Part IV Summary

Part IV begins in April of 1846. Tony has been married for some time now and writes to her mother asking her to come visit. Grunlich keeps her in their house in the country and refuses to buy a carriage so that she can visit people in town. The elder Buddenbrook also writes to his son Thomas who is still in Amsterdam. Christian has left for England and Thomas is doing business for the family in Amsterdam though he may be coming down with an illness. Tony writes her mother another letter telling her that she has just had a daughter with Grunlich named Erica.

At the Buddenbrook home on Mengstrasse, one of the servants refuses to serve the family and tells them that the servants will be taking over the house soon. This unruly servant is immediately fired, but the general...