The Golden Age
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
1. Light 2. The Golden Age 3. Elsa 4. Cockatoos 5. Frank’s Vocation 6. The Poet 7. The Trains 8. The First Time Frank Saw Elsa 9. The Dark Night 10. The Loving Body 11. Bellbirds 12. Angel Wings 13. Meyer Walks Home 14. Margaret in Her Garden 15. Christmas 16. The Verandah 17. The Sea 18. A Long Cool Drink 19. Lidja 20. The Queen 21. Ida and Meyer 22. The Concert 23. Albert 24. Ann Lee 25. Blue Air 26. The Third Country 27. Poetry 28. The Hunch 29. The Call 30. The Separation 31. The Visit 32. New York
Themes
All Themes Survival Parenthood and Growing Up Vocation Isolation vs. Solitude Strength, Physicality, and Femininity
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Frank Gold Elsa Briggs Ida Gold Meyer Gold Sister Penny Sullivan Backhouse Margaret Briggs Jack Briggs Nance Briggs Sally Briggs Julia Marai Elizabeth Ann Enid Warren Barret Malcolm Poole Mr. Arpad
Symbols
All Symbols Gold The Isolation Ward
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The Golden Age

by

Joan London

The Golden Age Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.

MLA

Connelly, Irene. "The Golden Age." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 12 Jul 2018. Web. 14 Dec 2025.

Chicago

Connelly, Irene. "The Golden Age." LitCharts LLC, July 12, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2025. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-golden-age.

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