Edith whartons life

Edith Wharton’s works of literature are characterized by an obvious use of dramatic irony. In her books The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth, she tells stories that are so different they share a similar message. The underlying themes, while different, carry a common theme of society pressures, expectations and love troubles. The protagonist from each novel has goals, hope, and obstacles to face. The Age of Innocence, a novel that takes place in New York during the 1870’s, centers on a wealthy upper-class couple’s imminent marriage and the conflict facing the future bride groom (Newland Archer) when he meets his fiancés cousin from Europe. May Welland is Newlands fiancé; she is your typical upper-class young lady. Newland sees her as the living embodiment of New York society: acts as she is expected, not independent of herself. The way May is isn’t necessarily what grabs Newlands attention; it’s more of what pushes him away. When Newland meets Mays cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska he is overjoyed. When Ellen returns back to America from Europe she has to try to adjust and fit back into New York society. It’s hard for Ellen to adjust because she is so used to Europe and how things were there. Her behavior on her return is deemed too atypical for her to fit back into Old New York, but it attracts Newlands attention. Newland is so used to typical upper-class society that he is bored of it and loves the perspective Ellen has. Newland sees Ellen as her own person, truly alive, and free from the suffocating environment of the New York upper-class. Newland Archer’s upbringing dealt with high society and upper crust upper-class people. Through Newlands life experiences with snobby people, who lack personality and independence, the arrival of Mays cousin who bucks that structure of society is exciting to him. Newland is torn between May and Ellen. His decision for what he should do and what’s right gets difficult. He knows his duties to May, but he is also