The world of 19th-century London, where Splendors and Glooms takes place, is one in which people truly care about society and class. Clara Wintermute comes from an upper class family, so everyone is a bit scandalized when she wants to have Grisini—a poor foreigner (gasp)—perform at her birthday party. They are even more shocked when she decides she wants to take tea with Lizzie Rose and Parsefall because they seem like they'd be good friends, even though they're street urchins. And, when Lizzie Rose and Parsefall arrive at Strachan's Ghyll, all of the servants grumble about it because they think the children are too lowly to be waited upon or to be the heirs to Madama's fortune.
What can we say? Snobs are everywhere in this book.
Questions About Society and Class
- Why are the maids so hesitant to let Clara take tea with Lizzie Rose and Parsefall? Think about the kids but also consider the maids.
- What is it about Lizzie Rose's speech and manner that always surprises people? Why are they surprised? Should they be?
- Do Lizzie Rose and Parsefall overcome their circumstances and rise into the upper class by the end of the book? How do they do it?
Chew on This
Ultimately, this book shows that social class is something superficial that can be overcome.
Ultimately, this book shows that people are at the whim of their social class.