Gilded Age In Edith Wharton's The House Of Mirth

In this paper I am going to delve into the work of art known as The House of Mirth and examine the main character, Lily Bart. By explaining some of the literary allusions that are found in this book I hope to give others a deeper look into the story. The Gilded Age was known as a time of great breakthrough and discovery. However, despite its glorious appearance, the nation was struggling with corruption and greed. I believe this is the backbone of Edith Wharton's book, The House of Mirth. She created a unique story which showcased the actions of the wealthy people in her time and found that it closely resembled the era she was living in. Despite all appearances, most of the people who were fortunate enough to live in the upper class would …show more content…
Edith Wharton used this theme in the book when several of Lily's suitors discuss how marvelous she would look adorned in the finest gowns and jewels. They spend much of their time dreaming of how they will increase her beauty and she will look more splendid than any of the other women of her time. This becomes especially evident when Mr. Trenor has Lily trapped in the reading room and explains to her that he could make her the richest and most stunning woman in the country. He could fix all her financial troubles and spoil her with the most lavish items a woman could ever dream of. However, despite all of his promises, Lily refuses to accept his proposition because she knows it is the wrong thing to do. Even though it would cause her to live the life she dreams about, Lily is unable to accept his offer with a clear …show more content…
She is beautiful and often very childlike which leaves many to wonder about her. The name choice displays the beauty of our Lily and the author is able to show her in different seasons of her life. When she is most beautiful and blossomed in the spring, when she is wilting in the autumn and finally, when she reaches her breaking point of life and dies during the harsh winter. During the times where she was living a good life Lily flourished, but when things became difficult, she began to wilt and bend under the pressure. Finally, when she was unable to bear it any longer, she snapped and gave up on the life she was hoping