Chapter Forty-three: Hatred and Promises

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Ellwood, convalescing in England, becomes consumed by hatred for his country. He despises the complacent civilians, the provincial art, and the fact that his friends died for a nation he views as smug and small-minded. To escape, he arranges to be sent back to France as a bayonet instructor. He removes his bandages, determined to face the world with his scarred face, hoping his disfigurement will make people stare and let him hate them more. At home, his mother kisses him without hesitation, but Gaunt avoids looking at him, which momentarily deflates Ellwood's anger. On the train to London, Gaunt senses Ellwood's panic and begins lecturing about Pericles' theories on maritime empires, a subject so dull it distracts Ellwood from his anxiety. Passengers stare at Ellwood; he glares back. Gaunt privately admires Ellwood's scar, seeing it as beautiful because it saved his life. At the station, Ellwood is to catch the train to Dover. Gaunt shakes his hand and slips him a scrap of paper with Keats. Gaunt confesses he is not just passing the time. Ellwood asks Gaunt to promise to come to Brazil with him after the war. Gaunt, though longing for the English countryside with Ellwood, agrees.

Key Events

Ellwood, in a rage against England, arranges to be sent back to France for bayonet training.
He removes his bandages, exposing his disfigurement, to provoke reactions and feed his hatred.
At home, his mother accepts his face immediately, while Gaunt avoids looking, breaking Ellwood's anger.
On the train, Gaunt distracts Ellwood from a panic attack by monologuing about Pericles.
Gaunt internally reflects that Ellwood's scar is beautiful to him because it symbolizes his survival.
At the station, Gaunt gives Ellwood a slip of paper with Keats.
Gaunt admits his feelings are serious, not just casual.
Ellwood demands Gaunt promise to go to Brazil after the war; Gaunt reluctantly agrees.

Character Development

Ellwood: This chapter reveals a deep bitterness in Ellwood. His hatred of England is not just political but personal—he feels the country is not worth the sacrifices of his friends. His decision to show his face without bandages is a defiant act, weaponizing his injury to isolate himself further. Yet his anger is fragile: Gaunt's avoidance and his mother's unconditional acceptance disorient him. His request for Brazil shows a desperate need for a future away from England, and he clings to Gaunt as the only person who might share that escape.

Gaunt: Gaunt demonstrates his profound care for Ellwood through small actions: distracting him with Pericles, slipping him poetry, and finally confessing that his feelings are serious. His internal monologue reveals that he sees Ellwood's scar as beautiful because it kept him alive—a radical acceptance that contrasts with society's horror. Gaunt's promise to go to Brazil is a sacrifice of his own desires for the English countryside, showing his commitment to Ellwood's well-being over his own.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Disfigurement and Identity: Ellwood uses his scar as a tool to reinforce his alienation. Gaunt's view of the scar as beautiful subverts societal norms and underscores his love.
England vs. Escape: Ellwood's hatred of England drives him to seek France and later Brazil. England represents death and small-mindedness; Brazil becomes a symbol of freedom and renewal.
Pericles and Empire: Gaunt's lecture on Pericles serves as a distraction but also parallels the war's futility: empires accrue enemies and become difficult to dismantle—a commentary on the British Empire's role in the war.
Promise as Bond: The promise to go to Brazil becomes a lifeline, a commitment that transcends the war and the threat of legality (homosexuality being illegal).

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter shifts the emotional landscape from the trenches to the home front and Ellwood's internal war. It clarifies Ellwood's motivation to return to France not out of duty but out of spite and despair. The exchange on the train and at the station solidifies the bond between Ellwood and Gaunt, moving from unspoken tension to a concrete promise for the future. The chapter also deepens Gaunt's character, showing his willingness to sacrifice his love for England for Ellwood's sake.

Study Questions and Answers

Question 1: Why does Ellwood decide to remove his bandages and show his scarred face?

Answer: Ellwood wants to make himself hate England more by provoking stares and horror from civilians. He believes that his disfigurement will ensure he never receives a white feather again, as the war is now permanently written on his face. Removing the bandages is an act of defiance and a way to harden his heart before leaving England, possibly forever.

Question 2: How does Gaunt help Ellwood during the train journey, and what does this reveal about their relationship?

Answer: Gaunt notices Ellwood's panic and begins a deliberate, boring lecture on Pericles' theories of maritime empires to distract him. This shows Gaunt's deep understanding of Ellwood's anxiety and his willingness to use any means to comfort him, even if it means appearing tedious. It reveals a caring, protective aspect of their relationship, where Gaunt silently supports Ellwood.

Question 3: Why does Gaunt agree to promise to go to Brazil, and what conflict does this create for him?

Answer: Gaunt agrees because he loves Ellwood and wants to give him hope for a future. However, Gaunt's true desire is to spend his life in the English countryside with Ellwood, surrounded by the beauty he fought for. The promise to go to Brazil forces Gaunt to set aside his own vision of happiness to accommodate Ellwood's need to escape England.