Possession Chapter 10 Summary

  • In Chapter 10, we readers finally have a chance to read the letters that Roland and Maud have been poring over in the Seal Court library.
  • We start out with Randolph's second letter to Christabel—we've already seen his first—and then we read her reply. From there, we move forward through their increasingly friendly and intimate correspondence.
  • The early letters focus on the two poets' literary interests, and their mutual respect is clear. Christabel sends some of her short poems to Randolph, and Randolph promises to send her a copy of a long poem that he's been working on.
  • The conversation soon turns to religion, as Christabel confesses that Randolph's epic poem Ragnarök caused her to doubt her Christian faith. Randolph sends his apologies, and Christabel pokes and prods at his beliefs until she has a clearer sense of where he really stands.
  • This conversation gets Randolph and Christabel onto the subject of spiritualism, and they share their respective thoughts on the growing movement.
  • Randolph is ambivalent about it, but Christabel is into it. She thinks of it as an extension of her Christian faith rather than as something that her faith should prompt her to condemn or disbelieve.
  • As the two continue to write back and forth, their letters become more familiar and informal.
  • When Randolph writes to tell Christabel that he has recently gone horseback riding near the cottage where she and Blanche Glover live, Christabel's reply suggests that they should stop corresponding.
  • Randolph writes to say that he was surprised and upset by Christabel's suggestion, and he doesn't agree that their letters should stop.
  • They go back and forth for a bit, but then Randolph sends a letter that seems a little strange. In it, he complains that he has sent several letters and a poem without receiving any replies. What's up with that?
  • When Christabel eventually replies, we readers learn that Blanche Glover has been stealing Randolph's latest letters. Christabel is furious with Blanche, and she asks Randolph if he'll meet her in person so that she can apologize.
  • Randolph's next letter to Christabel makes it clear that the two them did meet up, and that they decided to continue corresponding.
  • Roland's next letter to Christabel contains even more breaking news: the two of them have clearly met up again in person, and this time THEY KISSED.
  • Who—apart from Blanche—saw that one coming?
  • As the letters continue to fly back and forth, Christabel struggles with the immorality of her actions. Randolph obviously respects her feelings, but he doesn't seem to be too torn up by guilt.
  • Neither one breaks things off. Instead, as the correspondence draws to a close, we readers get the sense that some kind of big decision has been made.
  • Christabel writes to tell Randolph that she's put her foot down with Blanche, and she seems absolutely set on doing whatever it is that she's going to do.
  • What exactly is she going to? Since Possession shows us no more letters after that one, we'll have to wait and see.