A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield summary

 

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield summary

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Rosemary Fell is a wealthy young woman, who loves living a life full of comfort, luxury, and style. Rosemary had been maried two years. She is married to Philip Fell, who also enjoys a wealthy lifestyle. She loves collecting rare and beautiful objects, even if they are costly.

She visits an ingratiating antique dealer's shop that shows her a beautiful small blue velvet box. It is a little box. The shopman has been keeping it for her. 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.

where she is approached by a young woman in tattered clothina about her own age. The young woman asks for the price of a cup of tea and says she has no money, which Rosemary finds unimaqinable.

Rosemary invites Miss Smith to come house with her for tea, finding it an opportunity of adventure and experience, just like she read in books and stories of Dostoevsky. Rosemary imagines herself someone doing a wonderful, charitable act, and this makes her feel proud and important.

When they arrive at Rosemary's home, a luxurious and comfortable house, Rosemary orders tea and food for Miss Smith. She feels proud of her own kindness and  imagines what a great story it will make when she tells her friends about her charitable act. 

 Mr. Phillip comes into the bedroom and finds this unexpected guest. He takes Rosemary into another room, and asks who the girl is. Rosemary explains that Miss Smith is a poor woman whom she decided to help. But when Rosemary's husband Philip sees Miss Smith, he tells Rosemary that the girl is very pretty. Rosemary becomes jealous and quickly sends Miss Smith away with some money.

Once Miss Smith is gone, Rosemary goes back to her husband, but she is still feeling insecure. She goes to Philip and asks him whether she is pretty. This question reveals her deepest insecurity—she constantly needs reassurance and admiration.

The story ends with Philip telling her to buy the expensive little box she wanted earlier, showing that he understands her emotional immaturity.

A Cup of Tea" shows that what appears to be a simple act of kindness can reveal much deeper and more complex aspects of human character. In the end, Rosemary forgets about helping the poor and only asks her husband if she is beautiful, showing her selfish nature.