A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield (Summary & Analysis)

 

A Cup of Tea

by Katherine Mansfield

(Summary & Analysis) 

 

Katherine Mansfield is one of the most famous writers of New Zealand. He was closely associated with D.H. Lawrence and something of a rival of Virginia Woolf. Mansfield’s creative years were burdened with loneliness, illness, jealousy and alienation, and all this is reflected in her work with the bitter depiction of marital and family relationships of her middle-class characters. Her short stories are also notable for their use of stream of consciousness technique. Like the Russian writer Anton Chekhov, Mansfield depicted trivial events and subtle changes in human behaviour.

Katherine Mansfield was born in Wellington, New Zealand, into a middleclass colonial family. Her father, Harold Beauchamp, was a banker and her mother, Annie Burnell Dyer, was of genteel origins. The chief quality of Catherine Mansfield’s short stories is their psychological realism which reminds the reader of Maupassant, the great French short story writer. She writes in a flowing, racy style.

Summary

The story narrates the life of a rich and materialistic woman named Rosemary, who tries to be charitable and compassionate to others, who are less unfortunate. However, her generosity is not genuine as has more to do with the novels of such selfless acts, that she reads and wants to enact in real life. She is married to a loving husband Phillip, but is still insecure about her beauty.

One day, while shopping for antiques, Rosemary comes across a beautiful box. She enquires about the price which is too exorbitant. She asks the shopkeeper to save it for her and leaves the shop with unfulfilled desires.

While getting into her car she is startled by a girl. This girl is wearing tattered clothes and asks her for money for a cup of tea. Rosemary finds this an opportunity to feel good about herself by being charitable. She almost bullies the young girl into coming with her to the house.

Once they arrive, Rosemary pampers the poor girl and tries to make her comfortable. However, she forgets about how starved she is and the girl complains about the same. Rosemary hurriedly asks the domestic help to bring some tea and food, which the girl engulfs at once. Rosemary tries to inquire more about the girl as she is planning to help her in a more substantial manner.

However, they are interrupted by her husband Phillip who is shocked to see the visitor in his house. He drags Rosemary to a private corner and expresses her surprise and disapproval. Rosemary is unmoved and resists her husband’s criticism. Seeming his wife’s determination, Phillip tries the oldest trick in diplomacy i.e. jealousy. He praises the girl on her winsome looks and this stirs Rosemary the wrong way. Suddenly, her compassion is struck by a bolt of jealousy.

She moves swiftly into her study room and grabs some money. She offers the young girl that money and asks her to leave the premises. Once she sees the girl off, Rosemary returns to her husband and informs him the same. She asks him if she could buy the antique box she saw earlier and he obliges.

However, she was not being entirely honest in her questions and keeps the truth buries in her heart. In fact, what she truly wanted, she could not let out save in whispered words. She wanted her husband to praise her the way he praises the girl, about her beauty and attractiveness.

This story was written on the 11th of January back in early 1922, which was first published in the famous Story-Teller magazine and later appeared in Mansfield’s short story collection The Dove’s Nest. This story recounts the deplorable conditions of New Zealand society under British colonialism. It exhibits how materialism, hypocrisy, disparity and most specifically class distinction was prevailing in those times. Mansfield mirrors the aforementioned issues via the character of Rosemary. Her actions and mentality depict those issues. At first, readers may see how Rosemary has a penchant for material gains. This is shown specifically when she desires to have a prized beautiful little box. It represents the extravagance of Rosemary instead of spending her money on useful things she desires to have that little box.

Mansfield has tactfully depicted appearance versus reality. The same occurs in the character of Rosemary particularly when she tries to help Miss. Smith. Firstly, she takes her home and then serves her. Though her actions may strike virtuous and kind to the readers however it is not real. Rosemary took advantage of Miss. Smith helpless condition. Her intentions were never to help her out. Rather she tries to use her as a medium to propagate her fame and upgrade social status. She thinks that this act can provide her a chance to boast in her social circle.

Mansfield used Rosemary for the depiction of upper classes who do the same. Even the kind act of helping was not spared, it was used as an object to generate praise and material objects. Class distinction and the miserable condition of poor are also highlighted in the story. On one hand, Rosemary was a wealthy and well-dressed woman. She gets what she desires. On the other hand, Miss. Smith is a poor girl with weak features and not properly dressed, and begs Rosemary for the price of a cup of tea. This mirrors the poverty of the lower classes.

Mansfield also highlights jealousy and insecurity of Rosemary. At first, she is cheerful for helping Miss. Smith though she doesn’t respect her. However, when her husband praises Miss. Smith’s beauty, she got jealous. Afterwards she tries to send Miss. Smith away from her house by giving her some money. Rosemary got so insecure that she tried to allure her husband with her looks.

A Cup of Tea mirrors the nature of upper classes people. By making themselves hypocritically pious to upgrade their social status and gain praise from society. Their true intentions are not assisting them rather manipulating them. Rosemary did the same while helping Miss. Smith. Her intentions weren’t to help her but to boast her act of kindness in society.