In Chancery

The Forsyte Chronicles #2

by John Galsworthy

In Chancery: The Forsythe Saga by John Galsworthy.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literature, British Literature, Romance, Historical

373 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1920

About the author

Literary career of English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy, who used John Sinjohn as a pseudonym, spanned the Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian eras.

In addition to his prolific literary status, Galsworthy was also a renowned social activist. He was an outspoken advocate for the women's suffrage movement, prison reform and animal rights. Galsworthy was the president of PEN, an organization that sought to promote international cooperation through literature.

John Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1932 "for his distinguished art of narration which takes its highest form in The Forsyte Saga."

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Saturday 2nd February 1901 they took the liberty of burying Queen Victoria and as one of the characters looks at the crowds thronging the streets of London to watch the procession he says to himself

Never again would a Queen reign so long, or people have a chance to see so much history buried for their money.

Victoria reigned for 63 years so it was a pretty reasonable thought. But he spoke too soon! Elizabeth II beat Vicky by a cool seven years – 70 years on the throne for her! And she was so close to being the longest reigning monarch ever – beaten into second place by Louis XIV who lasted 72 years as king mainly because he sneakily got himself crowned King when he was four years old! I mean, anyone can have a long reign when they get to be king at four years old. It’s kind of cheating. It shouldn’t count.

What Elizabeth would have thought of all these shenanigans about The Andrew Formerly Known as Prince I shudder to imagine…

But anyway, In Chancery, yes, the second Forsyte Saga novel and more aristoporn – this after rereading Brideshead Revisited – a few too many entitled faces being stuffed with ptarmigan brains and larks tongues in aspic. I should read some poverty porn too to balance things out, something about meth dealers in Kentucky.

John Galsworthy is a very companionable author, I do love his easy style, but you have to put up with very site-specific sentences like

On entering that evening he glanced at the tape for any news about the Transvaal, and noted that Consols were down seven-sixteenths since the morning.

Well, that’s not too hard to figure, but what about this

The aristocracy had already in the main adopted the “jumping-Jesus” principle; though here and there one like Crum—who was an “honourable”—stood starkly languid for that gambler’s Nirvana which had been the summum bonum of the old “dandies” and of “the mashers” in the eighties. And round Crum were still gathered a forlorn hope of blue-bloods with a plutocratic following.

Can’t make head nor tails of that!

Well, never mind - in Book Two we are following Soames Forsyte, the sour frustrated rich-as-hell lawyer who broke up with his gorgeous wife Irene in Book One and it’s now 12 years later and this is what he is thinking :

If only Irene had given him a son, he wouldn’t now be squirming after women! The thought had jumped out of its little dark sentry-box in his inner consciousness. A son—something to look forward to, something to make the rest of life worth while, something to leave himself to, some perpetuity of self. “If I had a son,” he thought bitterly, “a proper legal son, I could make shift to go on as I used. One woman’s much the same as another, after all.”

The situation is frankly ridiculous – he hasn’t got a divorce yet! Why? Because in those days it was a Big Deal, public embarrassment, dirty laundry, and also because he has no reason to – neither he nor she have had any adulterous relationships – for 12 years (he can’t believe she hasn’t either) – but she really hasn’t – so to get divorced he would have to fabricate evidence – ugh, really?

Why should he be put to the shifts and the sordid disgraces and the lurking defeats of the Divorce Court, when there she was like an empty house only waiting to be retaken into use and possession by him who legally owned her?

Yes, this is the Soames Forsyte way of thinking. A trifle misogynistic? Alas, yes.

So that’s what this one is all about. It’s not a rocketfuelled white knuckle ride but it’s pretty nifty.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous book as the Saga continues with another generation. Here we see the conflict between cousins Soames and Jolyon, and we are being constantly asked to determine which person has the most redeeming qualities. That is difficult as we see Soames as the Man of Property who gets more love out of owning something (even his wife is property) vs. the hopeless dreamer in Jolyon who falls in loves with Soames estranged wife. As there are dilemmas galore here and I certainly understand why John Galsworthy won the Nobel Prize for this series. Very British, very well written and helps explain the Victorian era and now the turn of the life into the 20th century.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first book in the Forsyte Saga so much that I went straight on to listen to #2. Once again, I enjoyed every moment of the audiobook which is superbly narrated by one of my otherwise least favourite narrators, the late David Case. His voice is a perfect match for Galsworthy's writing. The wonderful prose, the great characters, the biting satire, the evocative depiction of middle class England at the dawn of the 20th century all combine to make this a novel an absolute treat. I think of it as a classy literary soap opera and I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

[Sergio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il racconto del secondo volume della saga, pur continuando a seguire la vita e gli umori dell'intera famiglia, accentra la sua attenzione sulle dinamiche sentimentali dei cugini Soames figlio di James e di Jolyon il giovane figlio di Jolyon senior, e sulle vicissitudini del matrimonio di Winifred, sorella di Soames, il cui marito, Dartie, con il suo atteggiamento frivolo e spendaccione, getta nella disperazione la moglie. Tra la terza generazione di Forsyte spicca l'interesse dello scrittore per Val che si innamora di Holly e la sposa trasferendosi in Africa e su Jolly, figlio di Jolyon che parte volontario per la guerra contro i Boeri. Il libro si chiude con la nascita dei figli di Soames che si è risposato con Annette dopo il naufragio del matrimonio con Irene che a sua volta ha sposato Jolyon regalandogli un maschietto, Jolyon ( detto Jon). Unico e primo nel suo genere Galsworthy regala una spaccato interessantissimo e coinvolgente della società inglese di fine '800 e dei primi anni del '900, entusiasmando con la sua prosa pacata e introspettiva, ricca di sfumature e di sentimento

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book of the Forsyte Saga. This one has a sort of autumnal feel. The children of Superior Dosset Forsyte are in their eighties and nineties, getting old and frail, and their children provide more disappointment than pride. The world is changing and the Forsyte way is becoming harder to maintain.

In this volume we follow primarily James’ family: his children Soames and Winifred, both having marital difficulties. Soames is navigating his separation from Irene, and Winifred the financial strain of her husband Dartie as well as his philandering. The title may refer to both of them, but I learned the word “chancery” can mean both a high court of England and “the position of a boxer's head when under his adversary's arm.” I could feel the boxer’s squeeze on several of these folks as I read.

I found James a fun character to follow. As he reaches the age of ninety, his family tries to protect him from any stress, and he’s constantly saying “Nobody tells me anything.” I could feel the inevitable frustration of losing control over your life, and I found his relationship with son Soames incredibly touching. That’s about all there is to like about Soames though. As Young Jolyon says, “What was there in the fellow that made it so difficult to be sorry for him?”

I enjoyed the theme of power: the Forsyte’s familial drive for possession, and how that ran parallel to the story around the Second Boer War and the relationship between the British Empire and South Africa. These needs to conquer and possess provide the tragedy in this story.

“Was there anything, indeed, more tragic in the world than a man enslaved by his own possessive instinct, who couldn’t see the sky for it, or even enter fully into what another person felt!”

I’m very anxious to continue the story and find out what happens to all the members of this fascinating family.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume two of the first part of the trilogy takes us up to 1909, out of the Victorian Era and into Edwardian England. Many changes, old generation passing on, new ones going their own way. Just as fascinating as the first book.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the Forsythe Saga is short on plot, it makes up for in character development and study. We are witness to three generations of Forsythes, this being the middle of the trilogy. It seems that Soames, the only son of James, the second son in the first generation is the pivotal character as well as who is meant by A Man of Property, the title of the first book as well as this title, In Chancery because he’s in chancery (court) quite a bit dealing with two different divorce cases—his own and his sister’s.

Not a thrilling read, but very insightful. I am not sorry to finish because I am immediately grabbing the third and last book, To Let. It will completely different when I finish that!

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The old guard are leaving as The Forsyte Saga continues. 12 years on from the close of The Man of Property and Soames Forsyte is still married to Irene, although irredeemably estranged. To avoid scandal to the family name, he has steered clear of initiating divorce proceedings but reaching his fifties and observing the withering away of his father, his thoughts turn to the kind of midlife crisis a purebred Forsyte would have: he needs a son, an heir, a perpetuating of his family line, a safe vault to whom he can leave his money.

Irene is no good, she won’t have him back, but divorce at this time is a messy, unseemly business. A simple long term estrangement is not enough, even of more than a decade, and he has allowed too much time to elapse since the Bosinney affair for that to be valid in court. But, damnit, in his mind Irene is still his property, and a Forsyte never just allows property to leave their grasp.

As with Man of Property this is a simple tale of a marriage gone wrong, but Galsworthy turns it into something larger: the giants of the old Forsytes are dying away, along with the old Queen and the society and values they had built between them. This novel is about the second generation: Soames, Young Jolyon, George and the Darties, and their children, the generation coming of age at the turn of the century, launching themselves into a new world with a new monarch.

Galsworthy is a great writer and I still love his way of giving us access to the inner monologues of all the Forsytes, but never of Irene, who is only ever seen from the surface; remaining an enigma to us, as well as the Forsytes.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not enough stars for this.

[Dafne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secondo volume della trilogia La saga dei Forsyte, In tribunale continua a raccontare gli avvenimenti e l'epopea della famiglia Forsyte, già narrati nel primo volume dal titolo Il possidente.
Il romanzo si apre con un cosiddetto interludio. Sono passati circa dieci anni dai fatti che hanno chiuso il primo volume; siamo nel mese di novembre, è autunno inoltrato, le giornate sono corte e uggiose, ma ad un certo vi sono alcuni giorni in cui il tempo ritorna mite. Sembra che sia tornata l'estate e che l'autunno si sia preso una pausa: è l'estate di san Martino. Proprio in questo periodo è ambientato l'interludio che precede il romanzo. Joylon senior ha acquistato la casa di Robin Hill da suo nipote Soames, di cui quest'ultimo aveva commissionato la costruzione per sua moglie Irene.
Un bel giorno Joylon vede seduta in giardino una donna, che si rivela essere nient'altro che Irene, tornata lì guidata dalla nostalgia per il suo amante Bossiney che aveva progettato la casa proprio per lei.
Il vecchio Joylon rimane colpito dalla bellezza e dal fascino discreto ed elegante della donna; tra i due nasce una bella amicizia che dà all'uomo l'illusione di essere tornato giovane. Questa amicizia sembra riportarlo alla vita, regalandogli uno scorcio di gioventù, ma, invece, si rivelerà solo una pia illusione e la fine della sua vita giungerà presto; prima della sua morte però, il vecchio Joylon decide di modificare il testamento destinando un lascito alla donna che ha illuminato i suoi ultimi scorci di vita.
Sono passati altri due anni dalla morte del vecchio Joylon e ormai il secolo è al tramonto, così come la generazione dei patriarchi Forsyte. La seconda generazione è chiamata a portare avanti il buon nome e il prestigio di questa famiglia. Soames, dopo dodici anni dalla fuga di Irene, sente per lei ancora un forte istinto di proprietà; il bisogno e il desiderio di un erede, lo porta a rincorrere nuovamente quell'amore ossessionante che sente ancora per la moglie. Questo suo spasmodico desiderio lo farà scontrare con il cugino Joylon il giovane, che nel frattempo è divenuto amministratore della stessa Irene. Tra Soames e Joylon il giovane, nemesi uno dell'altro, non è mai corso buon sangue e lo scontro tra i due, alla fine, arriverà fino in tribunale.

Ero impaziente di leggere questo secondo volume della trilogia; ho comunque lasciato passare del tempo dalla lettura del primo volume perché non volevo leggerli uno dietro l'altro temendo che questa saga finisse troppo presto.
In tribunale è un altro bellissimo episodio della saga dei Forsyte. Il filo conduttore dell'intera opera è l'istinto di possesso, di proprietà, interpretate in modo diverso dai vari personaggi che compongono questa numerosa famiglia. Nessuno dei suoi membri vuole rinunciare alle proprie comodità e alla propria libertà. L'affacciarsi del nuovo secolo, porta inevitabilmente dei cambiamenti sociali, che mettono in crisi le certezza che hanno reso grande e potente questa famiglia partita dal basso che ha conquistato, grazie ai suoi numerosi membri, la capitale inglese.
Nel romanzo, l'autore inglese ci mostra come l'istinto di proprietà personale che caratterizza la famiglia Forsyte riflette la brama di possesso di un'intera nazione; smania che si mostra apertamente nell'espansione coloniale britannica e nella guerra contro i Boeri in Sudafrica.
Al centro del romanzo e delle vicende famigliari narrate c'è la seconda generazione dei Forsyte che ha il compito di portare avanti il nome e il prestigio della famiglia, ma già vediamo affacciarsi all'età adulta anche la terza generazione. La nuova generazione cerca di allontanarsi dai principi della precedente ma quasi inevitabilmente ne ripercorre gli stessi schemi e strade, poiché questi istinti che caratterizzano la famiglia sono in loro dalla nascita.
L'autore inglese non eccelle sono nella descrizione della società dell'epoca ma anche nella caratterizzazione dei personaggi, descritti in maniera magistrale nei loro pregi e difetti, approfondendone il lato psicologico in maniera tale da renderli terribilmente umani.
I due personaggi che sicuramente sono principali in questo romanzo, di cui seguiamo le vicende e gli scontri, sono i due cugini Forsyte, che rappresentano anche una diversa interpretazione del senso di proprietà. Da un lato abbiamo Soames, che abbiamo già imparato a conoscere nel primo volume, e che non si è ancora rassegnato alla fine del suo matrimonio con Irene, nonostante non vivano più insieme da 12 anni. Emblema del tipico borghese inglese a cavallo tra i due secoli, Soames è il personaggio più controverso ma anche quello meglio esplorato del romanzo. Sempre posseduto dalla brama di possesso non riesce a capire ciò che va al di là di questo istinto; è un uomo patetico perché non riesce a capire la repulsione che la moglie nutre per lui, ed è anche testardo perché continua ad insistere nel cercare di rincollare i pezzi di un rapporto logoro che ormai è andato in frantumi tempo addietro.
In questi ultimi anni, dal punto di vista affettivo, la sua vita non è cambiata molto; ora però Soames più che alla ricerca di una moglie, è alla disperata ricerca di un figlio, un erede maschio che deve portare avanti il nome della famiglia. Per soddisfare questo suo desiderio cerca di riallacciare i rapporti con la moglie, per cui nonostante tutto sente ancora un amore ossessionante e soffocante; arriva perfino a pedinarla e a farla pedinare in qualsiasi luogo in cui lei si trovi. Questo suo comportamento da stalker lo porta a scontrarsi con suo cugino Joylon, tanto da arrivare in tribunale, esponendo in pubblico i propri “panni sporchi”; una cosa inaudita per il buon nome della famiglia. Soames riesce ad ottenere il divorzio, ma dentro di sé si sente sconfitto perché ha sì i soldi ma non è riuscito a riavere al suo fianco Irene, l'unica donna che abbia mai amato e che lui ha sempre considerato un oggetto di sua proprietà.
Alla fine Soames riesce a superare questa sua ossessione per Irene grazie ad Annette, una giovane ragazza francese che sposerà e che le darà il figlio tanto agognato.
La nemesi di Soames è sicuramente suo cugino Joylon il giovane, che acquista maggiore spessore rispetto al primo volume. Joylon, rimasto vedovo della sua seconda moglie, è diventato amministratore del patrimonio di Irene dopo la morte del padre, per volere di quest'ultimo. Questo ruolo lo porta a frequentare Irene con regolarità tanto che fra i due sboccia un'amicizia molto profonda. Joylon si reca addirittura a Parigi, dove la donna si è rifugiata, per proteggerla dalla ricomparsa di Soames. Quando Joylon compie questo gesto non è guidato solo da un sentimento di amicizia per Irene ma anche da un nascente sentimento che ormai non riesce più a reprimere di amore, passione e desiderio per la donna.
In questo secondo capitolo della saga familiarizziamo, inoltre, con altri personaggi minori che ruotano attorno alla vicenda centrale di Soames e Joylon.
Finalmente facciamo la conoscenza del misterioso Timothy, il più piccolo dei fratelli Forsyte, e veniamo a sapere le cause del suo prolungato isolamento e del suo stare sempre in disparte; poi conosciamo Winifred, la sorella di Soames e madre di quattro figli, tradita e abbandonata dal marito Mountage Dartie per una ballerina. Anche Winifred finirà per esporre i propri “panni sporchi” in pubblico quando decide di rivolgersi al tribunale per ottenere il divorzio creando, anche lei oltre al fratello, uno scandalo in famiglia; incontriamo inoltre una giovane ragazza francese, graziosa ma non elegante, di nome Annette, che gestisce un ristorante francese nella capitale inglese insieme alla madre e riesce a suscitare l'interesse di Soames.
L'antipatia tra i due rami della famiglia Forsyte sembra protrarsi anche alla terza generazione. Quest'antipatia si trasforma ben presto in uno scontro aperto che vede coinvolti il figlio di Joylon il giovane e il nipote di Soames e li seguirà fino in Sudafrica durante la guerra contro i Boeri.
I due ragazzi rappresentano due diversi modi di vivere: da un lato abbiamo Jolly, figlio di Joylon, che è un ragazzo sensibile ma pieno di dubbi, sempre pronto ad assaporare ogni momento della vita; dall'altro lato troviamo Val Dartie, nipote di Soames, un ragazzo un po' viziato, la cui vita è piena di bagordi e di monotonia. A cercare di mettere pace tra i due troviamo Holly, figlia di Joylon.
Una cosa che ho trovato molto interessante in questo romanzo è stata il vedere la reazione dei vari personaggi agli avvenimenti accaduti nel primo volume.

Come dicevo, Galsworthy ha una abilità descrittiva ineguagliabile e meravigliosa; il romanzo è orchestrato in maniera stupenda, grazie ad un'attenta e precisa analisi dei costumi e delle personalità, che qui troviamo più raffinata rispetto al primo volume, in quanto copre un arco di tempo più ampio.
L'autore inglese possiede inoltre una straordinaria capacità di analisi dei costumi e della società; una società, quella tra fine ottocento e inizio novecento, in piena trasformazione, contrassegnata dalle incertezze, descritta e analizzata come sempre in maniera magnifica dall'autore inglese. Ne troviamo un esempio nella descrizione del funerale della regina Vittoria, che sancisce la fine ad un'epoca, descritto con uno stile straordinario, attraverso il quale l'autore ci offre un'impietosa analisi del periodo influenzato dal suo lungo regno; oppure il magnifico ritratto della società inglese, del suo sentimento, del suo ego e del tributo – sia in termini economici sia umani – che pesa sulla nazione nella guerra contro i Boeri.
Tema centrale del romanzo è senz'altro il dissidio coniugale, il divorzio, la disparità delle donne, l'assurdità della legge inglese e dei suoi cavilli che intrappola le persone in matrimoni ormai finiti; poi l'opinione pubblica e la paura della classe media di esporre i propri fatti personali in pubblico ed essere coinvolti in uno scandalo, che è un vero e proprio dramma in una società ipocrita e perbenista come quella vittoriana.
In tribunale è un quadro dai risvolti storici, psicologici e sociologici; scritto in maniera elegante e dal ritmo coinvolgente. Un romanzo più corale rispetto al precedente, con nuovi personaggi e situazioni, anche vicende storiche, che vedranno coinvolti nuovi e vecchi Forsyte.
Dentro vi è di tutto: amori, gelosie, diffidenze, scandali, rancori, odio, invidie, tradimenti che coinvolgono questa inflessibile famiglia ancorata caparbiamente al concetto di proprietà.

Un classico troppo poco conosciuto e un autore che merita al più presto una riscoperta.

4,5*

“Perché è un Forsyte: noi non rinunciamo mai a una cosa, sapete, finché non ne vogliamo un'altra che la sostituisca; e non sempre, anche allora”.

[Dana Loo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valutazione 4,5
Un altro bellissimo episodio della saga dei Forsyte, questa volta un po' più corale, con tante situazioni e personaggi nuovi, una girandola di vicende, anche storiche (La guerra dei Boeri, la morte della Regina Vittoria descritta in maniera superlativa) che coinvolgeranno vecchi e giovani Forsyte, nel passaggio dal vetusto al nuovo secolo così significativo e inesorabile per tutti loro. Ancora rancori, gelosie, diffidenze, rivalità, scandali coinvolgeranno questa granitica famiglia così fortemente e disperatamente ancorata al concetto di proprietà rigidamente vittoriano che lotta con tro il senso della bellezza insito in molti di loro...
Un vivido e commovente interludio “L'estate di S. Martino di un Forsyte” apre il romanzo, il vecchio Joylon e Irene, il fascino discreto ed elegante della donna capace di ammaliare anche un uomo ormai al tramonto della sua vita, che lo rinvigorisce malgrado la debolezza dell'età regalandogli un nuovo scorcio di gioventù, di calore, di bellezza...
E poi Soames, personaggio molto controverso e qui esplorato ancor più profondamente, il suo disperato bisogno di un erede che lo porterà, 12 anni dopo, a rincorrere ancora quell'amore soggiogante e ossessionante che, malgrado tutto, sente ancora per Irene e scontrarsi, questa volta, con il cugino Joylon, la sua nemesi, fino alle estreme conseguenze legali. Chiaro l'intento di Galsworthy di focalizzare la sua attenzione sulla realtà della disarmonia coniugale, vedi anche la vicenda di Winifred e il marito, delle difficoltà che esistevano allora nel divorzio e nell'orrore delle famiglie della classe media superiore di vedersi coinvolti nello scandalo e alla generale, morbosa attenzione dei tanti...
E ancora la nuova generazione che tende a rompere con la tradizione, fieri rappresentanti di un nuovo secolo ai quali i vecchi Forsyte guardano con speranza, timore ma anche orgoglio. E sempre quel sottile ma tenace filo familiare che li attrae e li respinge, li porta a sfidarsi e alla fine li lega...


Scrittura di una bellezza descrittiva ineguagliabile, toni a tratti elegiaci, caratterizzazioni superbe fanno di questo romanzo, potente quadro vittoriano dai risvolti storichi, sociologici e psicologici, una lettura irrinunciabile...

[Eddie Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #2 in The Forsyte Saga

Galsworthy prefaces this novel with a 50-page interlude, ‘Indian Summer of a Forsyte’. If you are reading the series separately as I am it’s best to make sure your edition has this as it’s necessary.

Books 1&2 are not stand alone - they need to be read in sequence, with the interlude between them. As well as being important for the saga, in publishing terms the interlude was a clever marketing ploy. Book 2 was published 14 years after Book 1. The interlude came out the year before the second book, adroitly reminding the audience of the series.

I was delighted with the interlude’s lyrical, elegiac tone and markedly less pompous language. Galsworthy also opens his characters up and they feel more rounded and sympathetic.

However, the elevated style disappointingly returns for the main novel. However, Galsworthy has clearly developed as a writer and In Chancery is a much better book than Man of Property. His heavy-handed satire is dispensed with and the new sympathy for his characters is developed throughout. There are even touches of humour in this novel. The strained and gimmicky technique of the first book is discarded in favour of an exploration of the characters in ensemble, very much like Trollope or George Eliot. This may be more old-fashioned, but this suits Galsworthy’s talents more as a writer so as a whole this book is much more enjoyable to read.

There are still millions of Forsytes, so consulting the family tree at the front of the book is still necessary - and that family tree still has huge spoilers for book 2 too! Be warned.

Perhaps the main plot of this novel is a trifle predictable compared to the first, but the way Galsworthy interweaves the plot & subplots, and ties them in thematically and symbolically with contemporary events (The Boer War, Queen Victoria’s death) is brilliantly done. The pacing and development of the novel is excellent.

Nobel Prize stuff? Not for me. It’s entertaining and well-written high soap opera, with some caustic analysis of the British Empire at its height, just on the brink of decline.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forsyte Saga is a character driven set of novels set around the turn of the nineteenth century in England. In Chancery is the second in the series which continues the stories of the family members, especially Soames, Irene and Young Jolly. I found it to be as interesting as the first novel and really enhanced the overall experience. It motivates me to read the third novel soon.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

*contains spoilers*

Set against the backdrop of the Boer War and the end of the Victorian era, the Forsyte saga continues with its second instalment which is just as excellent as the first. Twelve years have passed since Irene left her husband Soames and she has taken her maiden name back and lives alone in a flat in Chelsea. However, they are not yet divorced and the strange position that Soames finds himself in - legally married but with no sense of ownership over his wife - bothers him and he opts for divorce.

In this novel (and in the interlude Indian Summer of a Forsyte), Galsworthy explores themes related to marriage, money, death, property and legacy (to name a few). He portrays the difficulties that the societal and judicial structures created for those who wished to divorce, men and women alike. He also provides an insight into the upper middle-class attitudes to something as grave as a divorce, how they dreaded the family name being stained by scandal and how this was dealt with.

In Chancery, even more than the first book in the series, deals with societal change and portrays a time of transition. The Victorian era came to an end with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and so the new, Edwardian era made its entry. This is depicted not only in the transitions that English society goes through around the Forsytes, but also much closer in their own households.

The older Forsytes are slowly leaving this world, James being the only one left, while the younger generation is growing up. The times around them are slowly changing, but the quite important Forsyteian ideals, imprinted in their very beings, prevail; but a slight change can still be perceived as the new generation assume their positions in society. Two young Forsytes, Jolly and Val, join the cavalry, paving the way for a new set of ideals, morals and rules.

Just as in the first book, Galsworthy’s writing is beautiful, delicate and he describes scenery, characters and emotion in an effortless but lyrical way. His characters are complex and well-written, the cold and slightly mysterious Irene, Soames who is the very image of what a Forsyte should strive to be, Winifred and her husband who are fighting battles of their own and all other characters intermingle in a beautiful literary symbiosis.

[Hayley (Backpacking Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed the introduction to The Forsyte Chronicles with Man Of Propertyand looked forward to continuing the story. Where book one felt more of an introduction to a complicated family tree with the drama primarily in the latter half of the novel, In Chancery was a much more even split of death, drama, tension, and dilemmas. I definitely preferred book two as Galsworthy was able to dive straight into the story, covering the transition in both era and generations. Time has passed since book one and much has changed, with the second-generation Forsytes making way for the third and fourth. Galsworthy's writing style is definitely blunt (i.e. don't get attached to any characters...) but once you get over the 'death drops' (let's just say he rarely drags it out) and slight frustration at lack of context/explanation, it is very easy to devour large sections in one sitting. A novel with as many characters as the Forsyte family boasts can often be hard to follow, with too many arcs, emotions, and events to truly do each character justice, however, Galsworthy does a great job of focusing on primary characters and using other members of the family as secondary mentions without diving too far into their daily lives. Though Soames, Irene, and Jolyon remain main characters in the second volume, secondary characters from volume one now share more of the limelight, such as Jolly and Val. This is a great way to not overwhelm the reader by trying to squeeze too many character arcs into one volume, and instead, makes the reader patiently wait to find out more in upcoming sequels.

I am by no means a regular series reader but I know I'll be reading every Forsyte book available as I can't get enough of the Forsyte drama. Though I am not particularly attached to any one character, I love the dynamics between the young and old, the exploration of social shifts, and the change in attitude as the younger generations grow up with new ideals and dreams.

Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.4
Writing style/readability - 4.4
Characters - 4.3
Diverse themes - 4.3
Ending - 4.4
Overall - 4.4

[K.M. Weiland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second novel (third installment) in the series much better than the first one. In part, this is because Galsworthy has advanced beyond some of his more indulgent narrative techniques. But mostly it is because the characters' development has deepened considerably. Also, I admit to finding their reactions *to* the events of the first book much more interesting than the first book itself.

[Dhimitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anglia është kërcënuar për luftë, me nisjen e luftës, nis dhe lufta e Forsajtëve: fundi i së cilës më pret në vëllimin e tretë.🫶🏻 Romani-2 fillon me vdekje dhe shohim sërish gjashtë Forsajtë të vjetër bashkë, për një vdekje që s’ju bën përshtypje.

Libri ndjek një brez të ri me konfliktet dhe rrugëtimin e tyre, formëzojnë historitë, përballen me sfidat, marrin vendime idilike, në dijeni të raporteve armiqësore të fisit ku janë rritur...por i urryeri Soms Forsajti edhe pas 12 vitesh vijon të gjurmëzojë dhe të marrë vëmendjen, tanimë me pretendimin se ka lënë pas të shkuarën dhe dëshiron me gjithë shpirt të krijojë një jetë të re. Ne si lexuesë, hipnotizohemi prej këtij ndryshimi drastik & ndjejmë simpati për të. Kështu Somsi njihet me Anetën, një franceze, e re, e bukur për të cilën krijon iluzione. Iluzione që shkërmoqen kur sjell në mendje Irenën. Gjendemi në ato vite ku shkurorëzimi ishte një akt i pamëshirshëm, që sillte skandal për fisin e Forsajtëve që e kishin zët, njollosje të emrit, nënqeshje, tallje. Ai do t’i kërkojë ndarjen ligjore, ama kur e shikon atë po aq rrëzëllitëse & mahnitëse, sikurse ditën e parë…Do jetë ky Forsajt aq kryeneç sa t’i kërkojë ndarjen Irenës, apo do jetë patetik sa të tentojë kthimin me të? I gjendur dhe nën presionin e Xholionit që ka një miqësi të fortë me Irenën, do arrijë Soms-i të fitojë këtë betejë ndjenjash qesharake?

Dhe motra e tij gjendet pranë shkurorëzimit.Motër e vëlla i ndan një fije e hollë që emrat e tyre të mos bëhen lajme gazetash, gjë që do shqetësonte të atin e tyre që lëngon në shtratin e vdekjes. Somsi mendon për trashëgimtarin e tij, ndaj do fëmijë & për ta patur bën marrëzira; marrëzi që unë nuk mund t’i them! (lënë një shije të hidhur)

Vijimi i rrëfimit mjeshtëror të Galsworth, tapiceria e ndërlikuar e jetës së Forsajtëvr shpalos më me thellësi urrejtjen e gdhendur që me kalimin e kohës aktivizohet si një bombë qe pret, por nuk shpërthen. SF-2 thellohet në dinamikën në zhvillim brenda këtij fisi, ku ambicia, dashuria dhe pritshmëritë shoqërore ndërthuren me nuancat delikate të kohës. 4.5 ⭐️

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, an absolute delight. The master that John Galsworthy is at crafting a story and also writing almost poetically about late Victorian society and its issues is astounding. Can’t wait to finish out the saga with the next book and see the Romeo & Juliet love story bloom!

[Ruthiella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two in the Forsyte saga. It takes place 12 years after the first book, still focusing on the doomed relationship between Soames and his estranged wife, Irene, with Young Jolyon operating even more as a counterpoint to Soames. The reader says good bye to many of the old guard of the family. Despite the irritation caused by the attitudes and mores of Soames and his father James, I did find his relationship with and care that Soames takes for his aged father quite touching. Also, the reader meets the new generation of the family who will come of age in the new 20th century.

Read for the 1920 Club hosted by the bloggers at Stuck in a Book and Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings.

[library ghost (farheen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a little weaker in comparison to the first one mostly I think because most of the Forsyte family has moved to the background in this, giving the centre stage to Soames, Irene and Jolyon. And I don't like how there's no development in Irene's character. She's treated like an enigma and we're not allowed in her thoughts. And that's reinforced by the narrative itself.

(3.75 rounded to 4)

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forsyte Saga:-

The Forsyte Saga was not planned as such but developed over years with sequels coming naturally as they did, and human heart and passion and minds within settings of high society of a Victorian and post Victorian England - chiefly London - and its solid base in property.

When it was published it was revolutionary in the theme - a woman is not owned by her husband, and love is not a duty she owes but a bond that is very real however intangible, that cannot be faked.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008.
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The Man of Property:-

The Man Of Property, with its very apt title, begins with Soames Forsyte, the man of property who not only inherited but is very good in acquisition of property and taking care of it. As such he has virtues necessary to society, honesty and prudence and more, but lacks in those that cannot be taught and must be developed by sensitivity - those dealing with heart. He has no comprehension of those, and proceeds to acquire the object of his passion, his first wife Irene, pretty much like he would any other property - with steady and unrelenting pursuit and some crafty methods that make it difficult for her to stay the course of not acquiescing. In this however he is wrong, and the marriage goes sour long before he would acknowledge it, with his total bewilderment and lack of understanding of his beautiful and sensitive, artistic, intelligent wife - he expects her to settle down and do her duty, and be happy with all that he can provide for her in ways of house and clothes and jewellery and stability, but she is made of a different mettle and is not one to see herself or any other woman as an object of male property.

She might have continued the slow death within, forced to do so by her husband reneging on his promise of letting her go free if she were not happy, had it not been for the architect Bosinney, fiance of her niece by marriage June Forsyte the daughter of Young Jolyon, first cousin of Soames. Bossinney has sensitivity to match and recognise and appreciate Irene, and more - he falls in love with her, even as he is contracted to design and construct a house for the couple far away from the city where Irene may find solitude and peace and come to terms with her lot, or so her husband Soames plans mistakenly. The house is beautiful, but the love of the architect for the woman who the house is meant for is not to be bought or killed, and tragedy begins to unravel the lives involved, Irene and June and Bosinney - and Soames.

Young Jolyon, the son of Old Jolyon who disapproves of his son's second marriage and has not till date seen his new grandchildren by the woman who used to be in employ of his first wife before they fell in love, is a presence that comes to fore slowly in this, with art - he is an artist, and Irene appreciates beauty as much as he appreciates her in all her qualities - and the relationship and a recognition mutual to both. She seeks his help in the support and strength that his daughter needs from him now, with June too proud to be friend of Irene any more after the revelation of Bosinney and Irene being in love.
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Interlude: Indian Summer of a Forsyte:-


Indian Summer here refers not to unbearably hot 45-50 degree centrigrade summer but the soft warmth of India of post rains in September - October that here the author uses as a silent metaphor for the beautiful life of Old Jolyon in his old age after he has bought the house Bosinney built for Irene, after Bosinney is dead, where he now lives with his son Jo, Young Jolyon, and his three children from his two marriages, June and Jolyon "Jolly" and Holly. Jo with his second wife is traveling in Europe when Old Jolyon discovers Irene sitting on a log in the coppice on the property where she had been with her love, Bosinney, and invites her to the home that was to be hers and is now his. This begins his tryst with beauty that is Irene, in the beauty that is Robin Hill, his home, and the surrounding countryside of which his home includes a good bit.

Jolyon employs Irene to teach music to Holly and invites her for lunches at Robin Hill, and listens to her playing music; they go to theatre, opera and dinners in town on days when she is not teaching Holly, and meanwhile he worries about her situation of barely above penury that her separation has left her in, her father's bequest to her amounting to bare subsistence. He decides to correct the injustice she is meted due to her husband not providing for her (this being the weapon to make her come back to him) and makes a bequest to her for lifetime, settling a good amount that would take care of her reasonably, and let her independence from her husband supported well.

He comes to depend on her visits, and she realises this, returning his silent affection and appreciation - and he dies when waiting for her one afternoon, in his armchair under the large old oak tree, with beauty coming to him across the lawn.
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In Chancery:-

In Chancery continues with young Jolyon and Irene and Soames, the beautiful new house designed and constructed for Irene being now put up for sale by Soames who is tenacious in his not giving up on her in spite of her leaving him. Irene connects with Jolyon, partly due to Soames bringing an action against him for alienation of his wife's affections and then far more due to their being well matched, and they are together in spite of Soames trying various tactics - threat of divorce (a far more lethal weapon in that era), refusal to give a divorce when they wish for it, and so forth. Finally the divorce goes through and two children are born, Jon to Irene and Joyon and Fleur to Soames and Annette, a French young woman he finds in an inn and marries.

The new house is in chancery as are the people in this interim period and old Jolyon has bought it partly due to James, his brother and father of Soames, telling old Jolyon he owes it to Soames and to the Forsytes, seeing as how young Jolyon is responsible for the quandary Soames is in. Old Jolyon however is as much in love with Irene as most of the clan, and when once he finds her sitting in a corner of the property he assures her of his lack of disapproval of her finding refuge in the home built for her by her lover.

Jolyon helps Irene as his father's wish, and his own, having been appointed executor to the bequest of his father for her, and in the process comes to not only protect her from the husband who wishes her to return (so she can give him a son and heir, after all they are still married twelve years after she left), but also comes to be her friend, her companion and more. He does not admit his love, but she understands it, and their days together are spent in the same beauty that she did with his father until they are thrown together far more due to the persecution of her husband who would divorce her and marry a young woman he has fixed his sights on so he can have a son after all - he is now near fifty and his father James is dying, hankering for a son for Soames. But divorce laws were then difficult and Soames is unwilling to pretend an affair, so his choice is to name Irene and Jolyon, which neither of them oppose irrespective of facts.

It is the news of death of Jolly, son of Jolyon, that throws them together finally when both younger children of Jolyon along with Val Dartie the son of Winifred have gone to Boer war and June has joined Holly as nurse, and Jolyon in his grief for his son that he thinks he did not give enough of the love in his heart for him to has only Irene to consol him with her compassion.

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Interlude: Awakening:-

Little Jolyon, Jon, awakens to the beauty that surrounds him, the beauty that is his mother, and the love personified that is his father, even as his days are spent in play about the home Robin Hill that is now his parents' in more than one sense - his grandfather bought it from her ex-husband the first cousin of Jo, Young Jolyon, the father of Jon, after the architect Bosinney who was her first love died and she fled from her husband. Jon knows nothing of the history, and his blissful life is carried on the wings of imagination where he plays out every possible scenario from every book he reads, so his half sister Holly returning with her husband and second cousin Val from South Africa (where they married during Boer war and stayed to raise horses) finds him painted blue head to toe, playing by himself in the garden.

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To Let:-

To Let goes on with lives of the various families, and chiefly of young Jolyon and his now wife Irene and their home at Robin Hill, with his other children and their various cousins and uncles being part of the story. Soame's nephew Val Dartie falls in love with young Jolyon's daughter by his second marriage, Holly, and the two second cousins manage to marry and be happy in spite of an initial lack of acceptance by the clan due to their being not only second cousins but also related to parties feuding majorly about Irene's divorce of one and marriage to other cousin.

This has the unfortunate consequence of encouraging the other pair of second cousins, Jon and Fleur, in thinking they may make it a success as his sister and her first cousin did. This time however things are very different, and Jon's parents are as unlikely to approve of this match as Soames initially is. Soames gives in due to his heart being completely ruled by his daughter, and goes so far as to plead with Irene for his daughter's happiness, offering to never interact in their lives for sake of overall peace. But Irene cannot risk it, and Jon is sensitive to her and his father's point of view when he comes to know of their history.

He would be in a quandary but for the similarity of Fleur with her father in claiming him as her father had claimed his mother, and this repels him. Fleur's lack of comprehension in her loss is matched by her father's when he lost a wife he had a very slim chance to have a life with. And the beautiful home of Irene is now to let even as they leave to go as far away as they can from this place and this history.
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One of the major beautiful things about Forsyte Chronicles - all three trilogies, but the first and third in particular - is the love of the author for beauty of England in general and countryside, nature in particular. Very lyrical. The other, more subtle, is the depiction of society in general, upper middle class of English society in particular and the times they lived in in the background, empire on distant horizon until the third trilogy where it is still in background but a bit less distant.

The society changes from the first to the third trilogy but not radically, and in this the author is successful in portrayal of how things might seem radically different superficially but are closer to where progress began, and progress being slow in steps that various people pay heftily during their lives for.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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Sunday, September 19, 2013.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013.
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013.
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[Sarah (Ceekayy) Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Terris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished "In Chancery" and liked it. Now, I’m ready to start "To Let"! The Forsytes are certainly an interesting family!

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deși am crezut că din volumul doi al acestei saga, in prim plan vor aparea alte personaje, mai ales ca ar fi avut de unde, am constat, initial cu dezamagire, ca la 5 ani de la cele intamplate in prima parte, il regasim pe batranul Jolyon mutat in ultima casa pe care avea sa o realizeze arhitectul Bosinney, cu fiul si nepotii. Acest Jolyon, poate cel mai echilibrat, rational si cumpatat membru al familiei, aflat la raspantia vietii, cu o dorinta arzatoare de a-si darui "pentru o singura zi de tinerete, tot ce-i mai ramasese de trait", ia o decizie controversata (cum are obiceiul), care urmeaza sa inaspreasca si mai mult legaturile dintre cei doi veri: Soames si Jolyon cel tanar, mai ales cand marul discordiei este tot frumoasa Irene.

Iata, ca dupa 12 ani de separare, inca "incatusati de lege", Soames, "omul care nu va putea uita niciodata nimic si care niciodata nu se va putea trada", care se ghideaza dupa principiul unui proprietar veritabil: "Un Forsyte nu trebuie sa iubeasca mai mult frumusetea decat ratiunea si nici placerea mai mult decat sanatatea.", realizeaza ca isi doreste un mostenitor si "un suflet de om cu care să stea de vorbă! Orice om are dreptul să aibă pe cineva!" si se decide sa divorteze de Irene.

Temporal, actiunea prezentata in acest volum reda sfarsitul unui veac, incheiat cu moartea Reginei "Mame" Victoria, in 1901, si accentueaza modificarile survenite, in urma razboiului cel mare, asupra societatii, dar si asupra neamului Forsyte, care se autoproclama "coloana vertebrala" a acelei tari.

In prefata cartii sale, John Galsworthy atentioneaza cititorul sa nu cada in capcana de a-l compatimi pe Soames pentru ghinionul pe care-l are in dragoste, dar recunosc ca mi s-a parut extrem de trist destinul lui, iar alegerile conjugale il dezumanizeaza pe zi ce trece, din nevoia de a ramane puternic si admirat de catre ceilalti.

"Nu îngădui acestor hidoase păsări de noapte să hoinărească în sufletul tău!"

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, Jag älskar det här. För mig är det väl värt sitt Nobelpris. Hans fenomenala förmåga att skapa en myllrande släkt, där alla karaktärer är utmejslade som som levande människor vi kan relatera till, alla med sina egenheter, och minst lika mycket svagheter som styrkor. Allt tilldrar sig på en mycket berörande individnivå, där vi inte behöver vara insatta i politik och samhällshistoria, trots att de faktiskt även förkroppsligar just de allmänna strömningarna i stort. Jag kan sympatiserar även med Soames, trots alla hans brister, och oförmåga att förstå sig på sin hustru. Soames som aldrig får det han 'vill' ha. Men som till slut kanske får precis det som han mest 'behöver' få. Trots att han först inte förstår det.

Andra delen om släkten Forsyte, centreras kring kusinerna Soames and Jolyon, och deras familjeproblem. De är båda äldste son till de två äldsta bröderna Forsyte och deras framgångssaga, under den Viktorianska eran, med alla sina hämningar som trycker ner allt oönskat. Anständighet och försiktighet, baserat på förräntat kapital och ägande, inklusive människor. Vare sig det här hustrur eller undersåtar i kolonierna. Trots att 'Forsyte' betraktas som mer än en enad släkt, och mer som en samhällsföreteelse, en enad front, finns inom den ett prisma av olika karaktärer, inte bara genom de ingifta karaktärerna. Även kusinerna Soames och Jolyon, har diamentralt motsatta sätt att se på livet och lösa sina problem. Idealism står mot Materialism. Motsatser som leder till motsättning, frågan är om de kan lära sig något av varandra?

Boken pågår 1899-1902, parallellt med Andra Boerkriget i Sydafrika, som även leder till ohämmade känsloyttringar på gatorna. 1901 dog drottning Victoria, efter två generationer av trygghet, väcks oron, en känsla av instabilitet. Skilsmässa hör till det mest oanständiga. Men nedtystad olycka kan inte pågå hur länge som helst. Ju yngre generation, desto större längtan efter en friare livsstil.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soames, the "man of property" wants a son. But it's been 12 years since his wife, Irene, left him - and since he didn't pursue divorce proceedings immediately when she did, and she has remained alone, getting a divorce now is not a simple matter. And, when he meets her again, he still finds her bewitching. More to the point (in Soames's mind), she is still his property, and she has done him a grave wrong. (Never mind that he raped her in Volume 1 - he doesn't see it that way).

Things aren't going smoothly for his sister Winifred either. Husband Montie has hocked her pearls and fled to Argentina with a dancer. So Winifred too must look to the divorce courts for protection.

Meanwhile, despised cousin Jolyon is living in the house at Robin Hill that Soames commissioned and that led to Irene's flight. Worse yet, in a fit of apparent senility, before his death, Jolyon's father, Old Jolyon, added Irene as a beneficiary to his will. So that young Jolyon is acting as trustee, giving him a reason to see Irene on a regular basis.

Poor Soames. This cannot end well.

[Tilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s wild the extend to which Soames can’t understand that Irene hates him and would never, ever return. Presumably to underline the point that he collects property, and that’s how he views her. But then he doesn’t seem to “connect” with many people, bar his father, so it runs quite deep in many ways for him. Other takeaways are I’m quite taken with the name Jolyon and that having about 10 children just to see how it all pans out down the generations sounds fun.

The one miss is the tedious end 20 pages from child Jon’s point of view. I don’t know why we are subjected to it. And I also don’t think children think or process like tiny adults. If I were the editor I would have cut.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second volume of the saga. Slow paced but fascinating. The main story -- there are several that intertwine -- concentrates on Soames, the arch-Forsyte of the second generation in hot pursuit of a woman (property to marry) to provide a male heir. like the previous volume: captivating and looking forward to the next volume.

See also my review of the first volume.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The middle novel of The Forsyte Saga. Read as part of the omnibus of "The Forsyte Saga - Complete".

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This second part was published by Galsworthy in 1920, after the FWW, although the events it tells take place in the last years of the 19th century and the first of the 20th, during the Boer war, starting fourteen years after the end of the first part.

In general, I liked this second volume of the series somewhat less than the first. Some of the characters are as immoral as in the first part, interested only in their property.

There are two divorces In the novel: those of the siblings Winifred and Soames. The first is not consummated, because Winifred cannot give up what belongs to her. The second is carried out, because Soames finds it impossible to recover what belongs to him, although Irene and Jolyon must lie and declare that they are lovers for it to come through.

ESPAÑOL: Esta segunda parte la publicó Galsworthy en 1920, después de la primera guerra mundial, aunque los hechos que cuenta tienen lugar en los últimos años del siglo XIX y los primeros del XX, durante la guerra de los Boers, quince años después del final de la primera parte.

En general, este segundo volumen de la serie me ha gustado algo menos que el primero. Varios de los personajes son tan inmorales como en la primera parte. Lo único que les interesa es lo que les pertenece.

En la obra se plantean dos divorcios: los de los hermanos Winifred y Soames. El primero no se consuma, porque Winifred no puede renunciar a lo que le pertenece. El segundo sí, porque Soames no consigue recuperar lo que le pertenece, aunque Irene y Jolyon tienen que mentir, declarando que son amantes, para que se lleve a cabo.