Comparing The House Of Mirth 'And The Age Of Innocence'
The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence: The Lives and Struggles of New York’s Upper Class
Among the collection of works by American author Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence are considered to be two of her most widely recognized. Both books explore similar themes that showcase the lives and struggles of New York’s upper class, and have both received considerable acclaim and accolade (Killoran 2001, p.26, 93). This paper sets out to deconstruct the themes and discourse of both novels and compare each individual work’s merits and their collective ability to convey an understanding for the lives of New York’s upper class in the late 19th century. Furthermore, it will draw upon undertones in each novel that provides …show more content…
Mr Simon Rosedale, who initially seeks to wed Lily earlier in the novel, eventually refuses Lily’s marriage proposal after her excommunication in fear of the threat it poses to his own social standing. He admits that at the time of Lily’s proposal, he was “more in love with [her] than ever”, yet now that Lily’s standing in society has fallen dramatically, he feels that he “could do better” (Wharton 1905, p. 279). In the greater scheme of things, the inner conflicts that exist in many of the characters in The House of Mirth showcase the superficiality of old New York upper class society. It paints it as a world where an individual’s incentive to meet social expectations governs the decisions and actions of its inhabitants and a complex web of social institutions serves as a tremendous inhibition that stands in the way of people’s most passionate desires. It is in this sense that the outward projection of mirth and prosperity of the upper class is nothing but a façade that hides a world of loneliness and …show more content…
BELL, M., 1995. The Cambridge Companion to Edith Wharton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. CANBY H.S., 1920. Our America. In: J.W. TUTTLETON, K.O. LAUER & M.P. MURRAY, ed. Edith Wharton: The Contemporary Reviews. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 287-289.
3. DWIGHT, E., 1994. Edith Wharton An Extraordinary Life. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc.
4. HARDEN, E.F., 2005. An Edith Wharton Chronology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
5. KILLORAN, H., 2001. The Critical Reception of Edith Wharton. New York: Camden House.
6. KNIGHTS, P., 2009. The Cambridge Introduction to Edith Wharton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
7. LIDOFF, J., 1980. Another Sleeping Beauty: Narcissism in The House of Mirth. American Quarterly, 32 (5), 519-539.
8. OUTLOOK, 1905. A Notable Novel. In: J.W. TUTTLETON, K.O. LAUER & M.P. MURRAY, ed. Edith Wharton: The Contemporary Reviews. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 110-112.
9. WHARTON, E., 1905. The House of Mirth. London: Oxford University Press.
10. WHARTON, E., 1920. The Age of Innocence. London: David Campbell Publishers
Among the collection of works by American author Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence are considered to be two of her most widely recognized. Both books explore similar themes that showcase the lives and struggles of New York’s upper class, and have both received considerable acclaim and accolade (Killoran 2001, p.26, 93). This paper sets out to deconstruct the themes and discourse of both novels and compare each individual work’s merits and their collective ability to convey an understanding for the lives of New York’s upper class in the late 19th century. Furthermore, it will draw upon undertones in each novel that provides …show more content…
Mr Simon Rosedale, who initially seeks to wed Lily earlier in the novel, eventually refuses Lily’s marriage proposal after her excommunication in fear of the threat it poses to his own social standing. He admits that at the time of Lily’s proposal, he was “more in love with [her] than ever”, yet now that Lily’s standing in society has fallen dramatically, he feels that he “could do better” (Wharton 1905, p. 279). In the greater scheme of things, the inner conflicts that exist in many of the characters in The House of Mirth showcase the superficiality of old New York upper class society. It paints it as a world where an individual’s incentive to meet social expectations governs the decisions and actions of its inhabitants and a complex web of social institutions serves as a tremendous inhibition that stands in the way of people’s most passionate desires. It is in this sense that the outward projection of mirth and prosperity of the upper class is nothing but a façade that hides a world of loneliness and …show more content…
BELL, M., 1995. The Cambridge Companion to Edith Wharton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. CANBY H.S., 1920. Our America. In: J.W. TUTTLETON, K.O. LAUER & M.P. MURRAY, ed. Edith Wharton: The Contemporary Reviews. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 287-289.
3. DWIGHT, E., 1994. Edith Wharton An Extraordinary Life. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc.
4. HARDEN, E.F., 2005. An Edith Wharton Chronology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
5. KILLORAN, H., 2001. The Critical Reception of Edith Wharton. New York: Camden House.
6. KNIGHTS, P., 2009. The Cambridge Introduction to Edith Wharton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
7. LIDOFF, J., 1980. Another Sleeping Beauty: Narcissism in The House of Mirth. American Quarterly, 32 (5), 519-539.
8. OUTLOOK, 1905. A Notable Novel. In: J.W. TUTTLETON, K.O. LAUER & M.P. MURRAY, ed. Edith Wharton: The Contemporary Reviews. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 110-112.
9. WHARTON, E., 1905. The House of Mirth. London: Oxford University Press.
10. WHARTON, E., 1920. The Age of Innocence. London: David Campbell Publishers