a cup of tea short story essay

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• A Cup of Tea

Introduction

A Cup of Tea is a short story written by New Zealand’s prominent short fiction writer and poet Katherine Mansfield i n 1922. 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 revolves around the character of a wealthy woman named Rosemary. She spends her day shopping and spending money lavishly. She met with a poor woman of her age named Miss. Smith, who asks for the price of a cup of tea. Rosemary took her home and tried to help her however her intentions are not that kind. She wants to gain fame from this act of kindness. In the end, she wants to get rid of Miss. Smith as her husband praises her for being beautiful.

The story is associated with the deplorable conditions of New Zealand at the time when it used to be a British Colony. The trends of class distinction were at its peak, a noticeable issue which needed to be brought forward influenced Mansfield to pen it down.

Beside this story holds class consciousness and materialism as its pivot point. Stunningly well-characterized and magnificently portrayed against its plain title, this story remarkably presents a crystal clear image of class distinction and one’s mad fondness towards materialism. 

It’s just the same as “the doll’s house” and “the garden party” as a matter of fact that these stories also reflect upon the same issue of class distinction. Mansfield also tried to reflect upon the noble act of philanthropy and how people fancy this act to be the cause of ascension for their moral values among their social circle.

A Cup of Tea Summary

Rosemary Fell, a very rich and well off woman, who has been married for two years to a very rich and devoted man Mr. Philips Fell, spends her day out shopping at some west corners of London in the finest of shops. She visits an ingratiating antique dealer’s shop that shows her a beautiful small blue velvet box. Rosemary is taken by the beauty of the creamy piece of art but decides not to buy it and asks the shopkeeper to save it for her.

Out she comes from the shop into the rain and as she reaches towards the car a girl approaches her asking her to pay for the price of a cup of tea. Astonished, Rosemary asks the girl to come home with her for tea, finding it an opportunity of adventure and experience, just like she read in books and stories of Dostoevsky. She wanted to show the girl that rich people do possess mercy. The girl agrees apart from her great fears to ride with Rosemary in her car.

As they reach the house, Rosemary takes the poor girl to her room and asks her to sit by the fire. She helps her take off her coat and hat and tries to soothe her. As she tries to proceed further, the girl cries out that she can’t stand it anymore fearing that she will faint out of hunger. Rosemary hurriedly orders tea.

The girl is provided with tea and sandwiches while Rosemary lights a cigarette. Keen to know the story of the girl, Rosemary starts up a conversation with her which is unintentionally interrupted by her husband. He is surprised to see the stranger in the room and asks his wife to talk to him privately.

As they enter the library, Philips begins to inquire about the matter. To this Rosemary replies that she is just helping the poor lady whom she picked up from the street. Her husband tries to tell her that she can’t have a stranger in the house. Facing a refusal Philips points out that the lady is remarkably pretty giving a rise to insecurities of Rosemary.

Rosemary leaves the library and enters the study room from where she picks up some cash. She returns to her room and hands over the money to the poor girl making her leave the house.

After the girl leaves the house Rosemary joins Philips back in the library and asks him if she could buy the velvet box which wasn’t what she wished to ask. After a pause, she whispers, “Am I pretty?”

Appearance versus Reality

In the whole story, readers may find the appearance in contrast to reality. On the surface, the person seems different however his intentions are something else. In this way, Mansfield portrays hypocrisy in New Zealand’s perturbed society. Rosemary on the surface strikes kind and caring by taking care of Miss. Smith. 

However, the reality of her intentions is full of hypocrisy. She helps her not out of kindness or cares rather for her own interests. She thought by helping so would give her a chance of upgrading her status and boasting her action.

In a similar manner, Mansfield pinpoints her society in which upper classes were taking advantage of virtuous acts for their own benefits. They help the poor to gain praise and material objects.

Jealousy and Insecurity

Rosemary has made a prototype of jealousy and insecurity. At first, she appears kind and helps Miss. Smith. But in the end, when her husband, Philip praises Miss. Smith got jealous and insecure.

In order to get rid of Miss. Smith gives her money. Afterwards, she did some makeup and tried to attract the attention of her husband by her charming looks.

Materialism

These two things have been discussed explicitly in the text by Mansfield. Rosemary could be seen chasing material objects throughout the text. Firstly, she appears to be desiring an enamel box. Afterwards, she helps Miss. Smith just to gain praise and upgrade her social status. In the whole story, she appears as a mean character. Readers may find her penchant towards material objects in the story.

Through this Mansfield highlights how true emotions are fading from society and people are running after material objects.

Class Distinction

Class distinction is also explicit in the story. Miss. Smith belongs to the lower class; she even didn’t have enough money for a cup of tea. For this, she begs Rosemary. In contrast, Rosemary is a rich woman having every luxury of life. She appears well dressed while Miss. Smith is in a miserable situation. 

This draws a comparison between both classes. On one hand, the wealthy are enjoying everything in their life. On the other hand, lower classes are exposed to hunger and disrespect at the hands of the upper classes.

Characters Analysis

Rosemary fell.

A socially poised, rich married woman with a devoted and loving husband, who has a great lifestyle. She is well-dressed and well off with all the luxuries she desires for. Her interest is mainly in reading books, always indulged and above all greatly inspired by the characters and their adventurous lives which she comes across in the stories. 

Her inspirational interest can be judged by the decision she takes when she interacts with a poor soul called Miss Smith. She took her home with a mere thought of it being an adventure for her recalling the stories of Dostoevsky. Apart from this possession and insecurity can be sensed in her character.

Philips Fell

The husband of Rosemary is in fact one of the richest persons of his society. He loves his wife devotedly and cares for her a lot. He calls Miss Smith pretty much to his wife’s chagrin, just to make her send Miss Smith away as she refuses to do so when he asks her in the first place even though making his wife feel insecure about herself and her beauty.

She is a lean and thin poor girl of just the age of Rosemary. She can’t even afford a single cup of tea and comes to ask Rosemary to pay her the price of a cup of tea. She is an odd person, frightened and confused. She is shocked when Rosemary asks her to have a cup of tea with her at her home. In Mr. Philips’ point of view, Miss Smith is very attractive and pretty.

The Shopkeeper

The owner of a beautiful antique ornaments shop which in fact was one of Rosemary’s favorite shops. He would always be looking forward to having Rosemary at his shop and always saving a lovely piece of art for her, just like he had been saving the eye-catching blue velvet box. He is kind of an ingratiating character.

Literary Analysis

A Cup of Tea is a short story written by New Zealand’s prominent short fiction writer and poet Katherine Mansfield in 1922. 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.

  A Cup of Tea 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.

Moreover, Mansfield has tactfully depicted appearance versus reality. She shows not everything is the same as it seems. There are many chances where appearance narrates something else however the reality is a lot different.

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. New Zealand back in the 19th century was the same. Upper classes were exploiting lower classes for their own benefits. Even the kind act of helping was not spared, it was used as an object to generate praise and material objects.

Moreover, class distinction and the miserable condition of poor are also highlighted in the story. Mansfield shows how wealth was wrongly distributed in society. 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. She even begs Rosemary for the price of a cup of tea. This mirrors the poverty of the lower classes.

Mansfield has thrown light on the prejudice and apathy of upper classes against lower classes. Rosemary helps Miss. Smith takes off her hat and coat however she doesn’t show any respect to her belongings and throws them on the floor. This also indicates how upper classes turn a blind eye towards the poor’s sufferings.

Additionally, 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 ran away from her house by giving her some money. Rosemary got so insecure that she tried to allure her husband with her looks.

Significance of the Title

A Cup of Tea connotes the holier-than-thou nature of upper classes how they even would virtuous acts for their own beneficial purpose. 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.

The time frame of this story is set in the 1920s. However, the location shifts twice. Firstly, it takes place at the small antique shop on Curzon Street. Subsequently, it shifts to Fell’s house.

Following are the symbols used in the story:

Box’s price and its ornamentations emphasize extravagance and materialism. Rosemary when she saw this box get attracted to it. Though she has a desire to buy it, its price doesn’t allow her. It represents how Rosemary instead of spending on useful things used to spend on worthless things. Also, it expresses her appeal for material gains.

Cup of tea symbolizes the sanctimonious upper class and exploitation of the poor class at the hands of the upper class. This suggests to readers how even the act of philanthropy is fake and used for its own beneficial purpose. The way Rosemary did to Miss. Smith by helping her without true care and intimacy. All she thought was to boast that act in her social circle and gain praise.

The Hat is a symbol used to exhibit apathy and prejudice of the upper class against the poor. Rosemary at first tries to help Miss. Smith to doff her hat and coat. But afterwards she shows her apathy, instead of putting them in an appropriate place, she leaves them on the floor. This depicts the outlook of the upper class and their way of treating them.

Mansfield has used incredible imagery in the story. She tactfully portrays the weather according to the doleful mood of Rosemary “a cold bitter taste in the air” as she couldn’t buy an enamel box. Rain is showering but due to the dark it seems like ashes falling on the ground “spinning down like ashes”. Also, the lights lit up in the rain “looked sad” and “were regretting something”.

Similar to this, Mansfield exhibits Rosemary’s hat that resembles a “germanium petal” in size and green ribbons that seem like leaves “hung from a branch “.

The narrator also pictures the pathetic condition of the poor young girl and her skinny and weak features. The narrator says she is a “frail creature” having disheveled hairs, “dark lips” and “ light eyes”

In the same way, readers may find Mansfield using color imagery to visualize Rosemary’s bedroom and its beauty. The narrator says the room was furnished with glossy furniture along with “gold cushions and the primrose and blue rugs”

Literary devices

Mansfield has used the following literary devices in the story:

Personification, Metaphors, and Similes

Readers may come across several personifications and similes in the story. The narrator says “ Her heart beats like a heavy bell”. This shows how Rosemary feels insecure and jealous of the poor girl, praised by her husband, Philip for charm looks. Similarly, Mansfield seems to personify weather with gloomy abstract such as “cold bitter taste in the air “. This represents her gloomy mood as she couldn’t buy the little enamel box. 

Likewise, Mansfield also personified inanimate things with humanly attributes. For instance, the narrator says the lights of the houses “looked sad ” and were “regretting something”

Moreover, one can also see how the narrator is using different metaphors for young girl i-e, “ little battered creature”, “poor little thing”, “thin figure”, “new being, a light, frail creature with tangled hair” and “listless figure”. Mansfield used the aforementioned metaphors to highlight the miserable condition and outlook of Rosemary towards poor people.

In the same way, the narrator also shows poor young girl’s features and actions with the help of metaphors and similes. The narrator says “ voice like a sigh, almost like a sob” to emphasize her sorrows. Similarly, to depict the young girl as being skinny the narrator says “bird-like shoulders “. Also, Mansfield applies metaphor to depict the action of shivering a young girl with a child by saying “She seemed to stagger like a child”.

Further, the narrator used the metaphor of “a geranium petal” to express the charm of Rosemary’s hat. Also, the narrator describes the glowing delicacy of the box and metaphorized it “as though it had been baked in cream”.

Readers may also find Mansfield using oxymoron at one point in the story. Oxymoron appears in the dialogue of Philip when he advises Rosemary to take good care of Miss Smith. He says “Be frightfully nice to her”. On one hand, it shows the concern of Philip towards the poor girl. On the other hand, it shows the dialect of Philip.

Mansfield has alluded to “Dostoevsky” to mirror the hypocrisy behind helping the poor the way Rosemary did.

Mansfield has exaggeratedly explained the wealth of Rosemary in the story. If Rosemary wants to go shopping she would prefer Paris unlike common people who go to Bond Street.

Mansfield has allied irony on the philanthropy of upper classes. She rebukes their intentions to help others which is nothing but to show off and maintain a status in society. This gives them a point to brag on.

Tone & Genre

The story is first told in a cheerful and enthusiastic tone. However, in the end, tone changes into disgruntled and bitter. A Cup of Tea is a short story written in realistic fiction.

More From Katherine Mansfield

Short stories.

SLAP HAPPY LARRY

A cup of tea by katherine mansfield short story analysis.

“A Cup of Tea” is a Modernist short story by Katherine Mansfield, first published in May 1922. I’m reading it 100 years later.

Commentators commonly describe “A Cup Of Tea” as a story about jealously between women: A rich woman is jealous of a beautiful younger woman with no means — a modern re-visioning of Snow White . Is this really a story about jealousy, though? Below, I argue this is simplistic. Worse, it plays into a cultural stereotype about women in general — that women secretly hate each other, even while trying to be kind, and that a beautiful woman and a plain woman can never get along. Rosemary Fell is a Fairy Queen archetype. Mansfield uses her to say something about beauty standards as she experienced them in the early 20th century.

HOW RICH IS ROSEMARY FELL?

Reading this story, it’s clear the gap between rich and poor has gotten ridiculously wide in the last hundred years. Rosemary is introduced by an unseen narrator — as if gossiping to us, the reader — about a woman who is so wealthy she can just walk into a store and buy whatever she wants. But one day, she walks into a store, sees a cute little ornamental box and considers the price extravagant. Let’s take a closer look at the price, insofar as Internet tools help us, anyway.

How much was the little box? Twenty-eight guineas. What’s a guinea?

Guineas were a coin used in Britain between 1663 and 1814. This story was published long after that, in 1922, when Britons (and also Australians) were still using the term in certain specialised areas. But ‘guinea’ didn’t map perfectly onto a pound. One guinea was one pound and one shilling, or £1.05 in today’s currency.

The guinea had an aristocratic overtone, so professional fees, and prices of land, horses, art,  bespoke  tailoring, furniture,  white goods  and other “luxury” items were often quoted in guineas until a couple of years after decimalisation in 1971. Wikipedia

Making use of a CPI website in 2022, £1 pound in 1922 equals £63.16 pounds. The ornamental box is worth about $1770 in today’s American dollars. If you’ve ever seen the Real Housewives reality TV shows, that no longer seems shocking, even for a tiny ornamental box with no real purpose. Real Housewives have budgets unfathomably large to the vast majority of us.

Are these women the modern-day Rosemary Fell?

The fantasy of having so much money you can buy anything you want must be wildly popular because a number of different franchises of Reality TV feature outlandish consumerism. Do we love to fantasise, or do we love to judge?

Rosemary Fell thinks it wasteful to spend a grand on an ornament. Yet the Yummy Mummies of Melbourne spend a lot more than that on their ‘push presents’.

The first series saw Lorinska, Jane and Rachel all receive extravagant ‘push presents’ after giving birth to their children, in the form of  a $99,000 rare diamond ring, a Range Rover and a Rolex respectively . Yummy Mummies: the reality TV show we really don’t need? Women’s Agenda

Below Deck Mediterranean is the Reality TV equivalent of Upstairs, Downstairs or Downton Abbey . When the Queen of Versailles charters a yacht, cameras follow as she spends a cool thirty thousand euros in a jewellery store. New Zealand crew member Aesha is required to help with the shopping, but can’t believe the extravagance. “When I was growing up, we couldn’t afford to buy cheese !”

Stories which juxtapose the poor against the wealthy are a surefire source of conflict. Economic conflict is especially interesting because income inequality affects us all, and it is only when the wealthy are forced to confront their own privilege that we see their morality. Rosemary Fell faces a moral dilemma : Does she continue to enjoy her own wealth to scratch a brief shopping itch, or does she reapportion pocket money to make another woman’s life significantly better?

SETTING OF “A CUP OF TEA”

Early 20th century

An hour or so?

Between the upmarket shopping precinct and Rosemary’s home

MANMADE SPACES

The shops, the house.

NATURAL SETTINGS

Characters don’t enter the wilderness. The wilderness is not typically associated with the wealthy. (Even when they enter the woods, the day is highly structured.) However, if we’re going with my Fairy Queen reading, the shopping district equals the fairytale woods. The house is a castle and also a prison.

When Rosemary exits the shop without buying the box, it is raining. We might interpret this as plain old pathetic fallacy. (Rosemary is sad about the box; the rain matches her internalised tears.)

The CodeX Cantina podcast point out that commonly when getting wet in the rain or walking through a river, this signals rebirth. Mansfield is setting us up to expect a character arc, in which Rosemary revisits her wicked ways after understanding the man in the shop is clearly taking her for a ride. We expect Rosemary will think more carefully about how her money would be better spent.

However, this is Mansfield we’re talking about. That’s not where she goes with this at all.

TECHNOLOGY CRUCIAL TO THIS PARTICULAR STORY

Katherine Mansfield loved a good ‘ container motif ‘, a type of symbolism typically associated with femme coded characters. Mansfield’s standout short story “ Prelude ” features various tiny containers, from the matchbox to the pillbox. In “Prelude”, this motif contributes to the larger theme of restriction and social containment.

In “A Cup of Tea” we have another box, which other readers have read as a music box. (The musical aspect of it isn’t on the page.) Here’s the description of it:

An exquisite little enamel box with a glaze so fine it looked as though it had been baked in cream. On the lid a minute creature stood under a flowery tree, and a more minute creature still had her arms round his neck. Her hat, really no bigger than a geranium petal, hung from a branch; it had green ribbons. And there was a pink cloud like a watchful cherub floating above their heads. “A Cup of Tea” by Katherine Mansfield

Rosemary falls in love with the box, which tells us a lot about her. What is it she loves? The imagery is Romantic and speaks to a Rosemary’s desire to be loved in a grand-gesture kind of way. Note that she recreates the pose with her husband later, emulating the coquettish pose of the female fairy.

At least, I believe she’s looking at an image of a fairy. Fairies and flowers in art were popular in the early 20th century. So were creepy cherubs. This was the heyday of illustration such as Ethel Jackson Morris, Cicely Mary Barker and Percy Tarrant. Mansfield would have grown up with John Anster Fitzgerald and Richard Doyle. Harold Gaze was a New Zealand-born illustrator of fairies who continued the tradition a little past Mansfield’s time, alongside others.

What else draws Rosemary to the box? She admires the creaminess of it. If we take a look at how beauty products are marketed, expensive solutions are frequently described as ‘creams’.

Cream and creaminess is a marker of youthful (white) skin, and prefigures how Rosemary will feel about the young girl who asks for a cup of tea outside.

Of course, today Rosemary would have the option of plastic surgery, facelifts and Botox. And when I say ‘option’, I don’t really mean option, because decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. Beauty standards vary between different social groups. Many wealthy women are expected to chase eternal youth via surgical interventions. Marriages become precarious when wealthy husbands can attract much younger women, despite getting old themselves.

LEVEL OF CONFLICT

As mentioned above, this is your classic rich-poor-divide story.

“A Cup of Tea” is also about a power dynamic between a wealthy husband and wife. The wife belongs to a class of women who, ironically, because of their wealth, have even less autonomy than women from the working class, who are typically more in control of their own (meagre) incomes than daughters of the upper class. Rosemary’s only real currency is her ability to act coquettishly. Her main job in life is to be a human lapdog, which becomes more and more difficult the older she gets.

THE EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE

Rosemary doesn’t have the emotional intelligence to understand what drives her own self, though everyone around her sees it. Others use this knowledge to their own advantage.

For instance, her husband Philip understands how to get rid of the waif from his house. He only need point out the girl’s beauty. Youthful, natural beauty is his pretty-but-not-beautiful wife’s Achille’s heel.

The shopkeeper knows exactly which items Rosemary will like, then sells them to her at a sum perfectly pitched at Rosemary.

Even the girl in the street outsmarts Rosemary by a country mile. For one thing, she knows to hang around outside shops selling luxury (“antique”) items to women with a huge discretionary income. She knows not to ask directly for money; the upper classes find money crass, especially the women. So she asks instead for a cup of tea. Wealthy women are very used to providing cups of tea to their visitors.

On this particular day, however, the beggar girl gets more than she bargained for. She is about to get caught up in one rich woman’s morality drama, in which Rosemary plays philanthropist and saviour for an afternoon.

STORY STRUCTURE OF “A CUP OF TEA”

An episode from 2/13/21: George Orwell’s 1933 memoir of voluntary poverty,  Down and Out in Paris and London , can still rip your heart out. Tonight, I read a few passages from it. Nobody has ever brought written about the reality of poverty as viscerally and sympathetically as him. Human Voices Wake Us

SHORTCOMING

Rosemary has no real power aside from child-bearing and purchasing power. This puts her in a precarious position, despite the wealth she has married into (and which she presumably grew up with, as well).

I’d like to draw your attention to a very old children’s story which Katherine Mansfield may well have read: “ Rosamund and the Purple Jar “. Notice the similarity between the names Rosemary and Rosamund? There’s a chance Mansfield never read the 1796 story by Maria Edgeworth, but I’d wager she did. The story remained in print until the 1930s. Few have read Maria Edgeworth now, or even heard of the woman, but her didactic stories for children were popular for over a century.

In Edgeworth’s story, a seven-year-old girl called Rosamund sees a purple jar at the shops and just has to have it. When she finally gets it, the jar is a huge disappointment. Rosamund learns that she should never have wasted her pocket money on such a thing.

Feels to me like Mansfield is writing an inversion of that, resisting the didacticism which child-aged Mansfield would have found condescending. (Think of the stories your great grandparents were reading. Imagine you’re still reading those. That would have been Mansfield’s experience of Edgeworth.)

Ironically, child Rosamund — a girl child of the late 1700s — had been given pocket money of her own! She was allowed to spend it as she pleased. “Rosamund and the Purple Jar”, didactic though it is, may has been read as an early feminist text, though I think it’s saying the opposite. Rosamund wasted her money, which sort of says girls can’t be trusted to make sensible purchases, don’t you think?

What about Mansfield’s Rosemary? At first glance, adult Rosemary is free as seven-year-old Rosamund to spend “pocket money” as she wishes, but Mansfield doesn’t try and crack on this is anything like real power. She avoids didacticism (a feature of Modernism) and she will leave readers to observe how Rosemary goes about getting what she wants, or what she thinks she wants.

Rosemary thinks she wants a pretty box. But in stories as in real life, people frequently go after one thing while really wanting something else. Marketers understand well: When we buy a product we are trying to satisfy an emotional need in ourselves.

What does Rosemary really want? To be pretty? Scratch that. That’s too simplistic for Mansfield. Rosemary wants to acquire prettiness. She has so little real empathy for a beggar girl, she treats her as an object, alongside the pretty box. (In fact, she’ll spend far more money on a box.)

“But,” said Philip slowly, and he cut the end of a cigar, “she’s so astonishingly pretty.” “Pretty?” Rosemary was so surprised that she blushed. “Do you think so ? I—I hadn’t thought about it.” “A Cup Of Tea”

Of course, the reader can see Rosemary is lying — to her husband, and also probably to herself. Earlier, before Philip entered the story:

“Won’t you take off your hat ? Your pretty hair is all wet. And one is so much more comfortable without a hat, isn’t one ? “ There was a whisper that sounded like ” Very good, madam,” and the crushed hat was taken off. “And let me help you off with your coat, too,” said Rosemary. “A Cup of Tea”

A number of modern stories have delved into the theme of ‘female absorption of another’ (for lack of a better phrase). We might call it a type of cannibalism. A fairytale example would be the wicked stepmother and Snow White. These days, with better LGBTQIA+ literacy in audiences, similar dynamics tend to be read as sapphic. Women are presented as mortal enemies, yet they are actually in love with each other. Likewise, when Rosemary undresses the girl by taking off her outerwear, the tone is mildly erotic rather than motherly.

Rosemary Fell would like to inhale, cannibalise, absorb the pretty young girl who dares ask for a cup of tea.

The husband, Philip, seems to know exactly how his wife works. If he would like to get rid of the waif, he only need signal to his wife that he, too, has noticed the girl’s beauty.

Can a girl ever really be poor if she is so very beautiful? Beauty is a form of currency. Cinderella stories suggest that beauty is all a girl needs and she’ll do just fine, economically.

Rosemary revises down how much help the beggar girl really needs.

THE BIG STRUGGLE

Typically at this part of the story, someone almost dies. Either that, or someone spiritually dies. Note: It’s not always the main character:

The girl stood up. But she held on to the chair with one hand and let Rosemary pull. It was quite an effort. The other scarcely helped her at all. She seemed to stagger like a child, and the thought came and went through Rosemary’s mind, that if people wanted helping they must respond a little, just a little, otherwise it became very difficult indeed. And what was she to do with the coat now ? She left it on the floor, and the hat too. She was just going to take a cigarette off the mantelpiece when the girl said quickly, but so lightly and strangely : ” I’m very sorry, madam, but I’m going to faint. I shall go off, madam, if I don’t have something.” “A Cup of Tea”

In this particular story, the main character learns nothing. Mansfield’s near-death scene, in which the beggar girl almost faints out of hunger, is a proxy for the awakening that should really be happening to Rosemary, if this were a fair and just world.

Notice the melodrama. Mansfield made use of a dropped coat on the floor to symbolise death. Wonderful imagery.

Back to fairies for a tick. Fairies are out of fashion so you may not know this unless you’ve read those very old fairy stories Mansfield was reading. Know this: If you ever get kidnapped to fairyland, DON’T EAT THE FOOD. Once you nibble at one of their treats or drink their potion THEY HAVE YOU FOREVER.

(Accepting any kind of gift from supernatural creatures will lead you straight into trouble. This moral is expressed in other folk tales. One notable example is The Elves and the Shoemaker , though contemporary retellings shift the message to a heartwarming tale of generosity.)

Mansfield has used the Fairy Queen archetype when creating Rosemary. Let’s go back to Rosemary’s ‘desire’ for a moment.

What does the Fairy Queen want?

The Fairy Queen wants to trap you. (Typically she tries to trap a man, though Mansfield was interested in relationships between women.) She will try to seduce you before revealing who she really is.

What does she want you? She wants to possess you, either by locking you up or by entering your very being, controlling your actions. But she doesn’t really want anything at all. She represents something you want, something you cannot articulate:

Her presence generates a desire without an object, or with an object that can exist only as further story. What if the Fairy Queen’s excessive and unruly desires are simply reflections, mirror-images of the insatiable desires she generates by her perpetual absence? What if her lust for man’s seed, for men’s bodies and blood, is a reflection of their desire for gold? For in these stories it is only the queen who is drive by lust. Diane Purkiss, Troublesome Things: A history of fairies and fairy stories

The Fairy Queen has the ability to turn scarcity into abundance, but she does not use this gift for good. She’s careful with her magic, using it only to gain power for herself. She has a sociopathic disregard for others.

Fairies are all about nostalgia. They associate themselves with places and things that are disappearing due to a changing culture, and the queen of the fairies is no different. She wants things to stay the same. She possesses you because she sees the hero within, and your wish to ‘disturb the universe’.

BUT ISN’T THE FAIRY QUEEN BEAUTIFUL?

The story opens with an ambivalent assessment of Rosemary’s beauty, and by ‘ambivalent’, I mean she is both beautiful and not, depending on which aspect of her you happen to be observing at the time:

ROSEMARY FELL was not exactly beautiful. No, you couldn’t have called her beautiful. Pretty ? Well, if you took her to pieces  “A Cup of Tea”

Modern audiences are used to seeing a beautiful Fairy Queen in stories. We commonly see her as a Snow Queen, popularized by Hans Christian Andersen, and remembered thanks to the endurance of stories such as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and 101 Dalmations .

Below, various images of the Snow Queen as she abducts a child. In every instance, illustrators make her beautiful:

But audiences from antiquity didn’t have such a concretized mental image of what ‘beautiful’ looked like. As an example of that nebulous notion, the Hungarian version of the fairy queen is known simply as a ‘Beautiful Woman’.

A modern reading of any old fairytale is ridiculously binary and looks-ist; beautiful people are good people, especially when it comes to women and girls. I’m no fairy tale apologist, but it pays to remember that fairytale ‘beautiful’ was rarely described in specific terms. At most it referred to the colour of a girl’s hair or skin. (To add to the problems, ‘fair’ has come to mean ‘beautiful’ for racist and classist reasons.)

Before the 18th century, someone with teeth, a full head (and pubic area) of hair, and skin free of disfiguring sores counted as ‘beautiful’. If a good-looking young person today goes camping and comes back with a face covered in mosquito bites, is that person no longer beautiful? Perhaps not, but only temporarily. Any body ravaged by disease is wearing a kind of mask, separate from any true essence of beauty and goodness, which is how the fairytales meant it. The 20th century was an unusual period in human history because beauty was suddenly seen as fixed, changed only because of the ravages of old age. Since we all get old (if we’re lucky), fairy tale beauty is surprisingly egalitarian.

Katherine Mansfield’s life straddled the fin de siecle. “A Cup of Tea” is undoubtedly a commentary on what it meant for a woman to be “beautiful” in her lifetime.

Fast forward to the 21st century and we are losing this notion of natural born beauty, due to the popularity and accessibility of surgeries and other beautifying treatments. Interventions skip right over Mansfield’s era and give us more in common with a very old conception of beauty as changeable with effort and money (gold).

Katherine Mansfield created in Rosemary a fairy queen archetype described as both beautiful and not beautiful (‘pretty’). This supports my read of Rosemary as Fairy Queen, because the ancient fairy queen archetype is both beautiful and ugly, depending which side of us she wishes to reveal:

There is no sense that the queen of the fairies is really old, or bloody, or the author of castration and deformity. Rather, both beauty and deformity turn out to be appearances. Femininity is the instability of these appearances, their shimmering refusal to resolve themselves into a single stable object of desire. Diane Purkiss, Troublesome Things: A history of fairies and fairy stories

Women are commonly regarded as liars . One aspect of femininity held up as ‘evidence’ of devious charm: women’s use of make-up and other beautifying accoutrements, supposedly used to ‘conceal’ the uglier truth which lies beneath.

The modern conception is that a creature who shows her ugliness must really be ugly — the beauty was the mask. But for the ancient fairy queen, ugliness and beauty may both be masks, operating more like a two-faced Janus than like a mask. Neither version is more true than the other.

By the way, when the fairy queen appears in classic tales, pay special attention to her feet. Like many other fantasy creatures, her feet may give her away. She might have camel feet, or the trotters of some other heavy animal. (But to hide these feet she’ll probably be wearing a long, sweeping dress.)

ANAGNORISIS

Although I’ve compared the symbolism of “A Cup of Tea” to “Prelude”, as far as epiphanies go, this story is better compared to “ The Garden Party ” in which Laura, in her pretty hat and fancy party dress, delivers left-over food to a mother who has just lost her son in a terrible accident. Laura suddenly feels out of place as a rich girl who lives at the top of the hill. She seems to understand something, but Mansfield doesn’t tell us what.

Here we have another anti-epiphany, typical of Mansfield . It is far easier for Rosemary to forget she ever met the girl.

Is there an anagnorisis for the reader?

I think so, if readers are open to it. Don’t we all want to stay young and beautiful, pretending to ourselves that age — and therefore death — will never come for us? Mansfield makes use of the Fairy Queen archetype because she represents whatever you, the reader, cannot articulate.

Ergo, Rosemary cannot articulate it, either. Although it is Rosemary who is the Fairy Queen, she’s been deceived by others. She’s unaware of her own true desires. This leaves her (and us) in a dangerous position. When we don’t understand who we really are or what we really want, others may come to understand us better than we understand ourselves. This leaves us vulnerable to exploitation.

NEW SITUATION

Has Rosemary really forgotten the girl? She has absorbed the image of her. The girl may have even been of use in turning her husband on. While the husband basks in the glow of nubile feminine beauty, Rosemary can ask permission to buy the extravagant little box.

EXTRAPOLATED ENDING

I have no doubt Rosemary will return to the shopkeeper and buy the ornament for that exorbitant sum. The shopkeeper is the other man in Rosemary’s life who knows exactly how she works, and he will play her like a fine instrument.

Why does Rosemary need the box? Because the girl has gone and taken her beauty with her. The box is a compensatory beauty. Unlike Rosemary herself — and even the girl — the box will never grow old. The box will be creamy forever.♦

FURTHER READING

Podcast resources.

If you’d like to fall asleep, the Just Sleep podcast reads “A Cup of Tea” in the most calming boring voice imaginable.

The CodeX Cantina podcast analyses “A Cup of Tea”. These guys point out that Rosemary is a different kind of rich selfish person than, say, Ebenezer Scrooge (who hoards and hoards) because she wants to be a philanthropist.

If you’d like to hear “The Snow Queen” read aloud, I recommend the retellings by Parcast’s Tales podcast series. ( They have now moved over to Spotify. ) These are ancient tales retold using contemporary English, complete with music and foley effects. Some of these old tales are pretty hard to read, but the Tales podcast presents them in an easily digestible way. “The Snow Queen” episode was published January 2019.

Tea has been one of the most popular commodities in the world. Over centuries, profits from its growth and sales funded wars and fueled colonization. Erika Rappaport talks about her new book, A Thirst for Empire, in which she delves into how Europeans adopted, appropriated, and altered Chinese tea culture to build a widespread demand for tea in Britain and other global markets and a plantation-based economy in South Asia and Africa. She shares her in-depth historical look at how men and women—through the tea industry in Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa—transformed global tastes and habits and in the process created our modern consumer society. How Tea Shaped the Modern World

This week on  A Taste of the Past , host Linda Pelaccio is joined by tea sommelier for the historic St. Regis Hotel in New York City, Elizabeth Knight. Widely recognized as one of the country’s foremost authorities on tea and entertaining, Knight shares her passion as the founder of  Tea with Friends , a website devoted to all things tea. A certified English Tea Master, she is the author of bestselling books on the subjects of tea and entertaining including  Tea with Friends , Celtic Teas with Friends,   Welcome Home,  and  Tea in the City New York – A Tea Lover’s Guide to Sipping and Shopping in the City. Tea Time

It’s a little known fact that in the nineteenth century, Americans favored green teas consumed hot with milk and sugar. The teas were imported from China until Japan developed an export industry centered on the U.S. Author Robert Hellyer explores the forgotten American preference and traces the trans-Pacific tea trade from the eighteenth century forward in his book, Green with Milk and Sugar. He shares his insights on how the interconnections between Japan and the United States have influenced the daily habits of people in both countries.  Forgotten Past of Green Tea in America

It’s tea time babes, so grab yourselves an English muffin and turn on “Murder She Wrote”, because things are about to get real geriatric on this week’s burning-hot episode of America’s favorite podcast. We are talking tea history, tea puns, tea psychics and psychos, plus the glorious Long Island history of the Long Island Iced Tea, and the origin of no one’s favorite cocktail at the legendary Oak Beach Inn. So grab yourself an Arnold Palmer and pour it down your pants, it’s Life’s a Banquet the podcast! TEA off! A double header episode about TEA! PART ONE

So you made it through part 1 of our TEASTRAVAGANZA. Congratulations, and welcome to part deux! We hope you brought some cream and some hottttt gossip! This week we talk hard tea, and the worst party in history, The Boston Tea Party. So get yourself some Smooth Move and toss it all into the ocean, it’s Life’s a Banquet the podcast! TEA for 2- Part two of our TEAisode! PART TWO

Our guest is Don Mei who is the Director of  Mei Leaf , an awesome tea company based in London.   Don also has a wonderful YouTube Channel called “Mei Leaf”, which has 80,000 subscribers.  His videos are extremely educational and uniquely fun based on his extensive knowledge of both Chinese and Japanese tea.  His global and analytical perspective helps viewers to appreciate tea even more.   In this episode, we will discuss various aspects of Japanese tea such as production, flavor and terroir in comparison with Chinese tea, Don’s intriguing path to become a tea specialist and much, much more!!!  What is the Difference Between Japanese and Chinese Tea?

CONTEMPORARY FICTION SET IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND (2023)

On paper, things look fine. Sam Dennon recently inherited significant wealth from his uncle. As a respected architect, Sam spends his days thinking about the family needs and rich lives of his clients. But privately? Even his enduring love of amateur astronomy is on the wane. Sam has built a sustainable-architecture display home for himself but hasn’t yet moved into it, preferring to sleep in his cocoon of a campervan. Although they never announced it publicly, Sam’s wife and business partner ended their marriage years ago due to lack of intimacy, leaving Sam with the sense he is irreparably broken.

Now his beloved uncle has died. An intensifying fear manifests as health anxiety, with night terrors from a half-remembered early childhood event. To assuage the loneliness, Sam embarks on a Personal Happiness Project:

1. Get a pet dog

2. Find a friend. Just one. Not too intense.

KINDLE EBOOK

The Sitting Bee

Short Story Reviews

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield

In A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield we have the theme of jealousy, insecurity, materialism and class. Taken from her The Doves’ Nest and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Mansfield may be exploring the theme of class or rather the differences between social classes. By telling the reader that ‘they were rich, really rich, not just comfortably well off’ Mansfield succeeds in not only highlighting to the reader how wealthy Rosemary and Philip are but more importantly she manages to highlight how different Rosemary is from others. Something that is a little clearer when Mansfield also tells the reader ‘if Rosemary wanted to shop she would go to Paris as you and I would go to Bond Street.’ Though it may appear to be insignificant the fact that Rosemary has a car may also be important as by introducing the car into the story it is possible that Mansfield is further highlighting the class difference that exists between Rosemary and those around her. At the time the story was written only the very wealthy (mostly upper class) would have had the resources to buy a car.

The fact that Rosemary is surprised when Miss Smith first speaks to her also suggests that Rosemary may be different to others. It would have been uncommon (at the time the story was written) for those considered to be of a lower class (Miss Smith) to engage with those considered to be upper class (Rosemary). It is also interesting that Rosemary thinks it is ‘extraordinary’ that Miss Smith has no money. This would again suggest that Rosemary is different from other people. She can’t imagine that somebody would have no money. By describing Miss Smith as the ‘other’ when Rosemary leads Miss Smith into the hall of her home and Rosemary as being like ‘the rich little girl in her nursery’ Mansfield may be further highlighting the difference in class between both Miss Smith and Rosemary.

It is also interesting that Rosemary, while Miss Smith is in her bedroom having tea, leaves Miss Smith’s hat and coat on the floor. By doing so Mansfield may be suggesting that in Rosemary’s eyes, Miss Smith is not her equal. This would further highlight the difference in class (in Rosemary’s eyes) between Miss Smith and Rosemary. The reader also doubts that Rosemary would take the same course of action (leave a hat and coat on the floor) should one of her upper class friends visit her home. At no stage in the story does the reader feel that Rosemary, by taking Miss Smith home with her, is doing so for the benefit of Miss Smith rather it serves to boost Rosemary’s perception of herself. She does after all consider the taking of Miss Smith home with her to be an adventure, something she will be able to boast about to her friends.

There is also some symbolism in the story which may be important. The little box that Rosemary sees in the antique shop, by telling the reader that Rosemary ‘must have it’, Mansfield may be highlighting the importance of material things to Rosemary. Mansfield also appears to be using the setting, after Rosemary leaves the antique shop, to highlight Rosemary’s mood after she is unable to buy the little box. Mansfield tells the reader that the ‘rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, spinning down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new-lighted lamps looked sad.’ In many ways this setting mirrors how Rosemary may feel about having to leave the shop without purchasing the little box. The flowers that Rosemary buys may also have some symbolic importance. By telling the reader that Rosemary wanted ‘those and those and those. Give me four bunches of those,’ Mansfield may be further highlighting how different Rosemary is from other people (due to her wealth) and how extravagant she is. Rather than just purchasing one bunch of flowers, as most people would and could only afford to do, Rosemary ends up with several.

Rosemary’s change of attitude towards Miss Smith after Philip tells her that he thinks Miss Smith is pretty is also interesting. It is from Philip’s remark that the reader realises not only is Rosemary jealous of Miss Smith (because she is pretty) but she also appears to be insecure about her own physical appearance. It may also be a case that Philip is attempting to manipulate or control Rosemary, just as she has Miss Smith. By telling Rosemary that Miss Smith is pretty Philip is aware that it will result in Rosemary not only feeling jealous but it will also ensure that Miss Smith leaves their home, just as Philip wants her to. If anything Philip appears to want to disassociate himself (and Rosemary) from Miss Smith. Which would again play on the theme of class. Philip does not want to associate himself with those (Miss Smith) he considers to be of a lower class.

How insecure Rosemary may feel about her physical appearance is further noticeable by the fact that after Miss Smith leaves Rosemary’s home, Mansfield tells the reader that Rosemary ‘done her hair, darkened her eyes a little and put on her pearls.’ This action is important as it suggests that Rosemary is attempting to make herself pretty, at least in Philips eyes. The fact that Rosemary asks Philip for the money to buy the little box may also be significant as it would again highlight the importance of material things to Rosemary. Also by ending the story with Rosemary asking Philip ‘am I pretty?’ Mansfield may be further highlighting how insecure Rosemary feels about her physical appearance. Despite being wealthy and living a life that the majority of people at the time the story was written were unable to live, Rosemary is insecure.

• Mr. and Mrs. Williams by Katherine Mansfield
• The Luft Bad by Katherine Mansfield
• Such a Sweet Old Lady by Katherine Mansfield
• Susannah by Katherine Mansfield
• Katherine Mansfield

218 comments

very crispy and informative

Thanks for the comment Suji. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

Why was Katherine Mansfield regarded as a modern writer?

Thanks for the comment KD. Mansfield may be considered a modernist writer because she tackled issues that were not largely seen in literature at the time. Issues like social status and class.

can u tell me a way the character is represented using a quote in the start of the story (from the start to ‘then a murmur reached her’)please

I’m not sure. Perhaps someone has relayed the line or statement to the narrator. Prior to the narrator telling the story.

wow its really a very powerful story…….

Thanks for the comment Dinesh. It is a powerful story.

Thanks. Helped a lot!

You’re welcome. I’m glad that you found the post helpful.

Please explain the meaning of ‘if you took her to pieces…but why be so cruel as to take anyone to pieces.’

Thanks for the comment Can. The line is an unfavourable view of Rosemary. What the narrator is suggesting is that if you broke down each part of Rosemary’s personality (and appearance) you might not like what you find. And it would be cruel to do so. Nobody would like to be completely under a microscope.

I am poor in English sentence understanding so please explain things in a simple way. Don’t mistake me but like l love to study.

If u took her to pieces…but why be so cruel as to take anyone to pieces. Please explain in simple way?

Thanks for the comment Mahendran. Jealousy might be one reason why an individual might take another individual to pieces. Not liking someone too. Often people who dislike another person will talk unkindly of that person.

It means that when you look closely at her you will find a few thing that will be beautiful. Overall she wasn’t beautiful.

Thanks Waqar.

It not crispy…but crisp

Thanks Scarlett.

It was very useful.

Thanks for the comment Iftikhar. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

Please tell me who is Peter—Michael in the story?

Thanks for the comment Mahendran. Peter and Michael may have been two of Rosemary’s old boyfriends.

It’s a very nice story. Today I have a clearer concept about this story. Its our syllabus related story..

Thanks for the comment Gautom. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

Do u have analysis of other stories like the blind man ???

Thanks for the comment Mrs Bilal. I don’t have a copy of The Blind Man. But if I come across a copy, I’ll post a review.

What does materialism here mean and who is materialistic Rosemary or her husband?

Thanks for the comment Maqsood. When I refer to materialism in the story I am making reference to Rosemary. How she is more interested in possessions (small box in shop) than she is in the well-being of the individual. Though she brings Miss Smith home with her Rosemary is not necessarily concerned about her. Rather she considers bringing Miss Smith home to be similar to an adventure she can tell her friends about.

Rosemary’s main focus throughout the story is on herself. How she will have a story to tell her friends which will make her the centre of attention. It might also be important that though Philip doesn’t appear to be materialistic. He is nonetheless extremely class conscious. Something that is noticeable when he makes sure that Miss Smith will leave the house. He also acts as Rosemary’s enabler, assisting her by giving her the money to buy the small box at the end of the story.

Thanks so much for replying to me. I found it very useful and interesting. If you could also point out some of the figurative language in the story.

Hi Maqsood. There is some figurative language in the story some of which includes Mansfield telling the reader that Rosemary ‘had a duck of a boy’ when describing Philip. Also when Mansfield describes Rosemary’s wealth she makes a comparison to an individual’s grandparents ‘not just comfortably well off, which is odious and stuffy and sounds like one’s grandparents.’ There are further examples of figurative language. The flowers, when the young girl is carrying them out of the shop, are described as ‘an immense white paper armful that looked like a baby in long clothes….’ The little enamel box box is also described as looking as ‘though it had been baked in cream.’

Further on in the story Mansfield describes the rain as ‘spinning down like ashes.’ Also when Rosemary first meets Miss Smith she ‘shivered as though she had just come out of the water.’ Also when both Rosemary and Miss Smith are driving to Rosemary’s home Mansfield describes the scene as though Rosemary and Miss Smith ‘were skimming through the dusk.’ When Rosemary arrives home with Miss Smith she is described as being ‘like the rich little girl in her nursery with all the cupboards to open, all the boxes to unpack.’ Then near the end of the story Mansfield describes Rosemary’s heart as beating ‘like a heavy bell.’

Could u explain the examples of figurative language used here. I quite didn’t get that.

It might help if I supply you with a definition for figurative language. Most examples I’ve supplied in the comment are similes which are part of figurative language..

Could u please explain the figurative reference of the grandparents and baby wrapped and baked in cream. What are these things trying to suggest?

I’m not sure I would need to read the sentence in context. But perhaps Mansfield is suggesting that both the grandparents and baby are sweating. I’m not really sure.

Have you any material about the Thomas Hardy short story The Withered Arm? Also what genre is A Cup of Tea?

I don’t have The Withered Arm Maqsood but if I come across it I’ll post a review. As far as I can work out A Cup of Tea would be part of the modernist tradition.

Thank you so much it was really helpful. I would like to know the meaning of ‘She had a duck of a boy. No not Peter—Michael.

Thanks for the comment Jyoti. I’m glad you found the post helpful. The term duck (or ducky) would mean pleasant or excellent. So Mansfield is most likely suggesting that Rosemary has a good man in Philip. The hyphen between Peter—Michael is also confusing as the reader doesn’t know if Mansfield is listing two men’s names who may have previously courted Rosemary before she married Philip or if Peter—Michael is one individual’s name. Either way though the sentence refers to Philip.

I would like to know the meaning of “Rosemary Fell was not exactly beautiful “

Thanks for the comment Rajdip. Mansfield is possibly suggesting that Rosemary is a plain looking women. That is how I would interpret the line.

Thank you so much for replying to me. It is very helpful with understanding the story.

No problem Rajdip. I’m glad I was able to help you.

This story was on our syllabus of English in India. Being an English literature student I have read all of Katherine Mansfield’s short stories on free ebooks published by the University of Adelaide. Anyone wishing to read Mansfield’s stories can do so there.

Thanks for the comment Anuradha and thank you for the information.

Thank you very much for your analysis. I am studying Modern English literature and this week I have an assignment with this. Have you ever thought about Ms. Smith’s feeling in this story? I saw many people emphasis Rosemary but don’t mention Ms. Smith much.

Thanks for the comment Fu. Mansfield may have deliberately not given Miss Smith a voice and by doing so may be suggesting that the lower classes themselves do not have a voice, unlike Rosemary who is the main focus for most if not all of the story. Throughout the story I found Miss Smith to be submissive to Rosemary which might be the point that Mansfield was trying to make. To suggest to the reader the control that the upper classes had over the lower classes. One incident that stuck out for me is when Rosemary leaves Miss Smith’s hat and coat on the floor and Miss Smith says nothing.

It is as if Miss Smith is not Rosemary’s equal though as you suggest we never get any insight into how Miss Smith may feel. It may also be a case that Miss Smith because of her class looks highly upon Rosemary as many people from the lower classes would have done at the time when it came to someone from the upper classes. They would not have questioned them or engaged with them in any way. Which may in some way explain Miss Smith’s relative silence throughout the story.

Thank you so much for replying to me. My assignment is about retelling the story with first-person, Ms. Smith. I have to imagine Smith’s feeling and opinion when treated like that. I think when Rosemary decides to take Smith to her house, Smith’s very surprised and confused. Afterward, when she’s in Rosemary’s house it can be scary. But there are two things I can’t make clear. First is the reason why Smith initially asks Rosemary for the cost for a cup of tea and whether Smith knows the conversation between Rosemary and Phillip is about her, because she doesn’t enjoy any tea and has to go out.

Btw, your information helped me solve some problems in my complicated assignment, thank you so much!!!!

I would agree with you that Miss Smith is somewhat surprised and confused when Rosemary asks her to visit her home. I think Miss Smith’s reaction is due to the fact that it was uncommon at the time the story was written for the lower classes to mix with the upper classes. It is also an environment in which Miss Smith is not accustomed to which as you suggest makes her feel somewhat afraid. I think Miss Smith asked Rosemary for the price of a cup of tea because she knew that Rosemary could afford it.

Though it is also possible that Miss Smith may have asked everybody who passed by her for the price of a cup of tea. I also don’t think that Miss Smith is aware that Rosemary and Philip are talking about her. I think the reason she may not enjoy the tea is because of the environment around her. She would not be used to the comforts that come with upper class homes. If anything I felt that Miss Smith herself was out of her comfort zone. Unsure of how to react to Rosemary and as such may have wished to leave the home.

Please I need to know if Oscar Wilde’s short stories are representative of the Victorian era? Also the theme of feminism in A Cup of Tea.

Thanks for the comment Rabia. I’ve not read Oscar Wilde so I’m unable to answer that part of your comment. When it comes to feminism as a theme in the story it is possible that Mansfield is highlighting the divisions that exist within feminism. Rather than being there for Miss Smith Rosemary through her insecurity and jealousy (of Miss Smith) ends up giving Miss Smith some money rather than bonding or connecting with her in any particular way. Miss Smith is more a plaything for Rosemary rather than being someone that Rosemary would view upon as being her equal or someone she can understand and connect with.

Why isn’t the poor girl’s first name mentioned in the story? why is it just miss Smith?

Thanks for the comment Arbaz. Mansfield probably withheld Miss Smith’s first name to highlight the fact that Miss Smith is different to Rosemary. One person is upper class (Rosemary) and is given a first name while Miss Smith as a working class person has her name withheld. Mansfield is probably attempting to differentiate between the classes by withholding Miss Smith’s first name.

Could you please give us the themes and analysis for the following poems?

a) The Question by Adrian Mitchell b) Hawk Roosting by Ted Hughes

Also, could you explain ‘The Dead’ by James Joyce?

Thank you so much!

Thanks for the comment Piku. I only review short stories and know very little about poetry. I have an analysis on The Dead on the blog. You can find it here .

This story is in our syllabus thank you so much it is helpful

Thanks for the comment Paraminder. It’s great knowing you found the post helpful. Good luck with your studies.

Who is Rosemary married to and how long was she married?

Thanks for the comment Subrata. Rosemary is married to Phillip. As readers we do not know how long she has been married.

What was thought of Rosemary’s married life?

Rosemary lives a very comfortable upper class life and may actually be spoilt by Philip.

Who wanted the price of a cup of tea from Rosemary?

Miss Smith is the character who asks Rosemary for the price of a cup of tea.

What was in the little box?

Thanks for the comment Igor. Mansfield never lets the reader know if there was anything in the box.

Is there any isolation and loneliness in this story.

Thanks for the comment Ezhar. I suppose you could suggest that Rosemary is lonely and isolates herself. Lonely because she is so reliant on Philip to provide for her. The marriage may be based on convenience – Philip has money and isolated because she doesn’t mix with people of all classes (Miss Smith).

Is rosemary insecure?

Thanks for the comment Sudipa. Rosemary is insecure. An example of which is when Philip tells her that Miss Smith is attractive. Rosemary feels threatened by the remark and as such changes her opinion of Miss Smith. As to why Rosemay may be inseure is probably due to her dependency on Philip. She is not a strong independent woman.

I am kindly asking you to explain the meaning of the first two paragraphs line by line.

Beginning with the first paragraph. The narrator has an opportunity to be cruel towards Rosemary but decides against it. Knowing that it would be unfair. Instead the narrator compliments many of the good things that Rosemary has going for her. Good character traits.

In the second paragraph the reader learns that Rosemary is married to a good man (a good catch). We also learn that Rosemary and Philip (Rosemary’s husband) are rich and do not need for anything. In fact Rosemary can be flamboyant when it comes to spending money. Buying more than she needs.

Thanks for your help.

No problem Mahendran. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

She had a duck of boy. Please tell me this sentence meaning.

Thanks for the comment Mahe. The term duck (or ducky) would mean pleasant or excellent. So Philip is a pleasant or excellent man (or boy).

She had a duck of a boy please see this sentence once again. I thought that her husband had a son. Duck means darling so darling mean husband?

Rosemary and Philip have no children. None that are mentioned in the story at least. Darling can mean husband but usually it’s a term of affection towards someone.

No problem Mahe.

How Rosemary Fell helpful by nature in the story of a cup of tea ?

Thanks for the comment Harsh. I’m not sure if Rosemary is helpful by nature. Anything she does she does so for herself. Taking Miss Smith home as an example. Rosemary wants to be able to boast to her friends of the adventure she had with Miss Smith. Likewise when Philip tells Rosemary that he thinks Miss Smith is attractive. Rosemary because of jealousy gives Miss Smith some money and removes from her home

Could u explain me the meaning of the paragraph which I have mentioned below-

” On the lid a minute creature stood under a flowery tree,and a more minute creature still had her arms round his neck . Her hat, really no bigger than a geranium petal,hung from a branch ; it had green ribbon.And there was a pink cloud like a watchful cherub floating above their heads. Rosemary took her hands out of her long gloves. she always took off her gloves to examine such things. Yes ,she liked it very much . she loved it; it was a great duck . she must have it. And turning the creamy box,opening and shutting it , she couldn’t help noticing how charming her hands were against the blue velvet .The shopman,in same dim cavern of his mind , may have dared to think so,too.For he took a pencil ,leant over the counter ,and his pale bloodless finger crept timidly towards those rosy,flashing ones,as he murmured gently: ‘ If I may venture to point out to madam ,the flower on little lady’s bodice.’ “

Thanks for the comment Pankaj. Mansfield is describing the little box that Rosemary wants to buy. Mansfield is also using colourful imagery to highlight to the reader how interested Rosemary is in the box. Something that is noticeable by the salesman too. Throughout the paragraph Rosemary is thinking about herself and how good the box will look in her home.

Thanks for replying me. You have cleared most of my doubt. But I have still some confusion.

For example:-

“The shopman,in same dim cavern of his mind , may have dared to think so,too.For he took a pencil ,leant over the counter ,and his pale bloodless finger crept timidly towards those rosy,flashing ones,as he murmured gently: ‘ If I may venture to point out to madam ,the flower on little lady’s bodice.’ ”

Could you elaborate above sentences meaning ? For me, it is really hard to understand it.

Mansfield is suggesting that the shopman or salesman is more interested in making a sale to Rosemary than anything else. She portrays him as a dark figure whose only goal is to make a sale. Something that is noticeable by his remark about the flower on the little lady’s bodice. His mind is described as being like a dim cavern (badly lit) and his fingers are described as bloodless. Mansfield is not flattering when it comes to describing the salesman. Who again is more interested in selling Rosemary the little box than anything else.

Thank you very much. You have cleared all my doubt. I’m really satisfied with your answer.

Thanks Pankaj. I’m glad I was able to help you.

“But let me know if Miss Smith is going to dine with us in time for me to look up The Milliner’s Gazette.” What does it mean? Could you elaborate me?

Philip is being sarcastic. At the time the story was written milliners (hat makers), shop assistants and other causal jobs were considered by some to be loosely the equivalent of prostitution. Hence Philip sarcastically suggesting he should look up The Milliner’s Gazette.

sorry, I’m not getting you.

Philip is suggesting that Miss Smith may be a prostitute. A good looking prostitute which makes Rosemary jealous.

No problem.

I have 2 questions regarding this story

1. Why did Rosemary try to make herself attractive as possible before her husband?

2. “Philip,” she whispered, and she pressed his head against her bosom, “am I pretty?” Could you comment on this statement?

Rosemary is aware that Philip said Miss Smith is attractive. By putting on make-up and making herself more attractive Rosemary wants to put the focus back on her. With regard to Rosemary asking Philip is she pretty. Rosemary is insecure because of Philip’s earlier remark about Miss Smith being attractive. Philip is playing on Rosemary’s insecurities.

Is Rosemary afraid of Miss Smith that Philip will give his wife’s place to Miss Smith?

Rosemary would be afraid of any woman (including Miss Smith) taking her place. Rosemary has a very comfortable life with Philip. He provides for Rosemary ensuring that Rosemary’s life is free of financial worry.

Thank you very much Dermot. Your post is very useful for me. It has cleared lots of doubt from my mind. I read lots of blog but your blog is completely different from others. It is easy to understand and a lot more clearer than others. I would like to request that you include the D.H. Lawrence short story : ” Odour of Chrysanthemums”

Thanks for your kind words Pankaj. I have a copy of Odour of Chrysanthemums. I just don’t know when I’ll get a chance to review the story. At the moment I have a back log of stories that I need to read.

1 ) What is the central theme of the Short story ‘A cup of tea ‘ ? 2) Why did Gopal seek a truthful opinion from Dr. Raman as mentioned in R.K Narayan The doctor Word ? 3) Explain Briefly the important characteristics of a short story ? 4) How does old Mr.behrman play a significant role in saving Johnny’s life in The last leaf ?

Thanks for the comment Krishna. The central theme of ‘A Cup of Tea’ is class and social prejudice.

Gopal most likely wanted to know the truth so that he could prepare himself for what may happen.

The exact characteristics of a short story will vary by writer. Usually a short story focuses on one incident; has a single plot, a single setting, and a small number of characters; and covers a short period of time. You’ll find out more here .

Behrman ends up saving Johnsy’s life by sacrificing his own life when he paints the leaf.

Thank you so much

You’re welcome Krishna.

What impact does the season and nature (rain) have on the story? What does it reveal?

Thanks for the comment Hunts. Mansfield appears to be using the setting, after Rosemary leaves the antique shop, to highlight Rosemary’s mood after she is unable to buy the little box. Mansfield tells the reader that the ‘rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, spinning down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new-lighted lamps looked sad.’ In many ways this setting mirrors how Rosemary may feel about having to leave the shop without purchasing the little box.

The short story can be “read in an hour and remembered for a lifetime ” Comment on this statement.

Some readers will agree with this statement. The short story writer is limited in the space they can use and as such they have to draw a readers attention quickly and sharply. To get a point across. It is this sudden impact to the reader’s mind that will leave many readers remembering what they have read. Despite the passing of time. Most short stories are also like a slice of life. The writer bringing the reader into the life (usually different to the readers) of a character and highlighting the struggles that a character might face. It is through identification with characters in a story that a reader will again remember a story. Though it is also possible to read a story in whereby the reader does not identify with a character but may be drawn to the theme of the story and it is through the theme of the story (e.g. class) that the reader identifies with and remembers what they have read.

Thank you very much Dermot for helping me.

You’re welcome Pankaj.

Trace the development of the short story as a genre.

Thanks for the comment Nitesh. Unfortunately I would not know the answer to that question. However this link here might help

Discuss how the stories of Katherine Mansfield help to analyse the true human experience with reference to the story “A cup of Tea”

Mansfield manages to highlight to the reader through Rosemary Felt’s character how selfish an individual can be. Thinking only of themselves and not having a concern for another human being. Similarly with Philip’s character. He likes to control Rosemary which suggests he (and people in general) like to control others. Miss Smith’s character throughout the story is voiceless. She is outside the social class that Rosemary and Philip belong to. She is used by Rosemary as a piece of information she can tell her friends about. Which in many ways mirrors how some people may feel. They too may not have a voice.

Thank you very much Dermot. I have one more question. write a short note on the central idea of Chekhov’s “The Bet”

I haven’t yet read The Bet Pankaj. I’ve been meaning to get around to reading it but have a back log of stories that I need to review first.

What is the central idea of the short story “A cup of tea” by Katherine Mansfield?

The central issue in the story would be one of class. Rosemary is upper class while Miss Smith is lower/working class. Rosemary considers Miss Smith to be a tool she can use to tell her friends about. Mansfield possibly highlighting how those who are upper class do not treat those of a lower class as equals.

Thanks a lot Dermot.

No problem Pankaj.

What is the irony at the end of the story “A cup of tea”?

It’s ironic that at the end of the story Rosemary helps herself rather than Miss Smith who she sends home. She helps herself by persuading Philip to give her the money for the little box. Which in many ways shows the reader how selfish Rosemary is.

Thank you very much Dermot.

Can’t we draw anything positive from the character or story…?

One positive that can be drawn from the story is the insight that Mansfield gives of those who are upper class. They appear to be selfish and think only of themselves (Rosemary). Which would lead the reader to the belief that those who are upper class (Rosemary again) can’t be trusted.

Why does Rosemary not buy the box in the first place?

As far as I remember Rosemary thought that twenty-eight guineas was too much for the box.

The story is very good but what is the paradox and irony in this story?

The paradox would be that Rosemary attempts to do the right thing when she invites Miss Smith to her home. However she is doing so in order to tell her friends a story. In reality she is helping herself rather than Miss Smith. Similarly with the irony in the story. Rosemary rather than looking after Miss Smith is looking after herself.

can you explain this in detail or in rough brief

I’m not sure how I can explain it further. Rosemary is a selfish person who tries to portray herself as being a helpful person.

You’re welcome.

Do you know why the author chose the characters she did in the story?

Like the rungs on a ladder. Mansfield probably needed to have one character after another who was ‘higher’ than the other. Firstly Miss Smith was at the bottom of the ladder and was controlled by Rosemary. Next was Rosemary and finally Phillip who controlled Rosemary. Mansfield highlighting the differences in class between people but also how dominated society was by the male (Phillip).

I want to know what is Rosemary’s relationship with beauty?

Rosemary may believe that beauty is everything. Which would highlight how insecure Rosemary actually is. She judges people by appearance. Comparing them to herself.

Why is the title of the story appropriate?

Having a cup of tea with someone is usually a harmless thing to do. For Rosemary it only raises jealousy and shows the reader how insecure she really is.

Thank u.. nicely reviewed and answered the questions.

I’m glad you found the post helpful.

I have a question please. How is the title of the story appropriate?

Having a cup of tea with someone is usually a harmless thing to do. However for Rosemary it only raises jealousy and shows the reader how insecure she really is.

Is rosemary a mother?

There is no mention in the story about Rosemary having children.

Justify the title of the story.

I answered a similar question which you will find here .

If i had to give a presentation on this story, what topic do you think would be the best?

I would focus on class and selfishness and how selfish those of a higher social class can be. Rosemary for example is really only thinking about herself.

Hi, I was wondering what the following lines meant “Then Rosemary said dreamily: “I saw a fascinating little box to-day. It cost twenty-eight guineas. May I have it?” Philip jumped her on his knee. “You may, little wasteful one,” said he. But that was not really what Rosemary wanted to say.”

Also, I was wondering if there were any major claims from literary elements?

Thank you so much for all of your hard work I really appreciate it 🙂

Rosemary most likely still feels insecure (over the Miss Smith incident) and wants to ask Philip does he love her. As for literary elements in the story. I would need to read the story again to answer that part of your question.

What is the significance of the little box that Rosemary wanted to buy? Comment on the elements of pathos in ‘A cup of tea’.

The little box could represent control. Rosemary wants to buy it but not to have to pay so much for it. It is for this reason she relies on Philip to buy it for her. With regard to pathos in the story. Miss Smith is the trigger for any sadness that the reader might feel. She is down on her luck and needs help. However Rosemary isn’t prepared to offer the help that Miss Smith needs and views Miss Smith as no more than a trophy.

Thanks . This was very helpful. I was just wondering if there was any mood/tone change within the text and if so, how did Manfield change the mood/tone?

There is a noticeable change in the mood/tone when Philip is introduced. Particularly when he tells Rosemary that Miss Smith is attractive.

Hi there, I have a few questions if you don’t mind. Do you think Rosemary and Phillip married out of love ( did she maybe marry him for his wealth or was she already wealthy before they got married?) Were they living in a patriarchal society at the time? Is Philip dominant in the relationship? Thanks

I think Rosemary may have married Philip due to the fact that he was wealthy. I would also suspect that they are living in a patriarchal society. Which suggests that Philip was the dominant one in the relationship.

Can you please summarise the story in some lines ?

I would need to read the story again to answer your question.

A woman (Rosemary) brings a poor woman (Miss Smith) to her home and pretends to be charitable when in reality she looks at her time with Miss Smith as being an adventure in which she can tell her friends about.

What is the central idea of the story according to Mansfield?

I would suggest that the central idea is one of class and how selfish the middle class (and upper classes) can be.

Thank you for your amazing review. Could you explain why Rosemary says “we’re both women” to Miss Smith?

Rosemary is trying to put Miss Smith’s mind at ease because they are going back to Rosemary’s home and Miss Smith is nervous.

what is the moral lesson of this story?

Do not use people for your own advantage.

Thank you so much. This was very helpful

I’m glad that you found the post helpful.

What happens at the end of the story A cup of Tea?

Miss Smith leaves Rosemary’s home and Rosemary asks Philip for the money to buy the little box. Highlighting that Rosemary remains under the control of Philip.

Thank you so much , it was really very helpful.

I am confused that where exactly does the climax of the story lie . Please ,

(plot elements)

I would need to read the story again to answer your question. However I think the climax occurs when Rosemary is having tea with Miss Smith.

Can you explain the figurative language in the sentence “The footman held the door of the car open, and a moment later they were skimming through the dusk.”? I am confused that which figurative language is it and what is it used for.

The figurative language used is ‘skimming through the dusk.’ Which is representative of the car moving through the streets. You’ll find a definition for figurative language and examples here .

“I picked her up on Curzon Street,” Rosemary explains to Phillip. In what ways is Miss Smith like the other things she picked up on Curzon Street? How is she different?

Rosemary looks upon Miss Smith as another possession that she can discard and do what she likes with. Unfortunately for Rosemary, Miss Smith is prettier (at least in Philip’s eyes) than Rosemary. Meaning that Rosemary is actually jealous for the first time in her life because she is not Philip’s number one choice.

Hi, I was wondering if Philip really thinks Miss Smith is pretty, or if he is trying to get her out of the house because of his ‘class consciousness’. It sounds a bit like he knows calling Miss Smith pretty will make Rosemary jealous, and he does this on purpose, so she will no longer try ‘care’ for Miss Smith. In your opinion, is this true?

You’re right. Phillip does not think Miss Smith is pretty but says it to worry Rosemary.

Hello, may I ask your point of view : is there any restraint or excess in this short story ?

I’m sorry Nadia. I’m not sure. I would need to read the story again to answer your question.

Ok Thank you.

Based on “A Cup of Tea,” how does insecurity shape relationships?

It’s been a while since I read the story but the fact that Rosemary takes Miss Smith home as entertainment. Suggests that Rosemary may be insecure. She does not want an equal but somebody that she feels she is better then.

Also how Rosemary reacts to Philip’s comment about Miss Smith at the end of the story suggests that Rosemary is insecure.

4. Identify (Irony) – In literature, situational irony is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen. Consider how Rosemary feels when she first meets Miss Smith. How has Rosemary’s perception of herself changed by the story’s end? What is ironic about this change?

Rosemary looks at Miss Smith as a plaything. Someone who can amuse her. However by the story’s end she feels threatened by Miss Smith because Philip has told her Miss Smith is attractive.

It helped me a lot in my mid terms. Thank you.

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A Cup of Tea | Summary and Analysis

Summary of a cup of tea by katherine mansfield.

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield was first published in the “Story-Teller” in May 1922. It later appeared in “The Doves’ Nest and Other Stories” in 1923. The protagonist is a snobbish wealthy woman who only lends a helping hand to a poor girl because she thinks it’ll make her look good. The author portrays a clear image of class difference and the attitudes of people of different classes. Themes of materialism and class difference are explored in this story.

A Cup of Tea | Summary

The protagonist Rosemary Fell is a very wealthy woman however, the narrator says that she’s not the kind to be considered “beautiful”. Rosemary has been married for two years to a very rich man, Phillips Fell. Rosemary lives a luxurious life, shopping at high-end shops and buying anything she desires. Once she visits an antique shop, the shopkeeper is very fond of her and seems to fancy her a lot. He shows her a small shiny velvet box that’s very beautiful. Rosemary is very pleased but knowing the price to be twenty-eight gunnies she decides not to buy it and asks the shopkeeper to save it for her.

Outside the shop, it’s raining and rosemary is very upset that she can’t buy that box now. She’s approached by a timid looking girl who asks her for money, the price of a cup of tea. Rosemary thinks such things happen in books and sound incredible thus she decides to take the girl with her to her home. She wants to show the poor girl that rich people feel empathy for her kind. The girl is very shocked to receive such treatment, she’s afraid at first but agrees to go with her. Rosemary thinks about boasting about this in front of her friends.

At her house, Rosemary takes the girl up to her bedroom and makes her sit near the fire on a comfortable chair. She helps the girl take off her coat and hat but drops them on the floor. The poor girl cries that life’s too hard and she’s too tired to carry on, she wishes to end her life. Rosemary consoles her and orders tea. The girl is served tea along with some food. Rosemary lights up a cigarette while the girl eats. After the girl’s eaten some food she appears livelier. Rosemary starts to ask her about her life but she’s interrupted by her husband’s arrival. Phillip is astonished to see the girl in his wife’s room and he asks the girl’s name, she says it is Smith. Phillip then asks Rosemary to join him in the library to talk in private.

Phillip inquires about the girl and Rosemary explains her philanthropic plans. Philip says that it’s absurd to keep a stranger in the house like this but Rosemary is keen on her mission. Then Phillip mentions that the girl is very lovely and pretty. This makes Rosemary insecure. Rosemary leaves the library and picks up some money to give to the poor Miss Smith, she then asks her to leave. After Miss Smith leaves Rosemary dresses up nicely, makes her hair look nice and wears her pearls. She joins her husband back in the library and lies that Miss Smith insisted on leaving. She sits on his knees and asks him whether he likes her; he assures her that he likes her a lot. She then asks if she can buy the shiny velvet box from the antique store. Phillip agrees but that was not what she wanted to ask him. After a pause, she questions “Am I pretty?”

A Cup of Tea | Analysis

This story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator, in a conversational manner. Appearances have a lot of importance in this story. Mansfield depicts the class difference and hypocrisy seen in New Zealand during the early 20th century. Rosemary appears to be a caring and kind woman but she has selfish intentions. She only helps the poor girl because she thinks it will improve her status among her friends. This reflects how the upper-class society only acts for their own benefit and they only help the poor to gain praise.

Rosemary lives a luxurious life unaware of the hardships the people like Miss Smith go through. Even if it was pretentious she tried to be kind and sympathetic towards Miss Smith however her insecurity and jealousy turned her selfish again. She becomes mean. When she kicked Miss Smith out, she could have at least given her some proper amount instead she gives her a mere three dollar bill.  She just wanted to have an adventure; it was like a play to her but when it came to her own interests she decides to stop her little game.

Rosemary is jealous of the poor girl after her husband calls her lovely. Her insecurity stops her from offering her pretentious help; she makes the girl leave by giving her some money. At first, she picks up five pounds but then keeps two and only gives three to the girl. She can help but she chooses to not help that girl. She’s too concerned about her own feelings. The girl told her she might kill herself yet Rosemary showed no empathy. The author establishes that whatever the status, a woman of Rosemary’s type is a woman after all, frail, and jealous, despite her desire to appear otherwise.

A Cup of Tea | Themes

Materialism

Rosemary is very materialistic and her intentions are centred on materialistic things. She desires the shiny velvet box a lot and after she fails to buy it she becomes so upset as if it was a big tragedy. She then helps Miss Smith to make herself look good but the moment her vanity is hurt she drops her idea of helping. This reflects how the rich lack emotions and empathy; they keep reaching towards materialistic goals. As a woman, Rosemary is inclined to make herself look beautiful in order to establish her worth. This is another materialistic attitude of the society that the author condemns. People force women to feel insecure about themselves, women are only valued for their beauty. Appearances are given more importance than personality and values.

Class Difference

The disparity of classes was very evident in this story. Miss Smith has no money to buy her a meal, she desperately asks for money for a cup of tea. While there are rich people like Rosemary who waste money on flowers and shiny objects which they don’t need. Despite having so much money they don’t help others. While the wealthy people indulge in materialistic things the poor are exposed to hunger and suffering. Rosemary represents the mentality of the upper-class people. The major theme of this story is the class difference between Rosemary and Miss Smith. The upper-class people are materialistic and selfish. They have a lot of money and possessions yet they want more and go after insignificant expensive things. The velvet box symbolizes this materialistic attitude. On the other hand, the lower class people don’t have enough to get ends meet. They lack the money to even afford basic needs like food and shelter. The cup of tea symbolizes their requirements.

A Cup of Tea | Character Sketch

Character of Rosemary

Rosemary is a materialistic and snobbish woman. She keeps chasing materialistic things and cares about appearances a lot. She’s selfish for the most part and pretentious. She may have been selfish but we find that she’s also venerable the same as everyone. She has her own insecurities. Her husband’s attraction towards Miss Smith hurts her and compels her to become rude. At the end of the story she asks her husband “am I pretty?” this shows that she too wants validation. She wants someone to value her and recognize her for who she is.

A Cup of Tea | About the author

Katherine Mansfield, original name Kathleen Mansfield (1888 –1923) was a New Zealand writer. When she moved to England she became a friend of D. H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf and other prominent figures. Her short stories and poetry were very well received, they mostly focused on existentialism. She’s one of the most influential and important authors of the modernist movement and had much influence on the development of the short story as a form of literature. Her popular works include “Prelude” and “Bliss”.

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Exploring "A Cup of Tea": Short Story Analysis

Table of contents, an unexpected encounter: appearance vs. reality, the complexity of human nature: selfishness and empathy, themes of privilege and connection.

• Mansfield, K. (1922). A Cup of Tea. In The Dove's Nest and Other Stories (pp. 69-77). Constable and Company Ltd.
• Perry, S. (2001). “The Hasty Heartbeat of a Bad Little Actress”: A Reading of Katherine Mansfield’s “A Cup of Tea.” Modern Language Review, 96(2), 339-353. doi:10.2307/3736223
• Murphy, P. A. (2011). Divided by a Common Language: The Paradox of Human Bonding in Katherine Mansfield's “A Cup of Tea.” Women's Studies, 40(2), 184-207. doi:10.1080/00497878.2011.539744
• Woo, C. H. (1998). Katherine Mansfield's Paris Stories: Expatriation and Expatriates. Studies in Short Fiction, 35(1), 87-99.
• Wilson, A. (2015). The Problem of Extravagance in Katherine Mansfield’s “A Cup of Tea.” English Studies in Canada, 41(3), 35-55. doi:10.1353/esc.2015.0017

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Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923)

188 A Cup of Tea

Katherine Mansfield

Rosemary Fell was not exactly beautiful. No, you couldn’t have called her beautiful. Pretty? Well, if you took her to pieces… But why be so cruel as to take anyone to pieces? She was young, brilliant, extremely modern, exquisitely well dressed, amazingly well read in the newest of the new books, and her parties were the most delicious mixture of the really important people and… artists—quaint creatures, discoveries of hers, some of them too terrifying for words, but others quite presentable and amusing.

Rosemary had been married two years. She had a duck of a boy [1] . No, not Peter—Michael. And her husband absolutely adored her. They were rich, really rich, not just comfortably well off, which is odious and stuffy and sounds like one’s grandparents. But if Rosemary wanted to shop she would go to Paris as you and I would go to Bond Street. [2]  If she wanted to buy flowers, the car pulled up at that perfect shop in Regent Street [3] , and Rosemary inside the shop just gazed in her dazzled, rather exotic way, and said: “I want those and those and those. Give me four bunches of those. And that jar of roses. Yes, I’ll have all the roses in the jar. No, no lilac. I hate lilac. It’s got no shape.” The attendant bowed and put the lilac out of sight, as though this was only too true; lilac was dreadfully shapeless. “Give me those stumpy little tulips. Those red and white ones.” And she was followed to the car by a thin shop-girl staggering under an immense white paper armful that looked like a baby in long clothes….

One winter afternoon she had been buying something in a little antique shop in Curzon Street. [4]  It was a shop she liked. For one thing, one usually had it to oneself. And then the man who kept it was ridiculously fond of serving her. He beamed whenever she came in. He clasped his hands; he was so gratified he could scarcely speak. Flattery, of course. All the same, there was something…

“You see, madam,” he would explain in his low respectful tones, “I love my things. I would rather not part with them than sell them to someone who does not appreciate them, who has not that fine feeling which is so rare…” And, breathing deeply, he unrolled a tiny square of blue velvet and pressed it on the glass counter with his pale finger-tips.

To-day it was a little box. He had been keeping it for her. He had shown it to nobody as yet. An exquisite little enamel box with a glaze so fine it looked as though it had been baked in cream. On the lid a minute creature stood under a flowery tree, and a more minute creature still had her arms round his neck. Her hat, really no bigger than a geranium petal, hung from a branch; it had green ribbons. And there was a pink cloud like a watchful cherub floating above their heads. Rosemary took her hands out of her long gloves. She always took off her gloves to examine such things. Yes, she liked it very much. She loved it; it was a great duck. She must have it. And, turning the creamy box, opening and shutting it, she couldn’t help noticing how charming her hands were against the blue velvet. The shopman, in some dim cavern of his mind, may have dared to think so too. For he took a pencil, leant over the counter, and his pale, bloodless fingers crept timidly towards those rosy, flashing ones, as he murmured gently: “If I may venture to point out to madam, the flowers on the little lady’s bodice.”

“Charming!” Rosemary admired the flowers. But what was the price? For a moment the shopman did not seem to hear. Then a murmur reached her. “Twenty-eight guineas [5] , madam.”

“Twenty-eight guineas.” Rosemary gave no sign. She laid the little box down; she buttoned her gloves again. Twenty-eight guineas. Even if one is rich… She looked vague. She stared at a plump tea-kettle like a plump hen above the shopman’s head, and her voice was dreamy as she answered: “Well, keep it for me—will you? I’ll…”

But the shopman had already bowed as though keeping it for her was all any human being could ask. He would be willing, of course, to keep it for her for ever.

The discreet door shut with a click. She was outside on the step, gazing at the winter afternoon. Rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, spinning down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new-lighted lamps looked sad. Sad were the lights in the houses opposite. Dimly they burned as if regretting something. And people hurried by, hidden under their hateful umbrellas. Rosemary felt a strange pang. She pressed her muff against her breast; she wished she had the little box, too, to cling to. Of course the car was there. She’d only to cross the pavement. But still she waited. There are moments, horrible moments in life, when one emerges from shelter and looks out, and it’s awful. One oughtn’t to give way to them. One ought to go home and have an extra-special tea. But at the very instant of thinking that, a young girl, thin, dark, shadowy—where had she come from?—was standing at Rosemary’s elbow and a voice like a sigh, almost like a sob, breathed: “Madam, may I speak to you a moment?”

“Speak to me?” Rosemary turned. She saw a little battered creature with enormous eyes, someone quite young, no older than herself, who clutched at her coat-collar with reddened hands, and shivered as though she had just come out of the water.

“M-madam, stammered the voice. Would you let me have the price of a cup of tea?”

“A cup of tea?” There was something simple, sincere in that voice; it wasn’t in the least the voice of a beggar. “Then have you no money at all?” asked Rosemary.

“None, madam,” came the answer.

“How extraordinary!” Rosemary peered through the dusk and the girl gazed back at her. How more than extraordinary! And suddenly it seemed to Rosemary such an adventure. It was like something out of a novel by Dostoevsky [6] , this meeting in the dusk. Supposing she took the girl home? Supposing she did do one of those things she was always reading about or seeing on the stage, what would happen? It would be thrilling. And she heard herself saying afterwards to the amazement of her friends: “I simply took her home with me,” as she stepped forward and said to that dim person beside her: “Come home to tea with me.”

The girl drew back startled. She even stopped shivering for a moment. Rosemary put out a hand and touched her arm. “I mean it,” she said, smiling. And she felt how simple and kind her smile was. “Why won’t you? Do. Come home with me now in my car and have tea.”

“You—you don’t mean it, madam,” said the girl, and there was pain in her voice.

“But I do,” cried Rosemary. “I want you to. To please me. Come along.”

The girl put her fingers to her lips and her eyes devoured Rosemary. “You’re—you’re not taking me to the police station?” she stammered.

“The police station!” Rosemary laughed out. “Why should I be so cruel? No, I only want to make you warm and to hear—anything you care to tell me.”

Hungry people are easily led. The footman held the door of the car open, and a moment later they were skimming through the dusk.

“There!” said Rosemary. She had a feeling of triumph as she slipped her hand through the velvet strap. She could have said, “Now I’ve got you,” as she gazed at the little captive she had netted. But of course she meant it kindly. Oh, more than kindly. She was going to prove to this girl that—wonderful things did happen in life, that—fairy godmothers were real, that—rich people had hearts, and that women were sisters. She turned impulsively, saying’. “Don’t be frightened. After all, why shouldn’t you come back with me? We’re both women. If I’m the more fortunate, you ought to expect…”

But happily at that moment, for she didn’t know how the sentence was going to end, the car stopped. The bell was rung, the door opened, and with a charming, protecting, almost embracing movement, Rosemary drew the other into the hall. Warmth, softness, light, a sweet scent, all those things so familiar to her she never even thought about them, she watched that other receive. It was fascinating. She was like the rich little girl in her nursery with all the cupboards to open, all the boxes to unpack.

“Come, come upstairs,” said Rosemary, longing to begin to be generous. “Come up to my room.” And, besides, she wanted to spare this poor little thing from being stared at by the servants; she decided as they mounted the stairs she would not even ring to Jeanne, but take off her things by herself. The great things were to be natural!

And “There!” cried Rosemary again, as they reached her beautiful big bedroom with the curtains drawn, the fire leaping on her wonderful lacquer furniture, her gold cushions and the primrose and blue rugs.

The girl stood just inside the door; she seemed dazed. But Rosemary didn’t mind that.

“Come and sit down,” she cried, dragging her big chair up to the fire, “in this comfy chair. Come and get warm. You look so dreadfully cold.”

“I daren’t, madam,” said the girl, and she edged backwards.

“Oh, please,”—Rosemary ran forward—”you mustn’t be frightened, you mustn’t, really. Sit down, when I’ve taken off my things we shall go into the next room and have tea and be cozy. Why are you afraid?” And gently she half pushed the thin figure into its deep cradle.

But there was no answer. The girl stayed just as she had been put, with her hands by her sides and her mouth slightly open. To be quite sincere, she looked rather stupid. But Rosemary wouldn’t acknowledge it. She leant over her, saying:

“Won’t you take off your hat? Your pretty hair is all wet. And one is so much more comfortable without a hat, isn’t one?”

There was a whisper that sounded like “Very good, madam,” and the crushed hat was taken off.

“And let me help you off with your coat, too,” said Rosemary.

The girl stood up. But she held on to the chair with one hand and let Rosemary pull. It was quite an effort. The other scarcely helped her at all. She seemed to stagger like a child, and the thought came and went through Rosemary’s mind, that if people wanted helping they must respond a little, just a little, otherwise it became very difficult indeed. And what was she to do with the coat now? She left it on the floor, and the hat too. She was just going to take a cigarette off the mantelpiece when the girl said quickly, but so lightly and strangely: “I’m very sorry, madam, but I’m going to faint. I shall go off, madam, if I don’t have something.”

“Good heavens, how thoughtless I am!” Rosemary rushed to the bell.

“Tea! Tea at once! And some brandy immediately!”

The maid was gone again, but the girl almost cried out: “No, I don’t want no brandy. I never drink brandy. It’s a cup of tea I want, madam.” And she burst into tears.

It was a terrible and fascinating moment. Rosemary knelt beside her chair.

“Don’t cry, poor little thing,” she said. “Don’t cry.” And she gave the other her lace handkerchief. She really was touched beyond words. She put her arm round those thin, bird-like shoulders.

Now at last the other forgot to be shy, forgot everything except that they were both women, and gasped out: “I can’t go on no longer like this. I can’t bear it. I can’t bear it. I shall do away with myself. I can’t bear no more.”

“You shan’t have to. I’ll look after you. Don’t cry any more. Don’t you see what a good thing it was that you met me? We’ll have tea and you’ll tell me everything. And I shall arrange something. I promise. Do stop crying. It’s so exhausting. Please!”

The other did stop just in time for Rosemary to get up before the tea came. She had the table placed between them. She plied the poor little creature with everything, all the sandwiches, all the bread and butter, and every time her cup was empty she filled it with tea, cream and sugar. People always said sugar was so nourishing. As for herself she didn’t eat; she smoked and looked away tactfully so that the other should not be shy.

And really the effect of that slight meal was marvelous. When the tea-table was carried away a new being, a light, frail creature with tangled hair, dark lips, deep, lighted eyes, lay back in the big chair in a kind of sweet languor, looking at the blaze. Rosemary lit a fresh cigarette; it was time to begin.

“And when did you have your last meal?” she asked softly.

But at that moment the door-handle turned.

“Rosemary, may I come in?” It was Philip.

“Of course.”

He came in. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said, and stopped and stared.

“It’s quite all right,” said Rosemary, smiling. “This is my friend, Miss—”

“Smith, madam,” said the languid figure, who was strangely still and unafraid.

“Smith,” said Rosemary. “We are going to have a little talk.”

“Oh yes,” said Philip. “Quite,” and his eye caught sight of the coat and hat on the floor. He came over to the fire and turned his back to it. “It’s a beastly afternoon,” he said curiously, still looking at that listless figure, looking at its hands and boots, and then at Rosemary again.

“Yes, isn’t it?” said Rosemary enthusiastically. “Vile.”

Philip smiled his charming smile. “As a matter of fact,” said he, “I wanted you to come into the library for a moment. Would you? Will Miss Smith excuse us?”

The big eyes were raised to him, but Rosemary answered for her: “Of course she will.” And they went out of the room together.

“I say,” said Philip, when they were alone. “Explain. Who is she? What does it all mean?”

Rosemary, laughing, leaned against the door and said: “I picked her up in Curzon Street.

Really. She’s a real pick-up. She asked me for the price of a cup of tea, and I brought her home with me. ”

“But what on earth are you going to do with her?” cried Philip.

“Be nice to her,” said Rosemary quickly. “Be frightfully nice to her. Look after her. I don’t know how. We haven’t talked yet. But show her—treat her—make her feel—”

“My darling girl,” said Philip, “you’re quite mad, you know. It simply can’t be done.”

“I knew you’d say that,” retorted Rosemary. Why not? I want to. Isn’t that a reason? And besides, one’s always reading about these things. I decided—”

“But,” said Philip slowly, and he cut the end of a cigar, “she’s so astonishingly pretty.”

“Pretty?” Rosemary was so surprised that she blushed. “Do you think so? I—I hadn’t thought about it.”

“Good Lord!” Philip struck a match. “She’s absolutely lovely. Look again, my child. I was bowled over when I came into your room just now. However… I think you’re making a ghastly mistake. Sorry, darling, if I’m crude and all that. But let me know if Miss Smith is going to dine with us in time for me to look up The Milliner’s Gazette .”

“You absurd creature!” said Rosemary, and she went out of the library, but not back to her bedroom. She went to her writing-room and sat down at her desk. Pretty! Absolutely lovely! Bowled over! Her heart beat like a heavy bell. Pretty! Lovely! She drew her check-book towards her. But no, checks would be no use, of course. She opened a drawer and took out five pound notes, looked at them, put two back, and holding the three squeezed in her hand, she went back to her bedroom.

Half an hour later Philip was still in the library, when Rosemary came in.

“I only wanted to tell you,” said she, and she leaned against the door again and looked at him with her dazzled exotic gaze, “Miss Smith won’t dine with us to-night.”

Philip put down the paper. “Oh, what’s happened? Previous engagement?”

Rosemary came over and sat down on his knee. “She insisted on going,” said she, “so I gave the poor little thing a present of money. I couldn’t keep her against her will, could I?” she added softly.

Rosemary had just done her hair, darkened her eyes a little and put on her pearls. She put up her hands and touched Philip’s cheeks.

“Do you like me?” said she, and her tone, sweet, husky, troubled him.

“I like you awfully,” he said, and he held her tighter. “Kiss me.”

There was a pause.

Then Rosemary said dreamily: “I saw a fascinating little box to-day. It cost twenty-eight guineas. May I have it?”

Philip jumped her on his knee. “You may, little wasteful one,” said he.

But that was not really what Rosemary wanted to say.

“Philip,” she whispered, and she pressed his head against her bosom, “am I pretty?”

• A term of endearment, often applied to things as well as people, “a duck of a fellow.” ↵
• A smart and fashionable street in London’s exclusive Mayfair district, known for shops that are both elegant and expensive. ↵
• Another major shopping street in London’s West End. ↵
• Another fashionable street in Mayfair. ↵
• An old British coin, valued at 21 shillings, or one shilling more than the pound, which was worth 20 shillings. ↵
• Influential novelist and philosopher. Novels such as Crime and Punishment (1866) and The Brothers Karamazov (1880) reflect the political, social and spiritual conflicts of his society. ↵

This work ( A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield) is free of known copyright restrictions.

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A Cup of Tea

December 23, 2014 by Roy Johnson

tutorial, commentary, study resources, plot, and web links

A Cup of Tea was written on 11 January 1922 in the space of just ‘4-5 hours’ and was published in a popular magazine the Story-teller in May of the same year. It then appeared in the collection The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories compiled by Katherine Mansfield’s husband John Middleton Murry and published in 1923.

A Cup of Tea – critical commentary

The ostensible point of the story is that a rich and self-regarding woman has her complacency disturbed. On a whim, she makes what she thinks of as a charitable gesture to a destitute lower-class girl, only to discover (via her husband) that the girl has qualities that she herself does not possess.

However, there is another reading of the story buried subtly in the narrative and its dialogue. Rosemary is a rich and spoiled woman with a self-indulgent lifestyle who feels that her sudden encounter with a girl off the streets could be ‘an adventure … like something out of a novel by Dostoevsky’ – which in a sense that Rosemary would not understand, it does turn out to be.

She takes the girl back home, ushers her into her private bedroom, and undresses her (in the sense of taking off her hat and coat). She has the intention of leading her into another room for tea but does not do so. When the girl begins to cry, she puts her arm around the girl’s ‘thin, bird-like shoulders’ and promises to look after her.

When Rosemary’s husband Philip interrupts, the young girl gives what is clearly a false name (‘Smith’) and is strangely unfazed by the situation in which she finds herself: she is ‘strangely still and unafraid’. Rosemary describes their encounter in terms of procurement: ‘I picked her up in Curzon Street. She’s a real pick-up’.

Philip, the husband, is shocked by two things – first, by how attractive the girl is, and second by the inappropriate relationship that exists between the two women. He asks satirically if ‘Miss Smith’ will be dining with them, in which case he might be forced to look up The Milliner’s Gazette .

The surface implication of this remark is that the girl might be an unemployed shop girl who is sponging off his wealthy wife, but at a deeper level there is a suggestion that she might be a prostitute of some kind. At that time in the early twentieth century, the employment of single females in occupations such as milliner (hat maker) shop assistant, and other forms of casual jobs was regarded as loosely equivalent to prostitution. This suggestion in the story is reinforced by what happens next. Rosemary pays off the girl with three pound notes and sends her on her way.

The sting in the tale for Rosemary is that she wonders if she, for all the wealth and luxury in her life, lacks the animal magnetism possessed by the lower-class young girl which has left her husband Philip ‘bowled over’ after a single glance.

Narrative voice

The literary quality in the story comes largely from the skillful manner in which Mansfield creates a fluid narrative voice which combines an engagement with her subject, her readers, and even (to some extent) with herself as an identifiable narrator.

Technically, the story starts in third person narrative mode: ‘Rosemary Fell was not exactly beautiful’ – but that ‘not exactly’ establishes a conversational style and an attitude to the character. She raises questions, cancels thoughts (‘No, not Peter—Michael’) employs slang (‘a duck of a boy’) and speaks to an imaginary interlocutor (‘she would go to Paris as you and I would go to Bond Street’).

It is also interesting to note that her use of fashionable exaggeration is remarkably similar to that being used today – almost a hundred years later: (‘her husband absolutely adored her … the man who kept it was ridiculously fond of serving her’). This captures perfectly the speech mannerisms and the attitudes of the nouveau riche milieu in which the story is set.

A Cup of Tea – study resources

Katherine Mansfield’s Collected Works Three published collections of stories – Kindle edition – Amazon UK

The Collected Short Stories of Katherine Mansfield Wordsworth Classics paperback edition – Amazon UK

The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield Penguin Classics paperback edition – Amazon UK

Katherine Mansfield Megapack The complete stories and poems in Kindle edition – Amazon UK

Katherine Mansfield’s Collected Works Three published collections of stories – Kindle edition – Amazon US

The Collected Short Stories of Katherine Mansfield Wordsworth Classics paperback edition – Amazon US

The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield Penguin Classics paperback edition – Amazon US

Katherine Mansfield Megapack The complete stories and poems in Kindle edition – Amazon US

A Cup of Tea – plot summary

Rosemary Fell is a socially poised young woman who has been married for two years to a rich and devoted husband. She shops in the fashionable and expensive part of the West-End in London. An ingratiating antiques dealer shows her a small enamelled box which she covets but asks to be put by for her.

Coming out of the shop into the rain, she is accosted by a poor young woman who asks for the price of a cup of tea. Rosemary sees the incident as a potential adventure and invites the girl back home.

When they reach the house Rosemary takes the girl into her bedroom and relieves her of her hat and coat. The girl breaks down in tears and says she cannot go on any longer.

Rosemary gives the girl tea and sandwiches, whilst she herself smokes cigarettes. This relieves the girl, and they are about to start a conversation when they are interrupted by the arrival of Rosemary’s husband Philip.

Philip takes Rosemary into an adjoining room and asks her what is going on. She explains that she is merely trying to be kind to a poor girl. But Philip points out that the girl is remarkably pretty, but the relationship not desirable.

Rosemary gives the girl some money, and she leaves, after which Rosemary asks her husband if she can have the enamel box she has seen – but what she really wants to know from him is if she is pretty or not.

Katherine Mansfield – web links

Katherine Mansfield at Mantex Life and works, biography, a close reading, and critical essays

Katherine Mansfield at Wikipedia Biography, legacy, works, biographies, films and adaptations

Katherine Mansfield at Online Books Collections of her short stories available at a variety of online sources

Not Under Forty A charming collection of literary essays by Willa Cather, which includes a discussion of Katherine Mansfield.

Katherine Mansfield at Gutenberg Free downloadable versions of her stories in a variety of digital formats

Hogarth Press first editions Annotated gallery of original first edition book jacket covers from the Hogarth Press, including Mansfield’s ‘Prelude’

Katherine Mansfield’s Modernist Aesthetic An academic essay by Annie Pfeifer at Yale University’s Modernism Lab

The Katherine Mansfield Society Newsletter, events, essay prize, resources, yearbook

Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Biography, birthplace, links to essays, exhibitions

Katherine Mansfield Website New biography, relationships, photographs, uncollected stories

© Roy Johnson 2014

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A Cup of Tea Summary by Katherine Mansfield

Table of Contents

A Materialistic Woman

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 as the story exposes.

A Poor Girl

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 to her car she is startled by a girl. This girl is wearing tattered clothes and asks her for money for 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 instantaneously. Rosemary tries to inquire more about the girl as she is planning to help her in a more substantial manner.

Phillip Enters

However, they are interrupted by her husband Phillip who is shocked to 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.

“Am I pretty?”

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.

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A Cup of Tea By Mansfield Summary, Explanation, Themes, Characters, Language and Style and Model Questions

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

In this lesson, we will read the short story, A Cup of Tea, by Mansfield, who, despite being a New Zealander, is now accepted in the domain of English writers. She found her forte in the short story which is often seen as the occasional by-product of the novel. We have, however, already discussed in the previous unit that the short story is not a brief novel. It is to Mansfield’s absolute credit that she infused into the short story the breath of poetry. Along with other great novelists who have also been short story writers, like Henry James, James Joyce, Dorothy Richardson and Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield also developed new methods of exploring the atmosphere of the mind of the characters and interpreted human emotions into words. She is influenced by Chekhov and there is always a subtle irony in her stories.

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A Cup of Tea is a beautiful story by Mansfield where there is a gentle irony in the end. The central character , Rosemary Fell has two sides to her character . At first, we see how Rosemary is motivated by the good intention to help a poor, distressed girl. Later on, however, we see how once her jealousy is aroused, all her good intentions come to nothing and she can be as mean and petty as anybody else. Mansfield has very beautifully delineated the psychology of Rosemary Fell.

This lesson will acquaint you with the story and the character of Rosemary Fell. You will also get an idea of the themes worked on, and the technique and language used by Mansfield.

KATHERINE MANSFIELD: HER LIFE AND WORKS

Katherine Mansfield is one of the most important figures in the evolution of the short story. She won recognition as an original and experimental writer, and her stories were the first in English to show the influence of the Russian writer Anton Chekov. Mansfield is generally regarded as one of the finest writers of her generation. Let us now discuss the life of this admirable writer and also the numerous works written by her.

It will be interesting to know that Katherine Mansfield was only a pseudonym, i.e. it was only a pen name. Her real name was Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp. She was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1888 and was educated at Queen’s College, London in 1903. Much against her will, she returned to Wellington in 1906 where she passed the next two years. She was quite a rebel and protested against the narrow- mindedness of a remote provincial existence. In fact, Mansfield led a short but very varied and unconventional life. In 1908, she returned to London with the intention of pursuing a literary career. For her own vested interests, she entered into an unhappy marriage with George Bowden, but the marriage was dissolved soon afterwards. Bowden was, however, instrumental in Mansfield’s relationship with the periodical The New Age as it was he who suggested her to send some of her writings to the editor. In 1911, Mansfield met John Middleton Murry whom she married in 1918. Murry had a profound influence on her life and she blossomed under him. She began writing for a quarterly, Rhythm, edited by Murry, about her New Zealand childhood.

Mansfield is perhaps the first New Zealand writer to be accepted in the realm of English writing. She is also credited with giving the English short story not only new content but also a new form. Critics are unanimous in praising her rare insight into the atmosphere of the mind and her penetrating intellect. She has the ability to translate human feelings and thoughts into words. This is balanced by a delicate sense of form which is a perfect quality for the genre of the short story. The stories of Mansfield are some moments, some instances and some gleams of life to which she has added a touch of eternity. Mansfield was central to European modernism, and she was associated with the Bloomsbury circle and with writers such as D. H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf with whom she had a troubled relationship.

Mansfield was always of delicate health and while living in Cornwall in 1915, she discovered that she was suffering from tuberculosis, an incurable disease during that time. The death of some of her friends in World War I and her illness had a deep impact on her mind and her health deteriorated. Even then, she planned and produced almost 88 stories which established her supremacy on the short story genre. She spent her last days in the South of France hoping to regain her health but died suddenly on January 9, 1923, at Fontainebleau at the age of 34. Her death evoked comparisons to the untimely and sudden death of the Romantics poets, Keats and Shelley. Keats died of tuberculosis and Shelley by drowning.

Mansfield’s reputation as a short story writer rests mainly on five volumes of stories. They are, In a German Pension (1911), Bliss and Other Stories (1920), The Garden Partyand Other Stories (1922), The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories (1923) and Something Childish (1924).

In a German Pension recounts her experiences in Germany. Mansfield, after separating from her first husband, gave birth to a stillborn son from another man in Bavaria, and this experience formed the background of the aforementioned collection. But this collection could not show her maturity as a writer. Her talent as a short story writer blossomed in the volume Bliss and Other Stories. Family relationships and people were her subjects in which she tried to explore the various nuances of life. The Garden Party and Other Stories was the last work to be published during her lifetime. This volume contains some of her best-known works like ‘The Garden Party’ and ‘Her First Ball’ where Mansfield displayed her command over style and language. In the collection, The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories, she explores the atmosphere of the mind of the characters.

Mansfield’s stories attempt to describe the true human experience and glorify honesty and fidelity without any pretensions. She is particularly skilful in portraying children, men and women, and women alone. She often makes use of the interior monologue to depict the psychology of the characters.

The works which were published after Mansfield’s death are Poems (1923), Something Childish and Other Stories (1924) and A Fairy Story (1932). The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield (1945) was an omnibus volume. Her husband Murry edited The Letters of Katherine Mansfield (1928) and Katherine Mansfield’s Letters to John Middleton Murry: 1913- 1922 (1951).

LET US KNOW

An interior monologue presents to the reader the exact course and rhythm of the consciousness of the characters. The author has no part to play in the mental process. The term is often used interchangeably with ‘stream of consciousness’ which is again all about probing the minds of the characters in a literary work. ———

Rosemary Fell was also well-loved by her husband, Philip, who was a generous person as far as pleasing her whims were concerned. Rosemary, however, knew little about the real world which exists outside her cocoon of luxury.

One winter afternoon, Rosemary was shopping in an antique shop in Curzon Street where she made up her mind to buy an “exquisite little enamel box” for an outrageously high price of twenty-eight guineas. Just as she came out of the shop into the cold rainy afternoon, she encountered a “little battered creature with enormous eyes”, almost her age, begging her for a “cup of tea”. This chance meeting seemed to Rosemary almost something out of a Dostoevsky novel. It seemed like an adventure to Rosemary and she began to wonder what would happen if she took the unknown girl home and do things which a fairy godmother would do. She is filled with good intentions and, therefore insisted that the girl accompany her home. The girl was much surprised, but Rosemary convinced her to come along with her as “hungry people are easily led”. Rosemary was very gracious towards the girl in her home and gave her with food and drinks which the latter took with alacrity and gratitude. The rich meal had an immediate effect on the young girl and her eyes showed her contentment. Just as Rosemary was making small talk with the girl, her husband Philip came into the room.

Little : the difference between ‘little’ and ‘a little’‘little’ means ‘almost none’; ‘a little’ means ‘some’ Dostoevsky : a Russian novelist, best known for his novels, Crime and Punishment, and The Brothers Karamazov. Alacrity : great eagerness. ———-

Rosemary gets to know that the girl’s name is Miss Smith and she introduces her to Philip. He then asks Rosemary to accompany him to the library in order to discuss something private. Philip then asks her what he intends to do with the girl and Rosemary enthusiastically reveals her noble intentions to him. But Philip says that this cannot be done because she is “astonishingly pretty” and that he is “bowled over” by her beauty. Rosemary was greatly surprised to hear this from her husband. Her good nature instantly evaporated to be replaced by womanly jealousy. She could not bear the fact that her husband is praising a stranger. After a few moments of thinking, she dismisses Miss Smith gifting her three pounds out of the five that she had initially intended to give her. Rosemary then dresses herself up prettily, doing her hair, darkening her eyes and putting on her pearls in order to prove herself equally pretty. She succeeds in getting from Philip the assurance that she is really pretty. She even gets his permission to buy the enamel box for twenty-eight guineas. Philip, as usual, is very indulgent and grants her permission. Thus, Rosemary’s jealousy and possessiveness cause an end of her relationship with Miss Smith. All her good intentions of being helpful to the poor girl are reduced to nought. Womanly jealousy got the better of her warm human qualities of showing charity and compassion to the girl.

MAJOR THEMES

“A Cup of Tea” is basically a story of human relationships. As I have already mentioned earlier, Mansfield excels in portraying the characters of men, women and children. In the present story, her vision of life is expressed through her theme i.e. man and woman as husband and wife, in a way quite characteristic of her. She describes the truth of human experience honestly without any attempt at hiding anything.

What we find in the story is that Rosemary and her husband Philip are living in complete harmony as husband and wife. Rosemary though is hardly aware of the harsh realities of life because she is living a life of luxury. She no doubt has a sensitive and kindly side to her. However, the entrance of a third person, the ‘other woman’ Miss Smith, betrays her inherent nature and she shows that she can be a mean person indeed. This is not to say that Rosemary is a wholly bad person. Perhaps this is the way all women will behave if their marital relationship is threatened, or their husbands seem to be attracted towards other women. This is a purely womanly instinct which is inexplicable. So, the basic theme of the story is womanly jealousy, which, when aroused in a woman, negates her good qualities and she becomes petty. Rosemary’s action illustrates this well.

The basic conflict in “A Cup of Tea” is as removed from us as the society in which it is set. Another theme you may discover in the story is the artificiality of the behaviour of fashionable people like Rosemary Fell. Her concern for the poor girl, Miss Smith, is not born out of her genuinely compassionate character . Her decision to bring the girl home and take care of her is the result of a sudden urge to indulge in an adventure . But the decision to dump the girl is also equally sudden. It has got to do with her womanly jealousy. These themes have been revealed in the story with great clarity.

MAJOR CHARACTERS

If you read the story carefully, you will notice that the main character in the story is Rosemary Fell. It is she who carries the story forward and it is her psychology which is laid bare for us to see. Katherine Mansfield is best known for her ability to explore the minds of her characters, how they react to situations and also how their thoughts affect their actions. She can beautifully translate human feelings and thoughts into words. And she does all this without the slightest pretension. Human relationships are her particular field of interest and she skillfully portrays the different facets of men, women and children. Her stories are interesting for the exquisite depiction of the relationship between men and women as lovers or as husband and wife as can be seen in the marital relationship between Philip and Rosemary.

Rosemary Fell:

Mansfield introduces Rosemary Fell as “not exactly beautiful”. Yet she was rich and led an untroubled, luxurious life with an adoring husband. We cannot decipher the character of Rosemary unless we make allowances for the social hierarchy in which she is rooted. She belongs to the upper strata of society and is well- informed about the latest happenings. Her readings of the great writers have made her an imaginative person with a touch of sensitivity. But regretfully, she has little idea about the realities of the world around her. She was ignorant of the hard life led by the not- so-fortunate people who have to struggle to have food on their tables.

As you have read in the story, Rosemary is forced to encounter the ‘other’ world- the world of poverty which was in sharp contrast to her ‘ideal’ world when she met a ragged creature one chilly winter afternoon pleading her for a “cup of tea”. This meeting with a stranger with “reddened hands” and “enormous eyes” prompts her to be a fairy godmother of the kind she has read in her fictive books. It is ironical that her knowledge of the real world is based on the books she has read and the plays she had seen. She finds it “extraordinary” that the girl has no money at all. Rich as she is, she cannot think one could be so poor as to not have any money at all. Her mind is therefore filled with good intentions to help this destitute girl and relieve her from her distress. What I would like to stress here is that the point here is not Rosemary’s desire to solve the girl’s problem, but her total inability to understand the problem itself.

Very enthusiastically, she takes the girl home and she is thrilled to be of help to her. She also imagines telling her friends later on how she had bestowed her benevolence upon the girl. But all her fervour soon evaporates when her husband Philip comments on the prettiness of Miss Smith and how he was “bowled over” by her beauty. Philip’s remarks arouse her jealousy and she dismisses the girl without much ado gifting her only three pounds. This perverse rejection of the girl lies at the heart of the story. Thus, her womanly possessiveness and insecurity got the better of her good intentions and superficial refinements. Her “Am I pretty?” is only a reflection of her insecurity as Philip’s wife.

Philip is Rosemary’s husband. He has only a small part in the story, but he is nonetheless vital in the sense that he helps to reveal the faults in her character . He hurts her female ego by praising the beauty of Miss Smith and admitting that he was overpowered by her beauty. This leads Rosemary to behave in a manner that exposes her womanly jealousy. Rosemary wanted to model herself as a woman of amiable, compassionate nature as one may find in a Dostoevsky novel. She wanted to project herself as a morally upright person. But is Philip who unwittingly reveals her true nature. She becomes jealous about the girl who is much more beautiful than her. Philip, however, is totally unaware of the effect his comments has on Rosemary. He accepts her explanation that Miss Smith has insisted on going and so she could not keep her against her will. He loves Rosemary and falls for her charms when she carefully dresses up to present herself as a beautiful and charming coquette.

Miss Smith:

Miss Smith is a relatively minor character in the story. She is the girl whom Rosemary treats with affection one moment and dismisses abruptly in another moment. Miss Smith is just a means for Rosemary to display her artificial generosity. As you read the story you may recall the moment when Miss Smith first speaks to Rosemary, asking her for a ‘cup of tea’. She is absolutely without money which seems ‘extraordinary’ to Rosemary. A sudden decision to indulge in an adventure makes Rosemary take the girl to her home. Unaccustomed to such kind of charity, Miss Smith would not believe Rosemary and thought that she was being taken to the police station. At Rosemary’s house, she was more surprised to see Rosemary taking every care to make her comfortable. Too startled at first, she now begins to shed her shyness and tales the slight meal offered by Rosemary. But Miss Smith was dismissed by Rosemary when she found that her husband Philip was being ‘bowled over’ by the girl’s beauty.

You can now understand that the whole story revolves around Rosemary and it is the workings of her mind which Mansfield wants us to see. It is the writer’s understanding of the female psyche, her concern for human feeling in a concrete situation that arrests our attention. This genuine concern gives her a delicate and personal insight into the problems of personal relationships. We are left delighted by the way in which we become intimate with the way men and women conduct themselves in real-life situations and work out their problems of living.

“The Garden Party” is one of Mansfield’s most famous stories. The story revolves around the events of a day in the rich colonial family of the Sheridans in New Zealand. The central character , like in “A Cup of Tea”, is a woman, Laura, and it is through her consciousness that all the happenings are observed. The story undertakes to unravel the co-existence of rationality and irrationality in life.

STYLE AND LANGUAGE

“A Cup of Tea” has an authorial narrative voice, i.e. we hear the author speak in the third person. This is called a third-person narrative and it is the most common narrative technique in fiction. Mansfield has used the various techniques most creatively and originally. As mentioned earlier, she uses the stream of consciousness method of narration as a means to probe the inner realities of her characters. In the present story, however, she has not used this method. But her dexterity in using language places the reader directly within the consciousness of her characters. Do you not feel Rosemary’s sense of insecurity when Philip praises Miss Smith in eloquent words? Her use of language with its controlled tone very aptly infuses the emotional pulse in her story. Every character , whether it is Rosemary, Philip, Miss Smith, or even the shopman speaks in a language individual to them. We hear their own voice and get an unmistakable impression of their identity. When Mansfield narrates Rosemary’s thoughts after Philip praised Miss Smith, “Pretty. Absolutely lovely. Bowled over. Her heart beat like a heavy bell. Pretty. Lovely.”, even our hearts beat like a heavy bell. When Miss Smith says, “I’m very sorry madam, but I’m going to faint. I shall go off, madam, if I don’t have something.”, we can feel her desperation for a cup of tea. We can also sense the shopman’s flattery when he tries to sell the enamel box to Rosemary: “I love my things. I would rather not part with them than sell them to someone who does not appreciate them, who has not that fine feeling which is so rare……….”. We feel Rosemary’s rapture when she dreams of helping the poor girl: “She was going to prove to this girl that- wonderful things did happen in life, that- fairy godmothers were real, that- rich people had hearts, and that women were sisters.” Her use of language is lyrical and it seems to flow on seamlessly without any hiccups. Mansfield makes Rosemary think and speak to herself and we can almost follow her plans which are going to occur.

Mansfield continually experiments in her stories and so there is no ‘typical’ Katherine Mansfield short story. She has no fixed concept of the short story. They are just glimpses of the life which we are so used to but fail to appreciate or analyse. Her main objective is not to impose anything of her own on the reader but to explore the personality. She makes no judgment and allows the readers to judge the characters in their own terms. And therein lies her greatness as a writer.

After going through this lesson, you have acquired an idea of Katherine Mansfield as an astute writer of short fiction. You have learnt that it is a story about human relationships particularly between husband and wife and how they react to certain situations in life. You have come across the character of Rosemary Fell as a complex human character with conflicting emotions. Though belonging to the well-to-do and the fashionable class, she is compassionate to the plight of the poor and therefore takes the poor girl to her house. She treats her as humanely as possible but she is also a woman vulnerable to the emotions of jealousy. So she abandons the girl when her own marital happiness was thought to be in danger. We have also discussed the important themes of the story and how they come out most prominently through Mansfield’s description of Rosemary in a language that is simple and lucid.

REFERENCES USED

1) Abrams, M. H. (2005).A Glossary of Literary Terms.8th Edition. New Delhi: Thomson Wadsworth.

2) Cuddon, J. A. (1999). Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. London: Penguin.

3) Drabble, Margaret. Ed (2008) The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th Edition. New Delhi: OUP.

4) Hudson, William Henry. (1995) An Introduction to the Study of Literature. New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers.

5) Ousby, Ian. (1992) Companion to Literature in English. London: Cambridge University Press.

QUESTIONS ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 1: Katherine Mansfield was influenced by which Russian writer?

Ans.: Anton Chekov.

Q 2: Who was the editor of Rhythm?

Ans.: John Middleton Murry.

Q 3: What are the qualities of Mansfield as a short story writer?

Ans.: She is credited with giving short story a new form . . . her rare insight into the atmosphere of the mind . . . ability to translate human feelings and thoughts into words.

Q 4: Name some members of the Bloomsbury Group.

Ans.: Lytton Strachey, Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster, Clive Bell, etc.

Q. How did Mansfield attempt to describe the true human experience through her short stories?

Ans.: Mansfield’s stories attempt to describe the true human experience and glorify honesty and fidelity without any pretensions. She is particularly skilful in portraying children, men and women, and women alone. She often makes use of the interior monologue to depict the psychology of the characters.

Q 8: Rosemary Fell will buy flowers in ………………

Ans.: Regent Street.

Q 9: In which street was Rosemary shopping when she met Miss Smith?

Ans.: Curzon Street.

Q 10:How many pounds did Rosemary gift Miss Smith? Ans.: Three pounds.

Q 11: How much did the enamel box cost which Rosemary wanted to buy?

Ans.: Twenty eight guineas.

Q 12: What made Rosemary Fell appear before her husband as pretty as she could?

Ans.: She could not bear the fact that her husband is praising a stranger, so she dismisses Miss Smith. Rosemary then dresses herself up prettily, doing her hair, darkening her eyes and putting on her pearls in order to prove herself equally pretty. She succeeds in getting from Philip the assurance that she is really pretty.

Q 13:Why does Mr Philip disapprove of Rosemary’s decision to keep Miss Smith with them?

Ans.: Philip disapproves because Miss Smith is “astonishingly pretty” and that he is “bowled over” by her beauty.

Q 14: Who is Miss Smith? Under what circumstances was she brought by Rosemary to her own home? Why did she send her back?

Ans.: Miss Smith was a “little battered creature with enormous eyes”, almost her age, begging her for a “cup of tea”. She is the girl whom Rosemary treats with affection one moment and dismisses abruptly in another moment.

It seemed like an adventure to Rosemary and she began to wonder what would happen if she took the unknown girl home and do things which a fairy godmother would do. She is filled with good intentions and, therefore insisted that the girl accompany her home.

She could not bear the fact that her husband is praising a stranger. Hence, she dismisses Miss Smith gifting her three pounds out of the five that she had initially intended to give her.

Q 15: Write a short note on Mansfield as a short story writer.

Ans.: Critics are unanimous in praising her rare insight into the atmosphere of the mind and her penetrating intellect. She has the ability to translate human feelings and thoughts into words . . . a delicate sense of form which is a perfect quality for the genre of the short story . . . The stories of Mansfield are some moments, some instances and some gleams of life to which she has added a touch of eternity. . . she was central to European modernism, and she was associated with the Bloomsbury circle.

Model Questions

Q 1: What is the unique quality of Katherine Mansfield as a short story writer? Name some of her famous collections.

Q 2: Briefly discuss Mansfield’s life and works.

Q 3: Reproduce the story “A Cup of Tea” in your own words.

Q 4: Why did Rosemary Fell consider the fact of helping Miss Smith an “ adventure ”?

Q 5: Why did Rosemary try to approve as attractive as possible before her husband?

Q 6: Elaborate on the main theme of the story.

Q 7: “Philip,” she whispered, and she pressed his head against her bosom, “am I pretty?” Comment on this statement.

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Stylistic analysis of the text «A cup of tea» by

Related Papers

Journal of Literary Semantics

Terence Patrick Murphy , Kelly Walsh

The concept of an unreliable third-person narrator may seem a contradiction in terms. The very act of adopting a third-person stance to tell a story would appear to entail an acceptance of a basic need for truth-telling, a commitment to what Wayne Booth terms the implied author's " norms of the work. " Nonetheless, in the essay that follows, three of Katherine Mansfield's short stories — " A Cup of Tea " (1922), " Bliss " (1918) and " Revelations " (1920) — will be examined in order to demonstrate how the strategic suppression of the distinction between the voice of the narrator and that of the central character can lead to a strong sense of unreliability. In order to read such narratives effectively, the reader must reappraise the value of certain other stylistic elements, including the use of directives involved with directly quoted speech, seemingly minor discrepancies between adjacent sentences and, perhaps most importantly, the structure of the fiction itself. We contend that Mansfield's use of this form of unreliable third-person fiction is her unique contribution to the short story genre.

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ract Katherine Mansfield, a pioneer modernist short story writer, wrote many interesting short stories in her short life which show psychological working of the human mind. Her most famous collection is “The garden Party and Other Stories”. A number of her stories such as “Bliss”, “The Fly”, “Miss Brill”, “The Doll’s House” and “The Dove’s Nest” are very popular among readers all over the world. She is an amazing storyteller who demonstrates a mastery over the craft of story writing. The purpose of the present paper is to study her famous and much-anthologized story “A Cup of Tea” so as to bring out the brilliant use of narrative techniques to delineate the protagonist’s character. A close study of the short story shows that the protagonist is not really like what she wants others to think of her as. Mansfield achieves this effect by cleverly controlling the narration of the story and effectively using point of view, characters, dialogues, themes, indeterminacies, and gaps to get the desired result. In conclusion it can be said that by making clever use of narrative strategies, Mansfield succeeds in showing the real face of the protagonist without ever directly mentioning it. Keywords: Narrative tech

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A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield

Fresh Reads

Rosemary Fell was not exactly beautiful. No, you couldn’t have called her beautiful. Pretty? Well, if you took her to pieces . . . But why be so cruel as to take anyone to pieces? She was young, brilliant, extremely modern, exquisitely well dressed, amazingly well read in the newest of the new books, and her parties were the most delicious mixture of the really important people and… artists — quaint creatures, discoveries of hers, some of them too terrifying for words, but others quite presentable and amusing.

Rosemary had been married two years. She had a duck of a boy. No, not Peter — Michael. And her husband absolutely adored her. They were rich, really rich, not just comfortably well off, which is odious and stuffy and sounds like one’s grandparents. But if Rosemary wanted to shop she would go to Paris as you and I would go to Bond Street. If she wanted to buy flowers, the car pulled up at that perfect shop in Regent Street, and Rosemary inside the shop just gazed in her dazzled, rather exotic way, and said: ” I want those and those and those. Give me four bunches of those. And that jar of roses. Yes, I’ll have all the roses in the jar. No, no lilac. I hate lilac. It’s got no shape.” The attendant bowed and put the lilac out of sight, as though this was only too true; lilac was dreadfully shapeless. ” Give me those stumpy little tulips. Those red and white ones.” And she was followed to the car by a thin shop girl staggering under an immense white paper armful that looked like a baby in long clothes…

One winter afternoon she had been buying something in a little antique shop in Curzon Street. It was a shop she liked. For one thing, one usually had it to oneself. And then the man who kept it was ridiculously fond of serving her. He beamed whenever she came in. He clasped his hands ; he was so gratified he could scarcely speak. Flattery, of course. All the same, there was something…

” You see, madam,” he would explain in his low respectful tones, ” I love my things. I would rather not part with them than sell them to someone who does not appreciate them, who has not that fine feeling which is so rare…” And, breathing deeply he unrolled a tiny square of blue velvet and pressed it on the glass counter with his pale finger-tips.

To-day it was a little box. He had been keeping it for her. He had shown it to nobody as yet. An exquisite little enamel box with a glaze so fine it looked as though it had been baked in cream. On the lid a minute creature stood under a flowery tree, and a more minute creature still had her arms round his neck. Her hat, really no bigger than a geranium petal, hung from a branch ; it had green ribbons. And there was a pink cloud like a watchful cherub floating above their heads. Rosemary took her hands out of her long gloves. She always took off her gloves to examine such things. Yes, she liked it very much. She loved it; it was a great duck. She must have it. And, turning the creamy box, opening and shutting it, she couldn’t help noticing how charming her hands were against the blue velvet. The shopman, in some dim cavern of his mind, may have dared to think so too. For he took a pencil, leant over the counter, and his pale bloodless fingers crept timidly towards those rosy, flashing ones, as he murmured gently : ” If I may venture to point out to madam, the flowers on the little lady’s bodice.”

” Charming! ” Rosemary admired the flowers. But what was the price ? For a moment the shopman did not seem to hear. Then a murmur reached her. ” Twenty-eight guineas, madam.”

” Twenty-eight guineas.” Rosemary gave no sign. She laid the little box down ; she buttoned her gloves again. Twenty-eight guineas. Even if one is rich… She looked vague. She stared at a plump tea-kettle like a plump hen above the shopman’s head, and her voice was dreamy as she answered: ” Well, keep it for me—will you ? I’ll…”

But the shopman had already bowed as though keeping it for her was all any human being could ask. He would be willing, of course, to keep it for her for ever.

The discreet door shut with a click. She was outside on the step, gazing at the winter afternoon. Rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, spinning down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new-lighted lamps looked sad. Sad were the lights in the houses opposite. Dimly they burned as if regretting something. And people hurried by, hidden under their hateful umbrellas. Rosemary felt a strange pang. She pressed her muff against her breast; she wished she had the little box, too, to cling to. Of course, the car was there. She’d only to cross the pavement. But still she waited. There are moments, horrible moments in life, when one emerges from shelter and looks out, and it’s awful. One oughtn’t to give way to them. One ought to go home and have an extra-special tea. But at the very instant of thinking that, a young girl, thin, dark, shadowy—where had she come from ?—was standing at Rosemary’s elbow and a voice like a sigh, almost like a sob, breathed : ” Madam, may I speak to you a moment ? “

” Speak to me ? ” Rosemary turned. She saw a little battered creature with enormous eyes, someone quite young, no older than herself, who clutched at her coat-collar with reddened hands, and shivered as though she had just come out of the water.

” M-madam,” stammered the voice. ” Would you let me have the price of a cup of tea ? “

” A cup of tea ? ” There was something simple, sincere in that voice ; it wasn’t in the least the voice of a beggar. ” Then have you no money at all ? ” asked Rosemary.

” None, madam,” came the answer.

” How extraordinary ! ” Rosemary peered through the dusk, and the girl gazed back at her. How more than extraordinary! And suddenly it seemed to Rosemary such an adventure. It was like something out of a novel by Dostoevsky, this meeting in the dusk. Supposing she took the girl home ? Supposing she did do one of those things she was always reading about or seeing on the stage, what would happen ? It would be thrilling. And she heard herself saying afterwards to the amazement of her friends : ” I simply took her home with me,” as she stepped forward and said to that dim person beside her : ” Come home to tea with me.”

The girl drew back startled. She even stopped shivering for a moment. Rosemary put out a hand and touched her arm. ” I mean it,” she said, smiling. And she felt how-simple and kind her smile was. ” Why won’t you ? Do. Come home with me now in my car and have tea.”

” You—you don’t mean it, madam,” said the girl, and there was pain in her voice.

” But I do,” cried Rosemary. ” I want you to. To please me. Come along.”

The girl put her fingers to her lips and her eyes devoured Rosemary. ” You’re—you’re not taking me to the police station ? ” she stammered.

” The police station ! ” Rosemary laughed out. ” Why should I be so cruel ? No, I only want to make you warm and to hear— anything you care to tell me.”

Hungry people are easily led. The footman held the door of the car open, and a moment later they were skimming through the dusk.

” There ! ” said Rosemary. She had a feeling of triumph as she slipped her hand through the velvet strap. She could have said, ” Now I’ve got you,” as she gazed at the little captive she had netted. But of course she meant it kindly. Oh, more than kindly. She was going to prove to this girl that—wonderful things did happen in life, that—fairy godmothers were real, that— rich people had hearts, and that women were sisters. She turned impulsively, saying: ” Don’t be frightened. After all, why shouldn’t you come back with me ? We’re both women. If I’m the more fortunate, you ought to expect…”

But happily at that moment, for she didn’t know how the sentence was going to end, the car stopped. The bell was rung, the door opened, and with a charming, protecting, almost embracing movement, Rosemary drew the other into the hall. Warmth, softness, light, a sweet scent, all those things so familiar to her she never even thought about them, she watched that other receive. It was fascinating. She was like the rich little girl in her nursery with all the cupboards to open, all the boxes to unpack.

” Come, come upstairs,” said Rosemary, longing to begin to be generous. ” Come up to my room.” And, besides, she wanted to spare this poor little thing from being stared at by the servants; she decided as they mounted the stairs she would not even ring for Jeanne, but take off her things by herself. The great thing was to be natural!

And ” There ! ” cried Rosemary again, as they reached her beautiful big bedroom with the curtains drawn, the fire leaping on her wonderful lacquer furniture, her gold cushions and the primrose and blue rugs.

The girl stood just inside the door ; she seemed dazed. But Rosemary didn’t mind that.

” Come and sit down,” she cried, dragging her big chair up to the fire, ” in this comfy chair. Come and get warm. You look so dreadfully cold.”

” I daren’t, madam,” said the girl, and she edged backwards.

” Oh, please,”—Rosemary ran forward—” you mustn’t be frightened, you mustn’t, really. Sit down, and when I’ve taken off my things we shall go into the next room and have tea and be cosy. Why are you afraid ? ” And gently she half pushed the thin figure into its deep cradle.

But there was no answer. The girl stayed just as she had been put, with her hands by her sides and her mouth slightly open. To be quite sincere, she looked rather stupid. But Rosemary wouldn’t acknowledge it. She leant over her, saying : ” Won’t you take off your hat ? Your pretty hair is all wet. And one is so much more comfortable without a hat, isn’t one ? “

There was a whisper that sounded like ” Very good, madam,” and the crushed hat was taken off.

” And let me help you off with your coat, too,” said Rosemary.

The girl stood up. But she held on to the chair with one hand and let Rosemary pull. It was quite an effort. The other scarcely helped her at all. She seemed to stagger like a child, and the thought came and went through Rosemary’s mind, that if people wanted helping they must respond a little, just a little, otherwise it became very difficult indeed. And what was she to do with the coat now ? She left it on the floor, and the hat too. She was just going to take a cigarette off the mantelpiece when the girl said quickly, but so lightly and strangely : ” I’m very sorry, madam, but I’m going to faint. I shall go off, madam, if I don’t have something.”

” Good heavens, how thoughtless I am ! ” Rosemary rushed to the bell.

” Tea ! Tea at once ! And some brandy immediately ! “

The maid was gone again, but the girl almost cried out. ” No, I don’t want no brandy. I never drink brandy. It’s a cup of tea I want, madam.” And she burst into tears.

It was a terrible and fascinating moment. Rosemary knelt beside her chair.

” Don’t cry, poor little thing,” she said. ” Don’t cry.” And she gave the other her lace handkerchief. She really was touched beyond words. She put her arm round those thin, bird-like shoulders.

Now at last the other forgot to be shy, forgot everything except that they were both women, and gasped out: ” I can’t go on no longer like this. I can’t bear it. I can’t bear it. I shall do away with myself. I can’t bear no more.”

” You shan’t have to. I’ll look after you. Don’t cry any more. Don’t you see what a good thing it was that you met me ? We’ll have tea and you’ll tell me everything. And I shall arrange something. I promise. Do stop crying. It’s so exhausting. Please ! “

The other did stop just in time for Rosemary to get up before the tea came. She had the table placed between them. She plied the poor little creature with everything, all the sandwiches, all the bread and butter, and every time her cup was empty she filled it with tea, cream and sugar. People always said sugar was so nourishing. As for herself she didn’t eat; she smoked and looked away tactfully so that the other should not be shy.

And really the effect of that slight meal was marvellous. When the tea-table was carried away a new being, a light, frail creature with tangled hair, dark lips, deep, lighted eyes, lay back in the big chair in a kind of sweet languor, looking at the blaze. Rosemary lit a fresh cigarette ; it was time to begin.

” And when did you have your last meal ? ” she asked softly.

But at that moment the door-handle turned.

” Rosemary, may I come in ? ” It was Philip.

” Of course.”

He came in. ” Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said, and stopped and stared.

” It’s quite all right,” said Rosemary smiling. ” This is my friend, Miss——”

” Smith, madam,” said the languid figure, who was strangely still and unafraid.

” Smith,” said Rosemary. ” We are going to have a little talk.”

” Oh, yes,” said Philip. ” Quite,” and his eye caught sight of the coat and hat on the floor. He came over to the fire and turned his back to it. ” It’s a beastly afternoon,” he said curiously, still looking at that listless figure, looking at its hands and boots, and then at Rosemary again.

” Yes, isn’t it ? ” said Rosemary enthusiastically. ” Vile.”

Philip smiled his charming smile. “As a matter of fact,” said he, ” I wanted you to come into the library for a moment. Would you ? Will Miss Smith excuse us ? “

The big eyes were raised to him, but Rosemary answered for her. ” Of course she will.” And they went out of the room together.

” I say,” said Philip, when they were alone. ” Explain. Who is she ? What does it all mean ?”

Rosemary, laughing, leaned against the door and said : ” I picked her up in Curzon Street. Really. She’s a real pick-up. She asked me for the price of a cup of tea, and I brought her home with me.”

” But what on earth are you going to do with her ? ” cried Philip.

” Be nice to her,” said Rosemary quickly. ” Be frightfully nice to her. Look after her. I don’t know how. We haven’t talked yet. But show her —treat her — make her feel ——”.

” My darling girl,” said Philip, ” you’re quite mad, you know. It simply can’t be done.”

” I knew you’d say that,” retorted Rosemary. ” Why not ? I want to. Isn’t that a reason ? And besides, one’s always reading about these things. I decided——”

” But,” said Philip slowly, and he cut the end of a cigar, ” she’s so astonishingly pretty.”

” Pretty ? ” Rosemary was so surprised that she blushed. ” Do you think so ? I—I hadn’t thought about it.”

” Good Lord! ” Philip struck a match. ” She’s absolutely lovely. Look again, my child. I was bowled over when I came into your room just now. However… I think you’re making a ghastly mistake. Sorry, darling, if I’m crude and all that. But let me know if Miss Smith is going to dine with us in time for me to look up The Milliner’s Gazette.”

“ You absurd creature ! ” said Rosemary, and she went out of the library, but not back to her bedroom. She went to her writing-room and sat down at her desk. Pretty ! Absolutely lovely ! Bowled over ! Her heart beat like a. heavy bell. Pretty ! Lovely ! She drew her chequebook towards her. But no, cheques would be no use, of course. She opened a drawer and took out five pound notes, looked at them, put two back, and holding the three squeezed in her hand, she went back to her bedroom.

Half an hour later Philip was still in the library, when Rosemary came in.

” I only wanted to tell you,” said she, and she leaned against the door again and looked at him with her dazzled exotic gaze, ” Miss Smith won’t dine with us to-night.”

Philip put down the paper. ” Oh, what’s happened ? Previous engagement ? “

Rosemary came over and sat down on his knee. ” She insisted on going,” said she, ” so I gave the poor little thing a present of money. I couldn’t keep her against her will, could I ? ” she added softly.

Rosemary had just done her hair, darkened her eyes a little, and put on her pearls. She put up her hands and touched Philip’s cheeks.

” Do you like me ? ” said she, and her tone, sweet, husky, troubled him.

” I like you awfully,” he said, and he held her tighter. ” Kiss me.”

There was a pause.

Then Rosemary said dreamily. ” I saw a fascinating little box to-day. It cost twenty-eight guineas. May I have it ? “

Philip jumped her on his knee. ” You may, little wasteful one,” said he.

But that was not really what Rosemary wanted to say.

” Philip,” she whispered, and she pressed his head against her bosom, ” am I pretty ? “

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A Cup of Tea Short Story, Comprehension Questions, Essay Responses

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Description

This resource contains the a reading guide for the short story "A Cup of Tea" by Katherine Mansfield. It also includes vocabulary, background information, and an About the Author excerpt. Along with the reading guide, this resource also contains separate comprehension questions and three essay response questions: a narrative, an argumentative, and a literary analysis essay.

You could have students complete the reading individually as a first read, then go over the reading questions as a class before giving the reading comprehension questions for a grade. Or you could use as a packet altogether. There is an answer key for comprehension questions, but not for the essay questions.

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