What inspired this episode?
In The Gilded Age’s first season, the theme of charitable donations came up a few times. We saw it on the show as both a necessary method of distributing funds to worthy organizations, like Clara Barton’s Red Cross, as well as a way of flaunting wealth, status and buying one’s way into otherwise closed social circles, as Bertha Russell demonstrated through her actions. In this podcast episode, we explore the meaning of charitable organizations that served to assist certain segments of the population: everything from necessary wartime aid to helping young women workers. We focus mainly on Clara Barton and her extraordinary life dedicated to giving, organizing, and public service. She was truly a trailblazer not just for women but facilitated the distribution of necessary services and aid to communities and the country as a whole.
About “The Gilded Age” Episode 5: Charity Has Two Functions
Aurora, Bertha, Marian, and Tom Raikes travel to hear Clara Barton speak at a Red Cross branch opening in upstate New York. Peggy accompanies them to write an article for The Globe and also to chaperone Marian, at Agnes’s request. Miss Barton notes how wealthy people use charity to enhance their social standing. Incidentally, Bertha writes a big check for the Red Cross.
During the trip, Tom and Marian kiss in a quiet hall in the hotel and Tom suggests he and Marian go into a room together. Peggy, who is keeping tabs on Marian, purposely interrupts. Alone, Peggy tells Marian she was in love once but her father disapproved. In this scene, Marian also apologizes to Peggy for her earlier assumption about Peggy’s family.
Agnes Van Rhijn’s ladies’ maid, Armstrong, visits her mother (sick, confined to bed) in a small tenement apartment, giving a glimpse into another side of Gilded Age NYC.
Oscar recruits Turner to bring him intelligence on the Russells and Bertha’s plans for Gladys.
Bertha disapproves of Gladys’ suitor Archie Baldwin because she has “bigger plans” for her daughter, but the Russells invite him to dinner. After dinner, Archie speaks to George about his intentions with Gladys and seems to genuinely like her. However, clearly George is carrying out his wife’s wishes to rid Archie as a suitor when he issues Archie an ultimatum: he must accept a lucrative job with a well-known banker and stop pursuing Gladys, or never work in finance again. Archie, shaken and intimidated, accepts the offer and reluctantly leaves.
George’s right hand man, Richard Clay, arrives at the end of dinner to inform George that a company train derailed. George and Bertha immediately prepare to address the incident and save face – both professionally and socially.
Sources Consulted
The following materials were cited or referenced in the creation of this podcast episode.
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