Who Is Edith Wharton's Identity In The Age Of Innocence

Corrupted Purity: A Look into the Loss of Innocence in the Catcher in the Rye

The balance of power has been one of mankind’s most prominent and fought-over issues, particularly among the two sexes. Men are biologically predisposed to be more powerful, and humans have historically associated a male’s physical strength with authority. At the same time, women have been conditioned to yield to a man’s power, and have been taught that men are meant to hold economic, societal, and domestic control, as displayed by New York’s high-society in Edith Wharton’s timeless novel The Age of Innocence. Yet, power is an unquantifiable, metaphysical idea completely unrelated to one’s gender. Power is held in the eye of the beholder, and over time, women have used this idea to manipulate and control men without them even knowing. In doing so, women have been creating their own power for centuries, though society does not recognize it nor give them credit for having as much control as they do. Despite its setting in a patriarchal 19th century society, Wharton manages to defy even modern gender roles by contrasting the influence of resolute Ellen Olenska—a presumably promiscuous noblewoman—with lawyer Newland Archer’s submissiveness so as to suggest that women truly hold power over men during this time.

To illustrate the nature in which New York applies these silences, Wharton introduces a female character that symbolizes all the ideas and innovations that New York feared most.

Edith Wharton is well known for her vivid descriptions of wealthy, upper class New York society and their old-fashioned mores. The Custom of the Country illustrates not only the strict values of ‘old money,' from which Wharton herself descended, but, also, the variance in customs held by those with new money, as well as those from other states and abroad. Two of the novel's main characters that attempt to join this society exemplify the conflicts they face as their imbedded small-town, yet, somewhat modern values clash with those of New York society, further demonstrating the shift of values in American society near the end of the Gilded Age. As Undine Spragg and her family move to New York in hopes of securing a fortune and social status

Both Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome provide an insight into the moral ideas that have shaped New England. One major theme of The Scarlet Letter that helps to portray this is the theme of Puritanism. The religious nature of the morality shaped the society’s reaction to Hester’s affair. A major theme of Ethan Frome that helps to portray this is the theme of duty and morality vs. desire. Ethan feels he has a moral duty to remain with his wife, Zeena, even though he truly desires to run away with Mattie. The ideas of morality presented in The Scarlet Letter and Ethan Frome are similar in that they both portray adultery as greatly immoral; however, they differ in the reason behind these ideas of morality.

The first aspect to which I wish to raise focus on is of how Edith Wharton was raised. She was the youngest child sixteen years apart from her oldest brother, very well educated by a governs, capable of speaking French, Italian, and German, and most importantly she was filled with indifference towards her upper

Daisy Miller examines European high society throughout the 1870s. The societal norms are placed firmly in the beliefs of the class system, social status, and education: all of which are needed in order to successfully assimilate into the world of the upper class. Henry James makes it clear that these norms make up the lives of the high society through his characterization of the “uncultivated” Daisy Miller. Daisy’s character is questionable throughout the novella, and the word “uncultivated” has been necessary to coming to that conclusion.

The Age of Innocence, written by Edith Wharton in 1920, is a novel about Newland Archer, set in New York in the 1870s. In the beginning of the novel, Newland is engaged to May Welland, however when her cousin Ellen Olenska returns from Europe, he begins to doubt who he really loves. Due to societal norms, Newland stays with May and never consummates his relationship with Ellen, despite their growing feelings towards each other. At the time of writing The Age of Innocence, Wharton was reading Sir James George Frazer’s The Golden Bough (1914), a 14 volume work on anthropology, which consisted of myths, customs, and magical practices. This collection sparked interest for Wharton, potentially inspiring her to enlist many allusions to classical

Newland declares to the table that women have the right to be “as free as [men] are” (Age of Innocence 38). As the women talk further about Ellen, Newland states that he is sick of the “hypocrisy that would bury a woman” for preferring to be with her husband, contrary to what others believe (Age of Innocence 37). Newland sees a small connection between the women’s opinions and his own relationship with Ellen. He begins to see he must make a choice between Ellen and May, unbeknownst to him that his choice will be what is “socially acceptable” to old New York (“Edith Wharton” 2). Newland then decided that May should have the same “freedom of experience” he has (Age of Innocence 42).

Every character was created by the author for a purpose. As readers journey through Wharton’s Tales of Men and Ghosts short story collection, they might be inclined to overlook one of the most important aspect: the minor characters, for they hold great significance. Amongst these minor characters are female characters who play plot twisting roles. Through them, Wharton subtly breaches the societal expectations of her time by inserting this concept that women too play an important role in society. In addition, Wharton’s characters refute the haunting words of Queen Victoria: “Let women be what God intended, a helpmate for a man, but with totally different duties and vocations” (Trueman).

The purpose of this Extended Essay is to challenge the general categorization of male as heroes in novels through one of Edith Wharton’s best novels by examining the question “How does Edith Wharton manifest the role of May Welland and Ellen Olenska in foreshadowing the plot of The Age of Innocence?” The scope of this essay encompasses two works; first a critical analysis of the character, May and second, an analysis of the character, Ellen, regarding their roles as foreteller and heroines in the novel. The unique use of Mythology by Wharton as symbols to portray her two leading female characters, in the era of the Gilded Age, is what initially drew me to write an essay on this topic. This essay thus explores Wharton’s use of mythology

Wharton's work shows her experiences and views of Old New York society, women, and the rigid social code of high society that permeated the rest of society. Wharton also creates a dualistic vision in her work similar to Kästner and Fitzgerald’s. Yet, Wharton’s dualism does not reflect moral geography, but instead both the strengths and failings of the old society and she celebrates the new society in choosing a very positive character, the Countess Olenska, as its representative. Wharton compares the new age and century with that of her own past. While Wharton’s work does not engage the war directly, this does not mean that it did not draw a comparison to it. It does poses as both a memoir for Wharton's youth and

Women in society sometimes are subject to objectification, meaning they are treated as a mere object; unequal to men. In the novel, The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton, this holds true, except, women are said to be equal to men, but are not treated in this exact manner. Lily is apart of the upper class society of New York and attends parties, gambles all her money, and throughout the whole book tries to marry a rich man. Wharton’s feminism is apparent in the way she treats Lily; Lily gets through society, merely by keeping up her appearances. Beauty and appearance are everything in this society, if you are beautiful you will get far in society, however, the only thing Lily is lacking is wealth. In the novel, feminism is present with the idea of appearances and the symbol of money is used to convey that men are needed to control a women’s social stability.

Wharton takes the much-admired upper crust of society and exposes them, not in a hurtful world, but an objectively world. Wharton writes: "I've come to the conclusion that I don't in the least know what they are," said Mrs. Ansley. "And perhaps we didn't know much more about each other."(780) This one passage serves as a direct commentary on both the bonds of friendship and family life. Wharton's language is objective, straightforward. The character speaks these alarming

­Point of view­  The novel is told from 3rd person point of view (limited). The story is being revealed by an  unknown person.   The narrator is able to share how life in high New York society functions.  More specifically, the narrator is able to reveal Newland Archer’s thoughts and emotions as he  works through his internal struggle.  ­Irony­  The book being called The Age of Innocence is ironic because the one who would be perceived  as being most innocent, is not as naïve as believed. May Welland Archer grew up innocent and  naïve and has never known passion until her husband introduces her to it.  After Newland begins  his affair, he believes her to be completely innocent and unaware, while she is actually  completely aware of his affair with Ellen and chooses to act ignorant.  Newland believes that she  was innocent “and she had died thinking the world was a good place, full of loving and  harmonious households like her own” (226).  His thoughts that she died innocent is ironic  because Newland was the innocent, oblivious person in this situation because he was unaware  of May’s knowledge of his affair.  ­Rising Action­  Newland Archer has recently gotten happily engaged to May Welland when May’s cousin, Countess Ellen  Olenska, returns to America after separating from her husband. Because the Countess's family, led by the  powerful Mrs. Manson Mingott, has chosen to bring her back into good society, Newland and May welcome  her openly. Newland gets to know Ellen and