Edith Wharton: Life, Works, and Themes of Old New York
Edith Wharton: Life, Works, and Themes
Old New York and Inherited Wealth
Edith Wharton’s work often explores themes related to inherited wealth, New York’s aristocracy, conservatism, and a world that is blind to change and suffocating. She highlights the limited roles available to women in this society.
Early Life and Marriage
Edith Wharton married Edward Wharton in 1885. She suffered a series of nervous breakdowns in 1849 and published her first collection of stories in 1899. Her writing often stemmed from emotional unhappiness.
Life Abroad
In 1907, Wharton left the USA and settled in France. She had an affair with Morton Fullerton between 1908 and 1911. She divorced Teddy Wharton in 1913. During World War I (1914-1918), she participated in relief work and was awarded the Croix de la Légion d’Honneur in 1916. In 1923, she received an honorary doctorate degree from Yale University and died in France in 1937.
Reception and Legacy
Wharton was widely acclaimed during her lifetime and was the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from Yale University. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence (1921). However, her work was later overshadowed by the rise of experimental fiction and Modernism.
The Rediscovery of Edith Wharton
After her death, derogatory images of Edith Wharton emerged, portraying her as snobbish, cold, rigid, and extremely conservative. However, a critical revival of her work occurred after 1970 due to:
- A clause in her will
- The emergence of gender studies in academia
Her affair with Morton Fullerton, her diary, and her strong passions and qualities contributed to renewed interest. Intriguing manuscripts, such as “The Beatrice Palmato” piece, were found among her papers at Yale.
Literary Output
Wharton began with a book on interior design called The Decoration of Houses, which anticipates her view of houses as metaphors of identity. It expresses her strong rejection of the surroundings in which she grew up and her preference for European settings.
The House of Mirth (1905)
This was her first international success. Set in the Gilded Age, the story denounces the ruthless world of the new tycoons and the very rich. The novel explores the predicament of a young woman who must marry to remain socially and financially secure.
The Age of Innocence (1920)
This novel revisits the Old New York of Wharton’s childhood and explores themes such as duty vs. desire, individual vs. society, and the quest for freedom and fulfillment.
Other Notable Works
Other important titles include: Ethan Frome (1911), The Custom of the Country (1913), Summer (1917), and The Age of Innocence (1920). She also wrote short stories, including ghost stories, stories of social manners, and psychological perception.
Key Themes in Wharton’s Work
- Old New York: The positive and negative qualities of her Old New York, contrasting it with the new millionaires. The new rich are energetic but also ruthless and vulgar.
- The Marriage Plot: Explores female psychology and emotional life, critiquing the marriage market and the concept of innocence, which she believed “seals the mind against imagination and the heart against experience.”
Wharton addresses the clash between individual longings and societal constraints, highlighting the complexity of human nature and exploring common universal aspirations.