Edith Wharton was born in New York during the late 1800’s to a highly esteemed family. Despite the comfortable environment in which she was raised, Wharton felt as though her education was lacking and took it upon herself to build her intellect by reading books. Wharton, like many people in high-society, felt somewhat suffocated by her lifestyle, yet she did not make any drastic changes to alter this. It has been speculated that she respected the customs of high-society in spite of the uneasiness it caused her. The coexistence of Wharton’s respect of and disdain for the customs and culture of the Upper Class is prevalent in The Age of Innocence. The novel begins with Newland Archer being newly engaged to the sweet, pretty, and innocent May Welland. Both carry high status in New York society and are regarded as the perfect pair. As the novel continues, however, Archer is introduced to May’s cousin - the mysterious Ellen Olenska. Archer is attracted to Olenska and her unconventional lifestyle. She is unlike anyone he has ever known, and eventually the two of them fall in love, all while Archer is engaged to May. The plot of the novel is straightforward; The star-crossed lovers cliché is present, yet the story is heartbreaking. The manner in which Wharton writes the novel - the detail, the dialogue, and the description - keeps the reader riveted. Although they were mutual in their love, Olenska and Archer ultimately do not court one another. There is an undeniable air of disappointment and regret surrounding Olenska and Archer’s relationship which I see as a reflection of Wharton’s disdain for the lifestyle in which she was brought up. Despite this disappointment, Archer still had a decent life. He was comfortable and ended up with three children. The fact that Archer chose to stay with May was Wharton’s manner of paying partial respect to societal customs, yet she also made it a point to accentuate how dull Archer’s life had been. Archer’s not ending up with Olenska is not only what would have been proper in society, it is the most realistic outcome, which I appreciated. This novel is brimming with Olenska and Archer’s excitement and hope at the thought of interacting and thinking they had found their soulmates in one another. The utter disappointment the two main characters, as well as the reader, felt when the book ended with no further significant interaction between Olenska and Archer made it simpler to relate to both of them. The Age of Innocence is undeniably a love story, but unlike the typical love story, it is tragic in a way that the common person can relate to. Romeo and Juliet is another story of star-crossed lovers, but they were teenagers, knew each other for about a week, and killed themselves, so the average person cannot relate. Through her writing, Wharton commentates on how certain social structures are oppressive, yet keep life going. She taps into feelings of hope and then crushes that hope with the reality of disappointment. One does not need to be seeking a love story to pick up this novel.
The novel begins with Newland Archer being newly engaged to the sweet, pretty, and innocent May Welland. Both carry high status in New York society and are regarded as the perfect pair. As the novel continues, however, Archer is introduced to May’s cousin - the mysterious Ellen Olenska. Archer is attracted to Olenska and her unconventional lifestyle. She is unlike anyone he has ever known, and eventually the two of them fall in love, all while Archer is engaged to May. The plot of the novel is straightforward; The star-crossed lovers cliché is present, yet the story is heartbreaking. The manner in which Wharton writes the novel - the detail, the dialogue, and the description - keeps the reader riveted.
Although they were mutual in their love, Olenska and Archer ultimately do not court one another. There is an undeniable air of disappointment and regret surrounding Olenska and Archer’s relationship which I see as a reflection of Wharton’s disdain for the lifestyle in which she was brought up. Despite this disappointment, Archer still had a decent life. He was comfortable and ended up with three children. The fact that Archer chose to stay with May was Wharton’s manner of paying partial respect to societal customs, yet she also made it a point to accentuate how dull Archer’s life had been.
Archer’s not ending up with Olenska is not only what would have been proper in society, it is the most realistic outcome, which I appreciated. This novel is brimming with Olenska and Archer’s excitement and hope at the thought of interacting and thinking they had found their soulmates in one another. The utter disappointment the two main characters, as well as the reader, felt when the book ended with no further significant interaction between Olenska and Archer made it simpler to relate to both of them.
The Age of Innocence is undeniably a love story, but unlike the typical love story, it is tragic in a way that the common person can relate to. Romeo and Juliet is another story of star-crossed lovers, but they were teenagers, knew each other for about a week, and killed themselves, so the average person cannot relate. Through her writing, Wharton commentates on how certain social structures are oppressive, yet keep life going. She taps into feelings of hope and then crushes that hope with the reality of disappointment. One does not need to be seeking a love story to pick up this novel.