The House of Mirth is one of Edith Wharton′s most famous and most discussed novels. The novel is the story of Lily Bart who is a product of the society of New York. This society is hypocritical and unkind to those who do not completely conform to their rules and expectations. In The House of Mirth Lily′s struggle with the New York society and her fall from this circle of people is traced.
Critics loved this book. E.E.Hale, JR., a contemporary critic, wrote in his review: "we should gloat over a book, be rapt clean out of ourselves, and rise from the perusal, our mind filled with the bussiest kaleidoscopic dance of images, incapable of sleep or of continuous thought. That is the exact description of a mental state that many will probably experience on reading The House of Mirth" (Ammons 1990: 309). The Saturday Review (a contemporary London paper) wrote in 1906 "It is the striking art of Miss Wharton as a writer that keeps the reader′s sympathy from first to last. She can evoke the emotions of pity, horror and love. In Lily Bart she has created a character that will haunt the imagination of the reader and live in his memory. The book is one of the few novels which can claim to rank as literature" (Ammons 1990: 313). Edith Wharton reflects in her fiction issues and arguments, such as criticism on conspicuous consumption in the leisure class, the economics of marriage for women and "the physical rigors and deprivations of working-class life for many Americans" (Ammons 1990: ix), broadly current in her culture.
The tension between the real and the ideal is expressed throughout the novel, and also from Wharton′s choice of title to her imagery and characterization. She selected the title for her book from the bible, from Ecclesiastes 7.4 - "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth" (Singley 1995: 70). Ecclesiastes is a skeptical and pessimistic text that had, at the turn of the century, a special relevance for a society engaged in material and spiritual debate. "Wharton′s use of this biblical text emphazises the tragedy of the novel: the human failure to distinguish the authentic from the inauthentic." (Singley 1995: 70).
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Lily’s Place in the New York society
III. Lily Bart and Lawrence Selden
IV. Women in the Leisure Class
V. Lily’s Final Escape
VI. Summary
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic work examines the protagonist Lily Bart’s struggle for autonomy within the rigid, hypocritical, and exclusionary structure of turn-of-the-century New York high society. It analyzes how social pressures, economic dependency, and gender-based expectations lead to her eventual psychological and physical decline.
- The tension between personal identity and the demands of high society.
- The complex and dysfunctional relationship between Lily Bart and Lawrence Selden.
- The systemic critique of the American leisure class and its treatment of women.
- The impact of economic vulnerability and the necessity of marriage as a "career."
- The role of female solidarity and kinship as a counterpoint to competitive social norms.
Excerpt from the Book
Lily’s Place in the New York society
Lily Bart was born into the upper class of the New York society. From a young age, Lily was taught that her only goal in life was to find a wealthy man to marry. After her father’s financial ruin, Lily’s mother selected her daughters beauty as the dominant strain for survival. She trained Lily to become a decorative object. Therefore, Maureen Howard describes her mother as “a devil’s chaplain of Darwins note on the cruelty of nature“ (Bell 1995: 144). When the novel opens Lily is an orphant and at the age of twenty-nine, and she has failed in the business of getting married. “And, what is most evident, she has no inner desire to be wed. The pressures are all external“ (Bell 1995: 142). The more her financial and social circumstances demand marriage the less responsive she is.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces Edith Wharton's novel and sets the stage for the thematic exploration of Lily Bart’s tragic struggle within a judgmental society.
II. Lily’s Place in the New York society: This section details Lily's upbringing, her dependency on the leisure class, and the constant social surveillance she endures as she fails to meet expectations.
III. Lily Bart and Lawrence Selden: The chapter analyzes the ambiguous relationship between Lily and Selden, highlighting his tendency to view her as an aesthetic object rather than an equal.
IV. Women in the Leisure Class: This part focuses on the competitive dynamics among women and how they are forced into internal hierarchies to maintain status and financial security.
V. Lily’s Final Escape: This chapter traces Lily's complete social isolation and the final events leading to her death, emphasizing the lack of options for women outside of traditional marriage.
VI. Summary: The final chapter synthesizes the novel's core critique of society and reflects on Lily's ultimate destruction as a result of her refusal to conform to restrictive gender roles.
Keywords
Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, Lily Bart, New York high society, leisure class, marriage market, social autonomy, gender roles, Lawrence Selden, conspicuous consumption, female solidarity, tragedy, social hierarchy, psychological decline, aesthetic object.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this academic work primarily about?
The work provides a critical analysis of Edith Wharton’s novel, specifically focusing on the protagonist Lily Bart’s struggle to reconcile her desire for independence with the restrictive expectations of New York's high society.
What are the central themes of the analysis?
The key themes include the economics of marriage, the objectification of women in the leisure class, the conflict between the real and the ideal, and the impact of systemic social pressure on personal identity.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The study aims to trace how the societal structures of the early 20th century actively undermine Lily Bart’s efforts to define herself outside of the marriage market, eventually leading to her social and physical demise.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The work utilizes a literature-based approach, incorporating critical interpretations from established scholars like Elizabeth Ammons, Maureen Howard, and others to support the textual analysis of the novel.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body chapters cover Lily's social standing, her complex bond with Lawrence Selden, the antagonistic nature of relationships within the leisure class, and the final stages of her decline.
How would you characterize the work using keywords?
The work is characterized by terms such as social critique, gender studies, aesthetic objectification, independence, and systemic tragedy.
How does the author characterize the role of Lawrence Selden in Lily's life?
Selden is described as a "connoisseur" who struggles to see Lily as anything more than an aesthetic object. His inability to provide genuine emotional support or understand her predicament makes him, in part, another victim of his own environment.
What significance is attributed to the ending of the novel?
The ending is interpreted as a dual conclusion: while it marks the triumph of the social system over Lily’s life, it also suggests a vision of potential female solidarity among characters like Gerty Farish and Nettie Struther.
- Quote paper
- Kati Bach (Author), 2000, 'The House of Mirth' - Lily's struggle with the New York Society, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/2702
