Biography Edith Wharton was born in to a society of aristocrats who accurately represented “old” New York; her family was wealthy, intellectual, and rigidly conventional (Bruce). She was educated by tutors and governesses about proper manners, dress, and lifestyle. She was expected to excel in her aristocratic society and was not allowed to read literature—a rule that she broke frequently by obtaining classics from her father’s bookshelves. Her childhood ended with her father’s death in March of 1892. Attempting to adhere to her customary expectations, she married a social elite at the age of twenty-three. Her husband was a wealthy Boston banker, who led an affluent social life in America that was uninterrupted by children or financial concerns.
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In 1905, Wharton published The House of Mirth, the novel that marked the beginning of her career as a professional writer. She then went on to publish works that did not reflect the reality of the aristocrat’s class, such as Madame de Treymes and The Fruit of the Tree, which concerned travel matters. In 1910, she published a collection of chilling ghost stories titled Tales of Men and Ghosts (1910).
Despite Wharton’s success with The House of Mirth, her establishment in the literary field was secured by her 1911 novel, Ethan Frome. The novel was popular for its unique style, descriptive details, tragic ending, and usage of symbolism (Bruce). The novel also portrays Wharton’s most reputable themes: the downfall of a protagonist’s reputation as a result of his or her personal actions, and the corrupt nature of the aristocrats. Following this novel, she published The Reef in 1912 and The Custom of the Country in 1913. Both of these novels brought her success and allowed her to master rhetorical devices, tone, and other writing techniques …show more content…
In Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, the theme of gender roles in the 19th century aristocratic culture is one of the most significant topics throughout the novel (Galens 66). The novel portrays two types of women in the 19th century: those who follow their customary expectations and married into wealth, such as Judy Trenor and Bertha Dorset; and those who attempt to live independently, such as Gerty Ferish and Nettie Struther. The women who were able to marry into wealth are depicted as the leaders of the aristocratic society, while the working class women experience excessive hardships, but are portrayed as the happier of the two
In 1905, Wharton published The House of Mirth, the novel that marked the beginning of her career as a professional writer. She then went on to publish works that did not reflect the reality of the aristocrat’s class, such as Madame de Treymes and The Fruit of the Tree, which concerned travel matters. In 1910, she published a collection of chilling ghost stories titled Tales of Men and Ghosts (1910).
Despite Wharton’s success with The House of Mirth, her establishment in the literary field was secured by her 1911 novel, Ethan Frome. The novel was popular for its unique style, descriptive details, tragic ending, and usage of symbolism (Bruce). The novel also portrays Wharton’s most reputable themes: the downfall of a protagonist’s reputation as a result of his or her personal actions, and the corrupt nature of the aristocrats. Following this novel, she published The Reef in 1912 and The Custom of the Country in 1913. Both of these novels brought her success and allowed her to master rhetorical devices, tone, and other writing techniques …show more content…
In Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, the theme of gender roles in the 19th century aristocratic culture is one of the most significant topics throughout the novel (Galens 66). The novel portrays two types of women in the 19th century: those who follow their customary expectations and married into wealth, such as Judy Trenor and Bertha Dorset; and those who attempt to live independently, such as Gerty Ferish and Nettie Struther. The women who were able to marry into wealth are depicted as the leaders of the aristocratic society, while the working class women experience excessive hardships, but are portrayed as the happier of the two