Chapter Summary of The Age of Innocence - Study Guide by Edith Wharton

Newland is a junior lawyer and is asked by one of the senior partners, Mr. Letterblair, to advise Ellen Olenska in her divorce. Archer reads the papers and decides that Ellen should not divorce; but when he listens to Mr. Letterblair argue that she should not divorce, he realises how self-righteous he sounds and believes the best thing would be to talk to Ellen first before he unilaterally condemns her decision. Unlike the members of New York Society, Ellen has no fear of literature. Archer reflects on this fact and the fact that Ellen has the mysterious ability to "reverse his values" as he walks to her home. Newland walks through the snowy night and arrives at Ellen's home. Beaufort is there, trying to woo her away from her trip to Skuytercliff. Skuytercliff is the vacation home of the van der Luydens. Ellen tells Beaufort to leave because she has business with Archer. Newland is there to discuss the divorce. Newland encourages Ellen not to divorce because there is no way she can prove her innocence from a love affair after she left her husband. For this reason, she will be scandalised by the papers. Ellen agrees with Newland reluctantly.

On a crowded night at the Wallack's theatre, Newland Archer attends a showing of Shaughraun for the love of one scene: two lovers parting in silence. It reminds him of when he left Ellen the last time they were together: when they had discussed her divorce. On seeing the scene and remembering Ellen, Newland begins to cry and gets up to leave the theatre. As he is walking out, he sees Ellen; as he catches her eye, Mrs. Beaufort (sitting next to Ellen) calls Newland over. He sits behind Ellen and Ellen whispers, "Do you think he will send her yellow roses tomorrow." She was alluding to the roses that Newland had sent her. He says, "I was thinking that too." She says, "What do you do while May is away?" May is on vacation with her family in Florida. Newland is upset by the obviously suggestive question. She tells him that she has decided not to go through with the divorce because of him. Archer leaves the theatre reflecting on a letter that May had sent him. In the letter, May pointed out that Newland is the only one in New York that can truly understand Ellen and that he should take care of her because she is lonely and unhappy.

While leaving the theatre, Newland runs into his friend Ned Winsett. Ned immediately asks the name of the "swell dark woman". Newland recognises that his curiosity is directed at Ellen and he is annoyed. Winsett explains that Ellen had bandaged up his little boy when he had fallen. Newland tells Ned that her name is Countess Olenska. Ned asks why a countess would live in his neighbourhood; Newland says it is because she doesn't care about social signposts. The next day, Newland searches all over town for yellow roses but cannot find them. He sends her a message so they can meet later in the day, but she does not write to him. On the third morning of hearing nothing from Ellen, he finally receives a letter from her. She said that she has "run away" and that she is staying with the van der Luydens in Skuytercliff. She says she feels "safe" with them. Newland immediately decides to accept an invitation and visit the Chiverses (whose invitation he had previously rejected) because they are only a few miles from Ellen.

Newland arrives at the Chiverses on Friday and on Sunday he leaves to visit Ellen. She has gone to church so he takes a cutter (a light sleigh) to find her. He sees her on the path from the church. They play in the snow and then go to the small Platoon house so they can talk privately. They had only spoken a few moments when she indicates that she is running away from Beaufort; suddenly he arrives and there can be no more discussion of the topic. Newland returns to New York, curious about just why she was running away. He drowns himself in great novels for a few days and then Ellen sends him a message asking him to visit her late and at night. Newland is not sure how to reply; so he leaves for St. Augustine, Florida to visit May.

Newland travels to St. Augustine to see his fiancée, May. With her, "here was truth, here was reality". Newland kisses her when they can find a moment of seclusion, but the kiss is so hard and adamant that May pulls away. May and Newland have breakfast with her family. They thank Newland for convincing Ellen not to divorce. The day before his departure, Newland takes May to the Spanish gardens in order to encourage her to be his wife sooner. May says that perhaps the pressure is due to the fact that he may not continue to care for her much longer and marriage would be a security. She is worried he is still in love with the mistress from two years ago. Newland convinces her that this is not the case and