The House of Mirth

“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth” (New King James Version, Eccl. 7:4). From this wise Biblical proverb stems the title of Edith Wharton’s second novel The House of Mirth. The narrative examines Lily Bart, a seemingly prosperous and confident young New Yorker plagued by self-hatred and debt. The common literary allusions “gilding the lily” and “consider the lilies” better illustrate these negative attributes, which ultimately caused her downfall. “Gilding the lily” is arguably one of the most direct allusions in The House of Mirth. Taken from the Shakespearean quote “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily…is wasteful and ridiculous excess” (King John iv.ii.10–18), the idiom perfectly illustrates Wharton’s troubled protagonist. As a result of her distorted worldview, Lily Bart painted herself with an unnecessary gold gilding. She believed costly jewels, fashionable clothes, and high society defined beauty—and that, without these, she was nothing. If…

In the beginning first two chapters of The House of Mirth The scenery took place at the Grand Central Station. Shelden was return back to work from his trip to the country. Miss Bart is waiting for a train and spots Sheldon who is a friend of hers. They decide to talk over tea about issues within society. Sheldon talks about his collection and how he’s not rich. She then leaves to catch her train to Bellomont. When Lilly Bart on the train she sees Simon who asked where she was and why. She lied…

The book Romola tells a story happened in the mid spring-time of 1492,the late fifteen century,during the Italian Renaissance when great change had taken place in philosophy,literature,science and architecture.At that time,House of Albizzi was the leading family and then House of Medici took over.The society was uneasy and people were experiencing severe philosophy transformation.Florence was considered as the initial centre of the Italian Renaissance,and the ancient resort of Europe.And the…

A metaphor I find interesting and vivid in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is portrayed in, “[Selden] had preserved a certain social detachment, a happy air of viewing the show objectively, of having points of contact outside the great gilt cage in which they were all huddled for the mob to gape at” (Wharton, 54). In this quote, Wharton used the gilt cage as a metaphor for the social trap created by New York City’s high society. The novel was set in the Gilded Age, an era in which the…

Oscar Wilde implements a heavy focusses significant attention on class in The Importance of Being Earnest. People with and without money behave very differently, though strive for the same response and impressions from their peers. The characters in this novel are exaggerated to the point of absurdity when it comes to their obsession with class. Victorian upper class demands its members to keep up an important image in society and value money and appearance above all else, including people.…

In The House of Mirth, Chapters 8-14, we get a glimpse of Gerty's perspective and it is seriously depressing. Lily uses Gerty to feel better about herself, when she gives money for Gerty's Girl's Club: "...she was often bored by the relation of her friend's philanthropic efforts..." (52), and "Lily parted from her with a sense of self-esteem which she naturally mistook for the fruits of altruism" (52). Lily is using Gerty to feel good about herself. Even if the result is a good thing, Lily is…

The Message that the Author has About the Society/ Times Money. Money is delicate. Money if handled wrong by the rich or poor has the power to destroy a whole lifestyle. In Lily Bart’s case, money destroys a life. The message the author of “The House of Mirth”, Edith Wharton has about the society in this book is that money runs things. Throughout the book Lily Bart is striving to obtain high social status and by doing so she must become the wealthiest to get the nicest clothes and the…

Human beings never satisfy for what they have been possessed, they have desired for a perfect life with more than what they currently have. Some people simply want a life without sickness, while others want more money for a wealthy life, or some just wants a happy family with the love from all members. Likewise, indifferent from other people’s desire of a happy life; indeed, Lily from the House of Mirth, wants to have a happy life with “wealthy and true love” . However, she never gets what she…

In the gilded age of America, Lily Bart’s world draws a distinct line between the elites and the impoverished. While the lower class strives towards the American Dream, the wealthy are immersed in luxurious amenities that blindside them to societal issues. In the The House of Mirth, written by Edith Wharton, Lily Bart is depicted as a fledgling socialite seeking to enter the exclusive aristocracy of the gilded age; however Lily’s moral standards restrain her ability to obtain a secure, prominent…

author’s message clearer and also add depth and layers to the novel. In The House of Mirth, author Edith Wharton alludes to Mythology and the Bible to emphasize characterization and provide a more profound understanding to the overall novel. The main protagonist Lily Bart is portrayed as an embodiment of beauty, as men are captivated by her alluring presence. Selden, a middle-class…