The Rainbow: Chapter 2: They Live at the Marsh Summary & Analysis

Lydia Lensky, born to a Polish landowner deeply in debt, experiences a turbulent upbringing. Her family’s financial troubles force them to rely on her mother’s German dowry to get by. As a young woman, Lydia marries Paul Lensky, a young doctor and fervent patriot who studied medicine in Berlin. Eager to support Paul, Lydia trains as a nurse. The couple, while poor, consider themselves modern and cosmopolitan. They immerse themselves in the emerging revolutionary movements spreading from Russia to Poland, advocating for political change. During this time, they also have two children.

Paul, with his fiery rhetoric, becomes a significant political figure. He rallies groups of young Poles, leading them through the streets with promises of rebellion. While Paul is busy acting as a revolutionary, both of Lydia and Paul’s children grow ill and die of diphtheria. Paul is devastated, but his fervent commitment to the rebellion compels him to continue his work. For Lydia, the loss marks the beginning of a mental and emotional decline, which coincides with a withdrawal from politics.

The couple flees to London, seeking refuge. There, Paul’s fervent spirit degrades into irritability and paranoia. He is unable to adapt, and his behavior makes it impossible for him to keep work as an assistant doctor. They live in poverty, and Paul’s inflated sense of his own grandeur causes him to exert psychological dominance over Lydia, who lives a passive, shadow-like existence. When Paul dies shortly after the birth of their daughter, Anna, Lydia feels a sense of relief, though she still feels trapped in a sort of limbo.

Lydia wanders through life as if in an underworld, seeing the English people as distant, shadowy figures. Although she begins to pick up the English language, the culture remains alien to her. She goes to work in Yorkshire, acting as a nurse to a dying rector. The scenery of Yorkshire stirs something within her, as it reminds her of where she grew up in Poland. This new setting brings a painful awareness that disrupts her fragile mental state, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed to emotions she had tried to bury. Eventually, Lydia moves to Cossethay, where she meets Tom Brangwen. Lydia feels a profound connection to Tom when she passes him in the street, awakening a desire she hasn’t felt in years. During their courtship, she is drawn to him but struggles to fully connect to him. Nevertheless, they decide to marry.

When Lydia becomes pregnant, the couple’s relationship becomes increasingly strained. Lydia withdraws emotionally, slipping back into her shadowy, detached state. Tom becomes frustrated and drinks more frequently, which only widens the gap between them. Their arguments are intense and frequent, making Tom think that he will soon lose Lydia altogether. Meanwhile, Anna resists Tom’s presence in her life. She frequently asks Lydia when they can return to their former home and accuses Tom of taking her mother away from her.

However, Anna does find some peace on the farm. She enjoys running around the farmyard, engaging with the animals as if they are her playmates, and repeating the stories her mother told her. However, in the home, she is far more aloof. She expresses disdain for Tilly, perceiving her as merely a servant and not worthy of personal attention. Over time, Anna slowly accepts Tilly’s presence but never fully regards her as an individual. As more time passes, Anna’s relationship with Tom continues to evolve. Though she remains wary of him, they gradually start to form a bond. Tom, who has become fond of her, takes her along on his trips to town. Anna finds comfort in his physical closeness, and their relationship develops through these small, shared experiences.

As Lydia’s pregnancy progresses, she becomes more withdrawn, much like she was before coming to Cossethay. These changes unsettle Anna, who similarly reverts to her former, guarded self. When Anna accompanies Tom to the fields, she often becomes restless and demands to go home because she wants to be near Lydia. The winter months are especially hard on the household. The weather grows harsher, and the atmosphere inside the house becomes heavy with tension. Anna senses the strain and begins to act out more. During this time, she constantly cries for her mother, often with an intense degree of stress in her voice.

As Lydia goes into labor, the atmosphere in the house grows even more tense. Tom feels torn between his deep connection to Lydia and the primal dread of the unknown that labor represents. While he is aware of Lydia’s suffering, his mind drifts to memories of his own childhood, offering him a brief escape from the immediate tension. Meanwhile, Anna’s anxiety reaches its peak; she becomes inconsolable, crying out for her mother with a desperation that pierces through the household.

To soothe Anna, Tom decides to take her out into the barn, despite the cold and rain. The change of setting calms her, as the barn is warm and still. As they feed the cows together, a new bond forms between them. Anna slowly relaxes in Tom’s arms, her body yielding to his comforting presence. The experience brings a sense of quiet and reassurance, allowing Anna to feel safe in Tom’s care. As she falls asleep, Tom reflects on his own childhood and the comforting security of his past, realizing the shared human need for comfort and protection.

As he returns to the house, Tom is filled with a mix of dread as he contemplates Lydia’s suffering in childbirth. When he reenters the room where Lydia has given birth, her otherworldly appearance frightens him. She speaks to him in Polish, which he cannot understand. Tom reaches out to touch her hand, feeling both their intimate connection and the vast, impersonal distance between them. She looks at him with an impersonal gaze, seeing him only as the man who fathered her child, not as the husband she knows. Tom, overwhelmed, steps outside into the rain to clear his mind. After a moment of meditation, he goes back inside his home, feeling prepared for whatever comes next.