The Age of Innocence

Changing society in any way takes intellectual curiosity and immense bravery. Sadly, these characteristics were not all too admired during the Gilded Age. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton features characters that contrast with the constricting ideas of this period and embrace the boldness of the heart and the head (up to a point). Although it was a time in American history where a lucky few flourished, this era lacked depth especially where its values were concerned and Wharton’s prose certainly keeps that in mind. The story of Newland Archer and Madame Olenska divulges the repressive elitist culture that existed and communicates it with symbols, tone, and a hint of nostalgia. In Edith Wharton’s iconic novel The Age of Innocence the norms…

In the novels, The Age of Innocence written by Edith Wharton and The Call of the Wild written by Jack London, there are two main characters that change entirely as the novels progress. These characters are reshaped by outside events that bring out their true inner selves that were hidden away because of their specific societies. The impact of external events and actions are what make these characters in the end. Newland Archer from The Age of Innocence, began as a man made from society norms. He…

In this moment, Archer, after being convinced by his son to see Ellen only after his wife died, is standing outside of Ellen’s apartment while his son, Dallas is going up to greet her. WHEN? The Gilded Age of America was a time of glamor and sophistication in the high societies. The name is coined by Mark Twain, as he felt this time was “gilded with gold” on the surface with dire corruption underneath. The pounding economy was provided great riches after the Civil War but also gave way to…

The book titled ‘Age of Innocence’, by Edith Wharton, is set during the late 1800s in New York after the First World War. This era was one of rapid change, which was a good catalyst in shaping the direction of the novel. It was a time of social distinction, emerging rich industrialist, new money and fashion excess. Wharton uses Newland as the limited-omniscient third person as he is the very expression of what the society of the day represents. He is well bred, understands and respects his role…

In Edith Wharton’s novel, The Age of Innocence, Irony is a perpetual theme and appears in many aspects of the plot. The novel is presented through the point of view of an omniscient unnamed narrator, and describes a story of old New York’s reactions to scandal and contradiction. In a society where aristocrat families influence the city, and the powerful dictate the social classes, the idea of innocence is not illustrated. Throughout the first few chapters of the story the narrator makes ironic…

whether its marriage, friends, or even taste in music. In the novel Age of Innocence, one would expect to live such a lifestyle. Taking place in upper class New York, the socialites “all lived in a kind of hieroglyphic world, where the real thing was never said or done or even thought, but only represented by a set of arbitrary signs” (Wharton 145). The story focuses on Newland Archer, a restrained young attorney who is forced to live the conventional life that is expected of him, but dreams…

Society: May Cause Side Effects Imagine a reality where one had no control over his own choices- whether its marriage, friends, or even taste in music. In the novel Age of Innocence, one would expect to live such a lifestyle. Taking place in upper class New York, the socialites “all lived in a kind of hieroglyphic world, where the real thing was never said or done or even thought, but only represented by a set of arbitrary signs” (Wharton 145). Wharton’s novel tells the story of personal…

After its debut in 1920, Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence challenged many social and political norms of its time through a combination of historic fiction and heavy-handed sarcasm. Wharton became the first woman to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize when the novel was given the award in 1921 (Wikipedia, “Age of Innocence”).). Throughout the 20th century, the novel was adapted and re-adapted on both film and stage (Wikipedia, “Age of Innocence”). However, with the rise of the 21st century, Age of…

As one may seen in the news or current events, women often go against the customs of a society and end up in a heap of trouble with city officials and are treated belligerently for their actions. Similar things occurred during the ages of Romanticism and American Transcendentalism during the times the novels The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton were set to take place. The female protagonists, Hester Prynne and Countess Ellen Olenska, face…

In a free market economy containing unequal distribution of resources, power, and authority, social classes are an inevitable outcome. Consequently, stereotypes of both the proletariat and bourgeoisie classes have emerged and this stratification has shaped societal structure. Many ridicule aristocracy for its traditions and absurdity, but neglect the beauty that lies within. The novel The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton celebrates the eloquence and elaborate structure of the high society in…