4. Summary: The man of property
Soames Forsyte, a typical man of property, thought that with
money and he could buy anything, even beauty and love of his wife Irene,
a beautiful girl. He invited Philip Bosinney, a talented architect and artist,
to build a house on Robin Hill near London for his wife. With this
together with a lot of money spent on clothes and jewels for his wife he
hoped to win her love. However, being a man of property, Soames
considered Irene his property. The fact that Irene had no property of her
own was enough to make it her duty to love and obey her husband, as
Soames was rich and had a position in society.
5. 1. The summary of chapter V
The first part of the chapter is the description of
Soames’s luxurious but cheerless house. “It owned a copper
door knocker of individual design, windows which had been
altered to open outwards, hanging flower boxes filled with
fuchsias, and at the back (a great feature) a little court tiled
with jade-green tiles, and surrounded by pink hydrangeas in
peacock-blue tubs”
6. 1. The summary of chapter V
The rest focuses on the dinner of Soames and his wife. “The happy
pair were seated, not opposite each other, but rectangularly, at the
handsome rosewood table; they dined without a cloth—a
distinguishing elegance—and so far had not spoken a word”
He finds it difficult to break the news about a new house built for
his wife as she keeps silent and does not care about him. During the
dinner they have such poor conversation that Soames feels nervous
and uncomfortable.
7. 2. Questions and suggestion
1. How is Galsworthy’s ironic attitude to the family relationship of the Forsytes
expressed?
Galsworthy’s ironic attitude to the family relationship of the Forsytes is
expressed through the way which he uses to describe the house of soames
Forsyte.
The couple doesn't talk often, him do not understand the thoughts and desires of
his wife, they ate their dinner in silence.
Between them there is no love and happiness.
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8. 2. Questions and suggestion
2. Comment on the description of the house of Soames Forsyte, its inner
decoration and furniture. What aspects of Soames’ character are revealed
by it?
● The description of the house of soames Forsyte its inner decoration and furniture is
very well. The author decribed detailedly the house as well as its inner decoration.
● It provides that soames is a person who always wants to show off his wealth.
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9. 2. Questions and suggestion
3. How does Galsworthy disclose the feelings of Soames?
Soames's extremely tense expression at dinner
He is extremely angry when his wife leaves for dinner.
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10. 2. Questions and suggestion
4. Find out the sentences containing the author’s generalization of the Forsyte
character.
Skin like immaculateness had grown over soames as over many Londoness:
impossible to conceive of him with a hair out…
But he was so conscious of how vital to himself was the necessity for being a
successful even a “strong” husband ...
This competitive daintiness had caused soames in his Morlborough day to be the first
boy into white waistcoats in summer and cordusoy waistcoasts in winter, had
prevented…to hear him recite Moliere.
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11. 2. Questions and suggestion
5. Prove that Soames’ feeling for his wife is that of a man of property.
All the things he had collected, his silver, his pictures, his houses, his
investments, he got a secret and intimate feeling; out of her he got none.
Soames liked her to dine in a low dress, it gave him an inexpressible
feeling of superiority to the majority of his acquaintance, whose wives
were contented with their best high frocks or with tea- gowns, when they
dined at home.
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12. 2. Questions and suggestion
6. How can we judge Soames through the attitude he adopts towards his
wife? Also through her attitude to him?
Out of his other property, out of all the things he had collected, his silver,
his pictures, his houses, he got a secret and intimate feeling.
Irene was ever silent, passive. Irene’s eyes made him feel uncomfortable.
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13. 2. Questions and suggestion
7. Why does Galsworthy repeatedly stress the silence of the husband and
wife?
Irene and Soames did not usually share things with each other like
normal husbands and wives.
This silence makes readers feel that the couple is unhappy.
Happiness can’t exist without true loves.
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14. 2. Questions and suggestion
8. Analyze the short dialogue between the husband and wife.
What are their clearest features?
“Anybody been here this afternoon?” ……
… “Have my wishes anything to do with it?”
They did not feel comfortable or interested in each other.
She did not care anything about him
There didn’t exist true love between them.
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15. 2. Questions and suggestion
9. Characterize Soames’ manner of speaking
“Soames likes to tallk during dinner about business, or what he had
been buying, and so long as he talked Irene’s silence did not distress him.”
Soames is a person who always like showing off about his wealth and his
property.
He doesn’t care what irene is thinking and whether she wants to listen or
not
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