Edith Wharton Research Paper
Ricky Heinlein 5/9/18 Honors American Studies House of Mirth Essay Edith Wharton takes a deserved place among the most famous classics of American literature. She was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize and once received the Pulitzer Prize - for the novel "The Age of Innocence" (1920). But that is what is particularly interesting: she was the last representative of the "Century of Innocence" of American literature, which was blown up by the First World War. Edith Wharton's works are popular all over the world, beginning in 1905 and up to this day. Her work "The House of Mirth", written in 1905, is dedicated to the customs and traditions, typical for the society of New York at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the central …show more content…
Bringing up of the main heroine of the novel is quite in line with the spirit of this society. From the very childhood, Lily, the main heroine, understood poverty is like a terrible disease and must be avoided. She is used to such a bustling, wasteful life and cannot imagine any other. “Her whole being dilated in an atmosphere of luxury. It was the background she required, the only climate she could breathe in.” (Wharton 27). However, not everything goes as planned, their family suddenly falls into bankruptcy, and Lily and her mother find themselves in a small room of a cheap motel. Unable to reconcile with the surrounding sadness, Lily's mother dies, but she does not cease, however, to repeat that her daughter must achieve wealth and a high position in society. Lily, when met at the beginning of the novel, is an impeccably beautiful girl for a rich husband, trying hard to stay inside the high society. Or, perhaps, it is much more complicated than this ancient …show more content…
She is seductive and beautiful, and the author repeatedly emphasizes the physical attractiveness of the heroine, comparing it with a fragile flower or a bright bird. " She had been fashioned to adorn and delight; to what other end does nature round the rose-leaf and paint the humming-bird's breast?" (Wharton 316). Edith Wharton gives his heroine not only an external attraction but also the ability to seduce and conquer men. Seeking to marry a rich and influential representative of her own class, able to provide her with a comfortable life and a decent position in society, Lily Bart has perfected the science of seduction. With subtle irony, Wharton describes the process of seduction, in which the heroine acts as a hunter for a rich
Edith Sigler Research Paper
156 Words | 1 PagesOn February 15, 1912, during the same week in which Edith Elmira Sigler was born in Shelby County, Center Texas, a sister town published the Lubbock avalanche. The U.S postal workers are compared to other mail service workers on how much they make. Lubbock acalanche reminded their followers of the upcoming State Primary that was held on July 27th 1912. Edith Sigler was probably use to seeing the Republicans and the Deomocrats who worked together to fight socaialism. The town of Lubbock was dignosed with “improvemetngitis”.
The Theme Of Powerlessness In Marigolds By Eugenia Collier
356 Words | 2 PagesIn the short story, Marigolds by Eugenia Collier explores the effects of poverty to convey the theme of powerlessness. The theme is exhibited through setting, her parents, and Miss. Lottie's marigolds. The main character, Lizabeth, is a fourteen-year-old girl, playing with her brother and their friends, just being kids. Lizabeth doesn’t feel powerless as a child, it is only when she looks back on the situation does she realize what growing up in poverty has done to her.
The Role Of Social Norms In Edith Wharton's Age Of Innocence
238 Words | 1 PagesThroughout Edith Wharton’s Transcendental novel, Age of Innocence, she creates a complex society based on social norms. During this work, Wharton suggests that power is based on wealth and that an individuals’ potential is limited to some extent by the strict rules of upper class New York society. For instance, the elites of New York refuse to let Ellen Olenska into their society because she is a woman who left her husband. These New Yorkers are worried that they will be breaking the social code by having an outcast as an acquaintance. Ellen’s struggles in fitting into society depicts the fact that one cannot ignore all social norms and be accepted by anyone worried about their own status.
The Search For Independence In Lily's The House Of Mirth
1161 Words | 5 PagesIn the first chapters of The House of Mirth Wharton establishes various conditions that Lily desires. She is in search of wealth, social prosperity, and marriage. But Lily’s craving for independence is an added aspect that cannot go overlooked. The craving is established early on, in chapter three of the text. Lily is seen longing to, “drop out of the race and make an independent life for herself” but yet knows it would not be a fit lifestyle for her because “she hated dinginess as much as her mother had hated it, and to her last breath she meant to fight
The Coquette The History Of Eliza Garnette Sparknotes
790 Words | 4 PagesThat insistence upon her own happiness at the cost of the disapproval of her friends is not seen as simply wanting to have a nice time in her life. It is seen as Wharton wanting to flirt and waste her time with parties. Lucy Freeman, Wharton’s best friend, describes her in The Coquette; or, the History of Eliza Wharton as “[meaning] to exhibit a few more girlish airs” before she gets married (Foster 595). Freemen very strongly disapproves of this inclination, particularly when she has her own opinions about who and when Wharton should marry. Wharton only pleases Freeman when she gives in and gets engaged to the man her friend
Gambling In Edith Wharton's The House Of Mirth
461 Words | 2 PagesEdith Wharton’s The House of Mirth is a nineteenth-century novel about Lily Bart, a single woman who was well-born but struggling with her finances, and her path to marriage in high society Old New York. One of the struggles that Lily faces is with gambling, which causes trouble for her because she does not have enough money to gamble and her society is disgraced and offended by gambling. Lily Bart defies the norms of Old New York society by gambling and risk-taking and the consequences of her choices are severe. Lily begins gambling and risk-taking in her everyday life and those gambles directly relate to her disinheritance and her eventual death.
An Analysis Of Katherine Mansfield's Miss Brill
874 Words | 4 PagesThe reader transitions from thinking Miss Brill is an optimistic, cheery woman who has a taste for judging others below her to discovering that she is lonesome and poor, seeking for an escape from her reality. It becomes apparent that the author pities the main character, and wants the readers to feel the same way. This way, the author can address the importance of being true to yourself, even though the world can be cruel; living in a generated fantasy may seem attractive, but reality is destined to strip dreams
The Importance Of Individuality In The Age Of Innocence
821 Words | 4 PagesAmericans have struggled with their appearances for centuries. In The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Wharton demonstrates the ongoing struggle between individuality and conforming to society the upper-class New Yorkers experienced in the 1870’s. The rules of their society are rarely discussed, yet always understood amongst the elite, and can never be broken. The novel follows the lives of Newland Archer, May Welland-Archer, and Ellen Olenska in their day-to-day struggle of keeping their reputation in the society. The people in the upper-class New York society Edith Wharton discusses in The Age of Innocence rely on approval from others, with the aim of keeping their appearances in society.
Lily Atwood's The House Of Mirth
1030 Words | 5 PagesLily fears that now she is twenty nine and still has no husband. She knows that she has to find someone quick that she can marry, and someone whom she can live a comfortable life with. While Lily is still trying to win over Mr. Gryce, she was supposed to go on a walk with him, until she cancels thinking it would be the best idea, since she has been told before that she takes things too fast. Since Lily canceled the walk with Mr. Gryce he feels that Lily has snubbed him and decides that he will leave Bellomont. “'You've known Laurence Seldon for years- why did you behave as if you had just discovered him?
Edith Wharton Research Paper
1091 Words | 5 PagesWharton married Edward Robbins Wharton in 1885, a man eleven years her elder who was a member of her mother’s social circle. Although her husband had many attractive qualities, he did not share Wharton’s interests in art. This fact, combined with her conflicted feelings toward being merely a matron in society and Edward’s poor health, led Wharton to be exceedingly unhappy in her marriage. The misery Wharton found in her married life very much carried over to her negative views of marriage during her time, as well as critical views of American society in
A Pair Of Silk Stockings Critical Analysis
1108 Words | 5 PagesKate Chopin, a famous author from the American Realism period, writes the reality of the financial pressures that surrounded the women of the 19th century. She writes the story of Mrs. Sommers, a poor mother of many children, and her struggles finding freedom in the judgemental society she lives in. Mrs. Sommers was wealthy, but recently entered a life of poverty due to harsh times. When faced with financial decisions of her family 's wants and needs, Mrs. Sommers hastily spends all the money she has on herself rather than her children who need new clothes. The setting of this story is a large city with department stores and many attractions which play into Mrs. Sommers’ temptations later on in the story.
A Comparison Of Emma And Emma By Jane Austen
1269 Words | 6 PagesDespite being inferior to Emma in social standing, thus not representing a real threat to her social standing, it not surprising Emma takes an immediate dislike towards her. Although described as possessing “very pleasing beauty” (161), it is not Jane’s attractiveness that threatens Emma’s position, but her preeminent talent and elegance which “received every advantage of discipline and culture” (158). For that reason, Emma has no trouble nurturing Harriet the “sweet, docile” (23), while feeling such disdain towards Jane, although their circumstances are very much alike. This observation is parallel to Riviere’s psychoanalytic outline of a successful, intelligent woman, seeking to integrate into a social network dominated by men, in regard to her relationship with other women “since she reached womanhood, her rivalry with women had been more acute in regard to intellectual
Edith Wharton's The Age Of Innocence
745 Words | 3 PagesNewland Archer is the recognition center of the whole story, in Wharton’s view, describes a group of female images in the old New York society. Newland had grown up in the upper class had well educated background and bright future. He understands the tradition and courtesy, however in the same time he has personal perspectives out of the social circle. Because of this he is sometimes being tired of banal propriety. In the old New York society, female has always been considering as male’s appurtenance and only have subordinate status, can’t have their own right, but Newland thinks female should be free like a male.
The Age Of Innocence By Edith Wharton
1465 Words | 6 PagesThe Age of Innocence written by the late Edith Wharton is a play on the early stages of America in the life of the most well bred and noble Americans. The Age of Innocence was written so specifically for one time in American History that it fails at transcending over multiple generations. Though this work is written with a level of expertise, spirit and play on a forbidden taboo of loving someone you're not meant to. The book continuously fell short for me with its slow character building, lack of real climax, and it's inability to take the reader to a whole to new world, that would in turn showcase the birth of America along with its highest class. For that, I feel that this book should not have been chosen for a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Pretty Woman Analysis
1250 Words | 5 Pages‘The reader is seldom the heroine in the sense meant by the term reader identification. There is always a sense of analytical distance’ (Kinsale, Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, 31). ‘People are looking at me’ says Vivian, whom Edward corrects, ‘They’re not looking at you. They’re looking at me.’ Similarly at Rodeo Drive the salesman was greatly interested in Edward than Vivian because he is the holder of the plastic money, but Vivian can be replaced by any other woman enjoying his
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