May Fair, 1936 – Chapter 49 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ 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
Chapter 49 presents a society gossip column dated Mayfair, February 1936, titled “Toronto High Noon Gossip by York.” It describes the third charity costume ball of the season, held at the Royal York Hotel in mid-January and benefiting the Downtown Foundlings’ Crèche. The theme is “Xanadu,” inspired by the previous year’s “Tamurlane in Samarkand” ball and orchestrated by Mr. Wallace Wynant. The ballrooms are transformed into a “stately pleasure dome” with a purple-lit fountain, crystal decorations, and garden bowers. Guests include “Kubla Khan” and an array of exotic characters: harems, dancing girls, merchants, courtesans, fakirs, soldiers, and beggars. Three jazz orchestras provide music. The convenience is Mrs. Winifred Griffen Prior, dressed as a Princess from Rajistan. The reception committee includes Mrs. Richard Chase Griffen (Abyssinian maid), Mrs. Oliver MacDonnell (Chinese red), and Mrs. Hugh N. Hillert (Sultaness). The column notes that no “ancestral voices prophesying war” are heard, emphasizing the evening’s harmonious revelry.
Key Events
- The Royal York Hotel hosts the season’s third charity costume ball, benefiting the Downtown Foundlings’ Crèche.
- The ball adopts a “Xanadu” theme, overseen by designer Mr. Wallace Wynant.
- Three ballrooms are lavishly decorated: a central “Cave of Ice” with a purple-dyed fountain, and two garden bowers.
- Guests dress as exotic Eastern figures, including Kubla Khan, harem members, merchants, and courtiers.
- Three jazz orchestras play in separate ballrooms throughout the night.
- Mrs. Winifred Griffen Prior convenes the ball, appearing in scarlet and gold as a Rajistani princess.
- The reception committee features prominent society women in themed costumes.
Character Development
- Mrs. Winifred Griffen Prior: Depicted as the powerful convenor of the ball, she exerts firm control over the event. Her costume as a Rajistani princess underscores her commanding social presence and wealth. This chapter offers a public glimpse into her role as an organizer and tastemaker in Toronto high society.
- Mrs. Richard Chase Griffen: Appears as an “Abyssinian maid” in green and silver, indicating her participation in the Griffen family’s social network. Her costume choice, exotic and subordinate, may reflect the era’s racial stereotyping in fancy dress.
- Mrs. Oliver MacDonnell: Dressed in Chinese red, she is part of the reception committee. The brief mention suggests her prominence, but no further characterization is provided.
- Mrs. Hugh N. Hillert: Portrayed as an “imposing” Sultaness in magenta, her appearance hints at a commanding personality within the committee.
- Mr. Wallace Wynant: Not directly present at the ball, but his skill in transforming the ballrooms is praised. He represents the behind-the-scenes creative force.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Spectacle and Performance: The entire chapter is a chronicle of theatrical excess. The “Xanadu” theme, with its artificial river, crystal caves, and exotic costumes, transforms the ball into a living tableau. Society uses such events to display wealth, taste, and status through elaborate role-playing.
- Class and Charity: The ball is a charity function for the Downtown Foundlings’ Crèche, yet the focus is entirely on the luxury and opulence of the attendees. The ostentatious display contrasts with the intended charitable purpose, highlighting the social gap between the elite and the foundlings they assist.
- Escapism and Historical Context: Set in February 1936, the column deliberately notes the absence of “ancestral voices prophesying war.” This allusion to Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan” reminds readers of the growing political tensions that the ball’s revelry seeks to ignore. The glamorous fantasy serves as a temporary escape from economic depression and the approach of World War II.
- Exoticism and Orientalism: Every costume and decoration draws on a Western fantasy of the “Orient,” reducing diverse cultures to stereotypes (harems, fakirs, sultans). This reflects the era’s colonial attitudes and the appropriation of Eastern imagery for entertainment.
- Social Networks and Power: The naming of the convenience and committee members reveals the tight-knit nature of Toronto’s elite. Winifred Griffen Prior’s central role cements her family’s social leadership. The column itself, as gossip, functions as a tool to reinforce and broadcast this hierarchy.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 49 offers a rare sustained look at the public face of the Griffen-Prior social circle in the mid-1930s. Unlike chapters focused on private relationships or internal family conflicts, this gossip-column excerpt presents an idealized, curated image of high society at play. It establishes the extravagant backdrop against which the novel’s personal dramas unfold, especially the roles of Winifred and the broader Griffen family. The chapter also foreshadows the looming war through its pointed denial of “prophesying war,” reminding readers that this glittering world is fragile and soon to be disrupted. For students, it provides primary-text-level evidence of Atwood’s use of historical documents within fiction, blending journalism with storytelling to deepen social critique.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the “Xanadu” theme reflect the social values and anxieties of the 1930s elite? The Xanadu theme allows the elite to perform an idealized, exotic fantasy of power and pleasure, mirroring the hedonistic “stately pleasure dome” of Coleridge’s poem. This escapism suggests a desire to retreat from contemporary troubles—the Great Depression and rising militarism—by immersing themselves in ahistorical luxury. At the same time, the column’s pointed remark that no “ancestral voices prophesying war” are heard implicitly acknowledges the anxiety beneath the surface; the revelry is literally an attempt to drown out dark political realities.
2. What does the role of Mrs. Winifred Griffen Prior in this chapter reveal about her character in the larger narrative? Winifred is presented as a capable, authoritative figure who “firmly guides” the event. Her costume as a Rajistani princess—a ruler in her own right—emphasizes her dominant position in Toronto society. This public image of control and opulence may contrast with private struggles or ruthless behavior shown in other chapters. Here, she embodies the social power that the Griffen family wields, which is central to understanding the novel’s dynamics of influence, reputation, and manipulation.
3. Why does the gossip columnist mention the absence of “ancestral voices prophesying war,” and what effect does this literary reference have? The line is a direct allusion to Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan,” which describes a “stately pleasure dome” where ancestral voices prophesy war. By asserting that no such voices are heard, the columnist ironically highlights their presence. The effect is to remind readers that war is indeed on the horizon (1936 is mere years before WWII), and that the ball’s merriment is a deliberate, fragile denial. It adds a layer of dramatic irony, as the reader knows the prophesied war will soon shatter this idyllic scene.