Chapter 1 Summary

The Rainbow chronicles three generations of Brangwens living near Marsh Farm. Sexually stormy marriages set the stage for conflict and for power struggles within the home. Tradition, passion, children, and compromise define the Brangwen clan, giving its members both happiness and sadness. Ursula Brangwen, the granddaughter of the original Brangwens, takes on the pressures of her upbringing in order to experience life and love on her own terms.

The Brangwen family comes from a long line of farmers. The men of the family feel a strong bond to agriculture and nature while the women long for something more sophisticated along the lines of city life. The youngest son of the family, Tom, is sent to school but is not successful there. After graduating, he returns to run the farm and eventually takes over the farm after his parents die.

Tom is conflicted because...