The Duchess and the Jeweller

“The Duchess and the Jeweller” (1938) is a Modernist short story that explores the complexity of money, social status, and class. Woolf, an innovator of Modernism, sought to convey “an ordinary mind on an ordinary day” with its “myriad impressions” so that novelistic representation comes as “close to life” as possible (“Modern Fiction” [1925], p. 160). The story offers a fragment of a life. It follows the actions, thoughts, and memories of jeweller Oliver Bacon, during a morning that is both typical and extraordinary. Through her characterization of Oliver and the Duchess, Woolf raises questions about “value,” materialism and greed, and social status.

As the title suggests, Woolf’s short story features two central characters: the protagonist Oliver Bacon and his antagonist the Duchess of Lambourne. The story is narrated via Oliver’s perspective, following his morning routine and meeting with the Duchess. He is a rich, well-respected jeweller whose clients include “countesses, viscountesses and Honourable Ladies” (248). He is “the richest jeweller in England” (249), and his shop off Bond Street (an area renowned for luxurious stores) has a global reputation.