Tulip Fever

Deborah Moggach

Part romance, part morality tale, part mystery, Tulip Fever explores what happens when adultery and greed intersect.

Set in The Netherlands during tulip mania, the political and social climate as well as the sense of place set the tenor of this tale. A well-to-do merchant named Cornelis, and his much younger wife Sophia, decide that as is common in their social class they should have a family portrait done. A painter by the name of Jan is selected. Maria, Sophia's maid, and her boyfriend Willem are planning to get married. Maria, however, has conceived out of wedlock just prior to the time the portrait's creation and is at grave risk of social ostracism. While sitting for the portrait, Sophia exchanges glances with the painter Jan, and Jan notices Sophia's ankle under her dress. In the evening, acting on impulse, Sophia borrows Maria's cloak and visits Jan. At dusk Willem spots Sophia in the borrowed cloak and follows her to the artist's loft. Thinking Maria has been unfaithful, Willem bemoans his fate and joins the navy before learning that Maria is pregnant.

As you can imagine, complications and twists abound. Maria learns of Sophia's tryst and blackmails Sophia into keeping her on as maid to avoid becoming a social outcast. Sophia and Jan hatch a devious plot that involves Maria and the baby to be. Jan begins speculating in tulips as a way to make the money necessary to pull off the scheme, which they hope will allow them evade the social and moral strictures of the time. Giving too much away would spoil the fun, but Jan and Sophia's plan convoluted plan comes slowly apart like layers of an onion and in the end Sophia, faking her own suicide, leaves both Cornelis and Jan.