MARRIAGE A LA MODE by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

From 1001 Stories From The Gilded Age by Jon Hagadorn Podcast Host

June 3, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

This episode explores Katherine Mansfield's short story 'Marriage à la Mode', focusing on the tensions between traditional family life and a bohemian lifestyle.

Show Notes: "Marriage à la Mode" by Katherine Mansfield Episode Summary In this episode of 1001 Stories from the Gilded Age , (formerly 1001 Greatest Love Stories) we dive into Katherine Mansfield's poignant 1921 short story, " Marriage à la Mode " . The narrative follows William, a hard-working, conventional London solicitor who spends his weekends traveling to the countryside to visit his wife, Isabel, and their children. However, their domestic life has drastically shifted. Isabel has abandoned traditional family life to embrace a trendy lifestyle surrounded by a parasitic entourage of eccentric, avant-garde artists and poets. These "bohemian" friends treat the family home as a free resort, openly freeloading at William's expense while subtly mocking his old-fashioned ways. The emotional climax peaks when William returns to London and writes Isabel a deeply earnest, vulnerable love letter. Catch ALL of our shows at one place by going to www.bestof1001stories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Jon Hagadorn

Topics covered

marriage
bohemian lifestyle
family dynamics
love letters
society
art

Keywords

Katherine Mansfield
Marriage à la Mode
love story
bohemian
family
London
avant-garde

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: bestof1001stories.com