Sacrifice In The Age Of Innocence

The true values of man are revealed when one faces the prospect of losing something precious in order to keep what truly matters, as people’s sacrifices reveal their true beliefs. In The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton demonstrates that people make such sacrifices for what they really value, when Newland Archer ends his affair with the Countess Olenska, whom he loves, to live socially accepted with his wife, May Welland. Archer gives up the relationship that he longs for, displaying that his real principles are behaving loyally to his wife, finding acceptance in 1870’s New York high society, and living a life of purity. May Welland, Archer’s beloved for some time, is described as innocent and angelic, contrasting sharply with Ellen Olenska’s edgy attitude and more outgoing lifestyle. Archer deeply cares for May, but is in love with her recently arrived cousin. He, in many instances, is protective of May’s well-being, and realizes that his scandalous meetings with another woman are unjust. Also, when May suspects Archer of having said affair, she remains loyal to him; as Archer perceives this, he eventually does the same. Easily, he could have run away with the Countess out of his own desire, but sacrifices his love for …show more content…
In the upper class lives of the Archers, Wellands, and van der Luydens (powerful long-established families of the area), who one married determined how the authority of a family would reach. In the society where “people dreaded scandal more than disease,” Archer chose his role in societal matters over his romantic feelings for Olenska. Should he have valued love over society, Archer would have not sacrificed his opportunity to be with the woman he loved to be accepted in society rather than be outcast from