The Duchess and the Jeweller

Protagonist Oliver Bacon is rich and successful yet dissatisfied with his life. He is “the richest jeweller in England” (249) and has a reputation that makes him sought after by upper-class clientele. The story follows Oliver as he completes his morning routine, walks to work, and meets an important client, the Duchess of Lambourne. Though Oliver projects an air of confidence and success, the reader is privy to his internal thoughts and feelings, which reveal a more complex reality.

Oliver is of an undisclosed age, and he lives in Green Park in the very center of London. His business is off Bond Street, a luxury shopping district. The city of London, a favorite literary device of Woolf’s, acts as an indicator of Oliver’s wealth and position in society. His success is underscored by the fact he receives invitations to call from “duchesses, countesses, viscountesses and Honorable Ladies” (248). These people belong to the nobility, representing the “old money” of inherited land and wealth. By contrast, Oliver represents the “new money” of commerce—an increasingly important sector of English society in the early 20th century.

Through hard work, but also nefarious dealings, Oliver has escaped poverty, As a child, he was “a wily astute little boy” (250), and his shrewdness and ambition have led to his success.