Washington Square · Chapter
XXIX explained
Morris Townsend, trapped in his engagement to Catherine Sloper, grows increasingly desperate to escape.
What happens
Morris Townsend, trapped in his engagement to Catherine Sloper, grows increasingly desperate to escape. He attempts to provoke a quarrel and invents a business trip to New Orleans as a pretext for separation, but Catherine's trust and persistence foil his plans. Mrs. Penniman, having instigated the affair, hesitates to help him break it off.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Self-Interest
Morris feigns illness and invents a business trip to manipulate Catherine, while Mrs. Penniman's self-interest leads her to hesitate in aiding his escape.
Innocence and Experience
Catherine's naive trust contrasts with Morris's worldly calculation; her growing alarm marks a loss of innocence.
Wealth and Class
Morris's discomfort with being seen as marrying for money drives his attempts to break the engagement, and Catherine's wealth is a central tension.
Characters to notice
- Morris Townsend
Struggles to end the engagement, tries to provoke a quarrel, and invents a business trip to New Orleans.
- Catherine Sloper
Remains trusting and devoted, but grows alarmed by Morris's behavior; insists on seeing him and refuses to accept separation.
- Lavinia Penniman
Hesitates to help Morris break the engagement, feeling the weight of her responsibility.
Key passages
“It was devilish awkward, as he said, and he felt a lively animosity for Catherine's aunt, who, as he had now quite formed the habit of saying to himself, had dragged him into the mess and was bound in common charity to get him out of it.”
Morris found the situation extremely uncomfortable and resented Mrs. Penniman for involving him, believing she owed it to him to help him escape.
Morris's frustration and blame-shifting toward Mrs. Penniman.
“Catherine would have made a wife of the gentle old-fashioned pattern—regarding reasons as favours and windfalls, but no more expecting one every day than she would have expected a bouquet of camellias.”
Catherine was the type of old-fashioned wife who saw explanations as gifts, not daily expectations.
Narrator's characterization of Catherine's passive, trusting nature.
“I don't want to owe you everything!”
Morris claims he doesn't want to be financially dependent on Catherine.
Morris uses pride as a pretext to create distance.
“You are not discreet. You mustn't bully me!”
Morris accuses Catherine of being pushy and trying to control him.
Morris attempts to provoke a quarrel by reversing blame.
“I will write to you—that is better.”
Morris suggests communicating by letter instead of in person.
Morris's cowardly attempt to avoid a direct confrontation.