

_Describes Marianne's sacrifices for Gösta._

> I could wish to see you dead, Gösta Berling! dead! dead!

Marianne expresses a wish for Gösta's death out of frustration and shame.

_Shows Marianne's conflicted emotions._

> It was a disgrace to love him; it was a disgrace to be loved by him, a shame worse than death.

Gösta feels that being loved by him brings shame worse than death.

_Highlights Gösta's self-loathing._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters/part-i-vi-the-ball-at-ekeby
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_g_sta_berling_se/chapters