The Mistletoe Bough

In Short

Anthony Trollope’s short story follows Elizabeth Garrow, a young woman of intense moral seriousness living at Thwaite Hall in Westmoreland. Having previously broken off her engagement to Godfrey Holmes out of a fear of unfitness and female weakness, Elizabeth finds herself tested when Godfrey and his sister Isabella arrive for a complicated Christmas visit. Amid family warmth, youthful romances, and earnest brotherly study schedules, Elizabeth must decide whether her fierce self-denial is safeguarding her integrity or simply destroying her happiness. The tale has endured for its sensitive, finely drawn psychological portrait of a conscience at war with itself.

The Story

The story opens at Thwaite Hall on the banks of the river Eamont, where Major and Mrs. Garrow live a quiet life with their children: the studious Frank, the younger Harry, and their only daughter, Elizabeth. A gentle domestic dispute arises over hanging the traditional Christmas mistletoe, which Elizabeth resists as frivolous and unseemly, earning playful raillery from her brothers. Beneath this quiet holiday setup lies a deeper secret: Elizabeth and Godfrey Holmes, an assistant manager at a Liverpool bank, were once engaged, mutually agreed to break it off, and yet remain deeply entangled.

Despite their separation, Godfrey and his confident sister Isabella arrive at Thwaite Hall for Christmas. Elizabeth has schooled herself in industry, self-denial, and severe independence, determined not to be a vapid or overly compliant woman. However, hosting her former lover proves agonizing. Isabella relentlessly questions Elizabeth about her true feelings, while the younger girls, Kate and Patty Coverdale, navigate their own innocent flirts with Frank and Harry. During a cold winter walk to meet the returning sportsmen, Elizabeth and Godfrey are left alone on the path. Godfrey presses her for an explanation of their parting, arguing that her excessive pride has kept them apart. Elizabeth maintains that they were wise to separate, insisting she could never be the compliant ivy to his tree, yet she confesses that she truly loved him.

Following the walk, Godfrey holds a long, candid discussion with Major Garrow, after which he abruptly departs for Liverpool, leaving Elizabeth distressed by the renewed turmoil. Her parents offer her four days to reflect, emphasizing that if she loves him, she has a duty to his happiness as well as her own, and that excessive pride is a sin against them both. Torn between her rigid moral defenses and her enduring love, Elizabeth finally writes a brief, yielding note to Godfrey, asking him to return if he wishes. Godfrey answers by return post, and upon his arrival on the sixth of January, Frank eagerly orchestrates a plan to ensure the mistletoe is finally hung in the dining-room, where Bessy waits.

How It Unfolds

• The branch denied — Elizabeth objects to hanging the mistletoe at Thwaite Hall, sparking playful teasing from her brothers and revealing her strict moral stance.
• The old attachment — The narrative discloses the history of Elizabeth and Godfrey Holmes, whose promising engagement was mutually broken off before their planned Christmas reunion.
• The festive arrival — Godfrey and his self-possessed sister Isabella arrive at the hall, plunging Elizabeth into the difficult test of maintaining composure around her former suitor.
• The winter walk — During an expedition to meet the young men returning from a shooting trip, Isabella maneuvers the groups so that Elizabeth and Godfrey are left alone together on the path.
• The confrontation — Godfrey urges Elizabeth to reopen their past, leading to a tense exchange where she defends her pride while admitting her past confession of love.
• The final surrender — Following Godfrey’s departure and her parents' gentle counsel, Elizabeth writes a short note asking him to return, paving the way for a joyful reunion under the mistletoe.

The People

• Elizabeth Garrow — A deeply conscientious young woman who values duty, self-denial, and independence. She wants to avoid the silly, pleasure-seeking path of most girls, but her rigid adherence to principles stands in her way, ultimately leading her to recognize the cost of her own pride before reconciling with Godfrey.
• Godfrey Holmes — A capable, successful Liverpool bank manager and Elizabeth's former suitor. He wants to repair their broken relationship and build a life together, but he is hindered by Elizabeth's resistance; he ends up patient, persistent, and ultimately rewarded by her change of heart.
• Major Garrow — A retired, quiet, literary officer of Engineers who wishes only for the secure establishment of his children. He stands out of the way of his daughter's emotional battles until offering wise, balanced counsel that she must consider Godfrey's happiness alongside her own.
• Isabella Holmes — Godfrey's tall, good-humoured, and worldly sister. She wants clarity and truth from Elizabeth, refusing to let past romance remain unspoken, and acts as a persistent catalyst pushing the reluctant lovers toward a resolution.
• Frank Garrow — Elizabeth's eldest brother, intensely devoted to mastering his Greek play and algebra during the holidays. He wants his vacation to be both productive and bright, and he humorously orchestrates the final return of Godfrey and the hanging of the mistletoe.

In Its Own Voice

“To me all that is detestable, and I am sure it is not the sort of thing that Miss Holmes would like.”

Elizabeth objects to the festive mistletoe tradition in the opening scene, signaling her strict adherence to propriety.

“I have no right to love you, knowing you as I did; and knowing also that my ways would not be your ways.”

Elizabeth defends her painful decision to part from Godfrey during their tense conversation on the winter walk.

“Frank says that I am a Puritan, and pride was the worst of their sins.”

Elizabeth acknowledges her brother's teasing critique while debating her own unyielding self-reproach.

What It's Really About

The story explores the tension between excessive moral rigor and genuine human happiness. Trollope examines the psychological burden of female independence, asking whether self-reliance can curdle into a destructive pride that shuts out natural affection. Elizabeth Garrow's internal conflict questions how a woman of strong character can surrender her heart without losing her autonomy or self-respect. Furthermore, the narrative contrasts youthful, uncalculated romance—seen in the lighthearted flirtations of the younger characters—with the complex, self-conscious hesitations of maturity. It is an argument for emotional honesty, suggesting that stubborn adherence to abstract principles can inflict needless suffering on those who love one another.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate subtle psychological portraits and quiet, domestic character studies will find this short work deeply rewarding. Reading it feels like sitting beside a crackling Westmoreland hearth, listening to a wise observer unpack the delicate machinery of human pride and hesitation. Trollope avoids melodramatic fireworks, opting instead for a slow, authentic unfolding of conscience that stays with long after the final page. While modern readers may occasionally pause at the mid-nineteenth-century standards of feminine propriety and the earnest Latin-and-Greek studying habits of the period, these details anchor the story in a rich, textured reality. It offers a masterclass in how pride quietly interferes with love, making Elizabeth’s eventual yielding feel hard-won, honest, and profoundly earned.