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Chapter 81: Mayfair, 1939 - 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

The chapter is presented as a fictional society column from the magazine Mayfair, dated June 1939 and credited to reporter Cynthia Fervis. It covers a garden party at Government House in Ottawa, hosted by the Governor General and Lady Tweedsmuir to celebrate the birthday of King George VI. The event is attended by five thousand guests, including Their Majesties.

At half-past four, the King and Queen emerge from Government House. The King wears morning dress; the Queen chooses a beige ensemble with fur and pearls and a large hat, her demeanor described as charming. Behind them walk the Governor General and Lady Tweedsmuir, both praised for their grace. Several guests are then presented to the royal couple, among them Colonel and Mrs. F. Phelan, Brigadier General and Mrs. W. H. L. Elkins and their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone Murray, and notably Mr. and Mrs. Richard Griffen. The column describes the clothing of each, emphasizing luxurious fabrics and fashionable accessories.

The crowd remains reverently quiet until the King and Queen depart. Only after the national anthem, "God Save the King," and the final wave are the guests allowed to acknowledge the birthday cakes—elaborate white confections. The cake served to the King is decorated with roses, shamrocks, thistles, and sugar doves carrying white pennants, which the column calls "fitting symbols of peace and hope."

Key Events

  • Four o’clock birthday party for King George VI at Government House, Ottawa.
  • Royal couple emerges; the Queen’s attire and manner are noted fondly.
  • Governor General and Lady Tweedsmuir host the event.
  • Several prominent guests are presented, including Mr. and Mrs. Richard Griffen.
  • The crowd remains silent until the royals depart and the anthem is sung.
  • The King’s birthday cake is revealed, adorned with doves and pennants.

Character Development

  • Richard Griffen and his wife are singled out in the column. Their inclusion among the presented guests indicates they hold a high social standing within Ottawa’s elite, foreshadowing their later influence in the novel’s main plot.
  • Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir are depicted as gracious and poised, reinforcing the idealized image of colonial authority.
  • Queen Elizabeth is portrayed as warm and charming, reflecting the public’s admiration of the monarchy on the eve of World War II.
  • Cynthia Fervis, the fictional columnist, is never developed beyond this single piece, but her voice captures the flattering, image-conscious tone of society journalism of the era.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Social Performance and Display: The column dwells on clothing, appearance, and demeanor, highlighting the performative nature of high society events. Every guest’s outfit is described in detail, reinforcing status through visual markers.
  • Class and Privilege: The guest list and the naming of select individuals underscore the exclusivity of the event. The chapter presents a world of inherited wealth and political power.
  • The Sugar Doves as Symbols of Peace: The decorative doves on the King’s cake carry white pennants. In June 1939, with war clouds gathering in Europe, these doves represent a fragile, even naive, hope for peace—an ironic contrast to the historical reality that followed.
  • The Authority of Media: The chapter itself is a newspaper clipping, demonstrating how media shapes public perception of royalty and social hierarchy.

Why This Chapter Matters

Within the larger novel, “Mayfair, 1939” serves as a period artifact that grounds the narrative in a specific historical moment—the last summer of peace before the Second World War. It also establishes the social world of characters like Richard Griffen, whose presence at such an event adds weight to their later actions. The chapter’s light, celebratory tone contrasts sharply with other, darker chapters, illustrating Atwood’s technique of juxtaposing public glamour with private turmoil. Finally, it showcases Atwood’s skill at mimicking journalistic style, adding verisimilitude to the multi-layered structure of the book.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. What does the description of the Queen’s attire and manner suggest about public perception of royalty in 1939?
    Answer: The column presents the Queen as beautifully dressed, warm, and charming, reflecting a reverent, almost idealized view of the monarchy. The emphasis on her “entrancing manner” shows that public adoration was tied to both appearance and personality.

  2. Why might the sugar doves on the King’s cake be considered “fitting symbols of peace and hope”?
    Answer: The chapter is set in June 1939, just months before the outbreak of World War II. The doves with white pennants evoke traditional peace symbolism. In this context, they represent a desperate, still-public hope that peace could be maintained, even as political tensions escalated.

  3. How does the inclusion of specific names like Mr. and Mrs. Richard Griffen contribute to the novel’s broader narrative?
    Answer: By placing the Griffens among the most honored guests at a royal event, the chapter establishes their high social status and wealth. This detail becomes significant later when the reader learns more about their family history, scandals, and the consequences of their public image.

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