The Forsyte Saga · Chapter
And Visits the Past explained
Soames Forsyte, after twelve years of separation, visits Irene at her flat to discuss a divorce.
What happens
Soames Forsyte, after twelve years of separation, visits Irene at her flat to discuss a divorce. The encounter is tense and emotionally charged, revealing Irene's unchanged beauty and newfound independence, while Soames grapples with lingering attraction and bitterness. He leaves feeling defeated and confused, unable to secure the information he sought.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Fleur’s decision to “take the bit between her teeth” and pursue a secret marriage with Jon despite knowing the…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Possessiveness and the Sense of Property
Soames's sense of ownership over Irene persists, as seen in his thoughts about her beauty and his legal rights as her husband.
- Gender and Power
Irene's newfound independence and defiance challenge Soames's patriarchal authority, highlighting shifts in gender dynamics.
- Aging and Mortality
Soames reflects on the passage of twelve years and Irene's unchanged beauty, while grappling with his own emotional stagnation.
Characters to notice
- Soames Forsyte
Visits Irene after twelve years, seeking information for a divorce; struggles with lingering attraction and bitterness.
- Irene Forsyte
Now living as 'Mrs. Irene Heron'; remains composed and independent, asserting she has had no other relationships.
- Young Jolyon Forsyte
Mentioned as Irene's trustee and the one who conveyed Soames's intentions to her.
- Old Jolyon Forsyte
Mentioned bitterly by Soames as the source of Irene's independent income.
- Philip Bosinney
Recalled by Soames as the man with whom Irene had an affair, now dead.
Key passages
“He had never had a love of music, had secretly borne it a grudge in the old days when so often she had turned to her piano, making of it a refuge place into which she knew he could not enter.”
Soames resented Irene's piano playing because it was a retreat where he could not follow.
Highlights the emotional distance in their marriage.
“She had developed power, this woman—this—wife of his! He felt it issuing from her as she sat there, in a sort of armour.”
Soames perceives Irene's newfound strength and independence as a form of armor.
Shows Irene's transformation from passive resistance to active power.
“She's made of ice—she was always made of ice! But even as that thought darted through him, his senses were assailed by the perfume of her dress and body, as though the warmth within her, which had never been for him, were struggling to show its presence.”
Soames thinks Irene is cold, yet her scent suggests a hidden warmth he never experienced.
Illustrates Soames's conflicted feelings of attraction and resentment.
