‘The Gilded Age’ deals with a failed seduction, inherent prejudice, and ambitious social climbing in its fourth episode, titled ‘A Long Ladder.’ Peggy meets T. Thomas Fortune and eventually gets a job at the New York Globe. George assists the Fane family in getting out of their financial plight in exchange for Aurora assisting Bertha (Carrie Coon) in becoming a member of New York polite society. Marian arrives abruptly at the Scott home with a pair of old shoes and is rightfully called out on it. The news of a performance at the Academy of Music for Ms. Barton’s charity has everyone talking. Marian attends the performance and is startled by who she meets. Here’s all you need to know about the episode 4 finale of ‘The Gilded Age.’ WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

Recap of The Gilded Age Episode 4

The episode begins with George and his employees celebrating the completion of their new station, while Mrs. Morris mourns the death of her husband. Even at her funeral, there are voices surrounding her rebuking Patrick, who committed suicide and is being buried on sacred land. Later, George meets with Mr. Fane and talks on a truce, much to the relief of the other man. Mr. Fane afterwards chats to his wife and explains why they must act as Russells’ figurative chaperons into polite society. As a result, Aurora informs Bertha that meeting Ward McAllister, whom she portrays as Mrs. Astor’s henchman, is the greatest opportunity for her family to enter the upper tier of New York’s privileged society. Aurora also invites Bertha to accompany her and her husband to the Academy of Music to hear John Knowles Paine conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Meanwhile, T. Thomas Fortune of the New York Globe purchases one of Peggy’s tales and commissions her to produce a 200-word article about political affiliation without the ability to vote. Peggy later pays a visit to her folks to inform them of her wonderful news. This is when Marian shows up unannounced with a pair of old shoes, thinking they’ll make a nice gift. Her surprise at the Scott family’s wealth is a symptom of discrimination in and of itself. She is not an openly racist, but she has preconceived views about the African American society that influence her conduct toward Peggy and her family. And Peggy is correct to call her out on it.

Ms. Turner tries to entice George by sliding into his bed one night, but things don’t go as planned. She completely underestimated George’s devotion to his wife. The show emphasises once more that this is a marriage of equals, at least in the 1880s. George will not compromise this by having a mistress. Furthermore, he does not appear to be a man who is primarily motivated by sex.

Bridget is shown to have been mistreated as a child, and she blames her mother for it. Oscar avoided the Russell family after realising that they would lose everything after the bill for a new station in New York was cancelled. Now that things are back on track, he seeks to get invited to their house and discovers that the Russells have noted his absence throughout their trying times and have barred his access to their home.

Episode 4 of The Gilded Age concludes with: Was there a real opera house at the Academy of Music? Is John Knowles Paine a Genuine Composer?

Marian goes to see John Knowles Paine conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra with the Fanes in the episode’s final sequence. Bertha is also in their container. Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel), who is sitting in the box next to them, notices Marian and approaches her. Given how obsessed polite society is with restricting people’s access to it, his presence there astounds everyone. Bertha, on the other hand, who has long struggled against this thinking, is plainly impressed.

The Academy of Music was, in fact, a legitimate opera house. John Knowles Paine was an accomplished composer. And the Boston Symphony Symphony is a real orchestra that still exists today. The Academy of Music was located in Manhattan on the northeast intersection of East 14th Street and Irving Place. It went into operation in 1854 and included a hall with seating for 4,000 people. When it was at its peak, New York’s elites would throng there to hear opera. It began presenting vaudeville shows in 1886. It was eventually dismantled in 1926, and the Consolidated Edison Building replaced it.

John Knowles Paine was a well-known composer from the United States. He holds the distinction of being the first composer born in America to achieve widespread acclaim for large-scale orchestral music. Paine, known as one of the Boston Six composers, was the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s first guest conductor. The performance presented in the show, on the other hand, appears to be fictitious. While Paine performed with the BSO on multiple occasions in 1882, their first appearance at the Academy of Music was in 1900.