• Newland Archer, a young lawyer from an established New York family, is comfortably engaged to the lovely and suitable May Welland. Still, his world is disrupted when he meets her cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska, who has scandalously separated from her European husband.
• As Newland and Ellen's relationship deepens, the intricacies and hypocrisies of their society are unveiled. Newland is caught in a moral and emotional dilemma, torn between the love he feels for Ellen and the constraints placed upon him by society, symbolized by his impending marriage to May.
• Despite his profound love for Ellen, societal pressures and the machinations of his family force Newland into a life of conformity. Years later, as an older man, he reflects on his choices and the life he could have had, choosing memory over a potential reunion with Ellen.
Wharton's "The Age of Innocence" is more than just a novel; it's a window into a bygone era, a poignant tale of love and duty, and a masterful critique of a society bound by its conventions.
Set in the early 1870s New York, "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton chronicles the life of Newland Archer, a young lawyer set to marry the conventional May Welland. His world is upended when he meets and becomes enamoured with May's cousin, Ellen Olenska, who has shamefully left her European husband and defies societal norms. Torn between his genuine affection for Ellen and societal obligations to May, Newland grapples with the constraints of his era's high society. Ultimately, he chooses duty over passion, marrying May and relegating his feelings for Ellen to cherished memories, culminating in a reflective conclusion where Newland prioritizes the past over a potential reunion with Ellen.
Set in the 1870s in New York's high society, "The Age of Innocence" tells the story of Newland Archer, a young, well-to-do lawyer set to marry the innocent and conventional May Welland. Their union is seen as the perfect match by their circle, reinforcing the societal norms and conventions of their class.
However, Newland's life unexpectedly turns when he meets May's cousin, Ellen Olenska. Ellen has returned to New York after leaving her aristocratic husband in Europe. Her decision to leave her husband and her apparent disregard for societal norms make her the subject of scandal and gossip.
Despite societal disapproval, Newland is deeply drawn to Ellen, finding her worldly, independent, and refreshingly different from the women in his social circle. They form a close bond, with Newland torn between his love for Ellen and his societal duties as May's fiancé.
As Newland struggles with his emotions, he also begins to see the superficiality and constraints of the world he inhabits. The story delves deep into the intricacies and hypocrisies of the Gilded Age society, showcasing the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires.
Ultimately, despite his deep love and connection with Ellen, Newland conforms to societal expectations. He marries May, sacrificing his happiness for the sake of societal duty. The novel concludes many years later, with Newland reflecting on his life choices, deciding to hold onto the memory of his love for Ellen rather than seeking a reunion.
"The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton is undeniably a masterpiece that stands tall in the annals of world literature. Wharton's novel is a scathing critique of the upper echelons of New York society in the Gilded Age. She dives deep into the psychology of her characters, exposing the facades of respectability, the intricate nuances of social mores, and the immense pressure exerted by societal expectations. Through her lens, we are offered a penetrating look into a world where appearance matters more than reality, and subtle insinuations carry more weight than overt actions.
Edith Wharton's prose is luminous, evocative, and richly detailed. She employs a keen eye for detail that brings the world she portrays vividly to life, enabling the reader to touch, smell, and taste the world of Newland Archer and the people who inhabit it.
Beyond the immediate setting and time, the novel delves into timeless and universal themes that resonate today: societal expectation and individual desire, the conflict between duty and passion, and the ever-relevant notion of lost love and missed opportunities.
Edith Wharton was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921 with "The Age of Innocence." However, the decision wasn't without controversy. The Pulitzer advisory board initially wanted to award the prize to Sinclair Lewis for "Main Street." However, the trustees found Lewis's portrayal of American small-town life unwholesome and chose Wharton's novel instead. Ironically, Sinclair Lewis would later publicly turn down the Pulitzer when he was awarded it in 1926, stating that several deserving novels, including some of his own, had been overlooked in the past.