Mrs. Struthers throws Sunday parties to which she invites intellectuals and artists. These parties aren’t considered proper for members of high society to attend, and Mrs. Struthers is considered “common” because her husband made his money through the shoe polish industry. Ellen shows her lack of understanding of society’s rules by attending Mrs. Struthers’s parties for a taste of the artistic side of New York.
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Mrs. Lemuel Struthers Character Timeline in The Age of Innocence
The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Lemuel Struthers appears in The Age of Innocence. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
...Mr. Beaufort have always gotten along well, and she wants to know why he invited Mrs. Struthers , who’s been trying to enter New York society.
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Chapter 5
...see how they’ll deal with it. They begin by talking about the regrettable presence of Mrs. Struthers at the ball. They blame her invitation on Beaufort, whom Mrs. Archer has never trusted....
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Mrs. Archer doesn’t really care about Mrs. Struthers , so she turns the conversation to Ellen Olenska. She’s very glad to have Archer...
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Chapter 9
...announces the Duke of St. Austrey, who enters with an old friend of his named Mrs. Struthers who wants to meet Ellen. Both Ellen and the Duke seem unaware of how strange...
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Chapter 10
...demands she clarify what she’s talking about, and Janey says that Ellen Olenska was at Mrs. Struthers ’s party the night before with the Duke and Mr. Beaufort. Archer is angry, but...
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...for the van der Luydens to be so offended by Ellen’s actions. Mrs. Archer thinks Mrs. Struthers ’s gatherings are scandalous because there’s smoking, champagne, and French music. Archer implies that New...
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...different culture. However, Archer thinks it’s all the Duke’s fault, since he brought Ellen to Mrs. Struthers ’s. Mrs. Archer argues that the Duke is a stranger, whereas Ellen is really a...
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...that they can’t expect Europeans to understand American rules, but the Duke took Ellen to Mrs. Struthers ’s. Since Mrs. van der Luyden was troubled, her husband decided to give Ellen the...
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Chapter 13
...to the box and sits down behind Ellen. Sillerton Jackson is telling Mrs. Beaufort about Mrs. Struthers ’s last party. Ellen quietly asks whether Archer thinks that the play character will send...
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Chapter 17
...says to come early, for she’s going out. He realizes she must be going to Mrs. Struthers ’s. He’s annoyed that she’ll probably see Beaufort there, and is probably going expressly to...
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Chapter 18
...get married. Just then her carriage arrives. She invites him to come with her to Mrs. Struthers ’s. Archer feels he needs to keep her from leaving. He says that there is...
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...to be angry too, but she wilts. He reminds her that Beaufort is waiting at Mrs. Struthers ’s. Ellen rings for her maid and tells her she’s no longer going out that...
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Chapter 26
...seems to confirm Mrs. Archer’s sense of change. She remarks that May now goes to Mrs. Struthers ’s gatherings, but May says that everyone does. Archer thinks New York deals with change...
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Chapter 32
...the Beaufort scandal. Mrs. Archer thinks this is just the time when common people like Mrs. Struthers will try to get a footing in society, and she has told the van der...
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