1. Life and Family
Edith Wharton, born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862, in New York City, was a prominent American novelist, short story writer, and designer. She was born into a wealthy and socially elite family, known for their affluence and status, so much so that the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” is believed to have originated from her family name. Raised in an environment of privilege, Wharton was exposed to European travel, literature, and culture from a young age.
As a child, Wharton was an avid reader, but her literary aspirations were discouraged by her mother, who considered writing an unladylike pursuit. Despite this, she secretly wrote poetry and stories, and by the time she was in her twenties, she had begun publishing her work anonymously. She married Edward (Teddy) Wharton in 1885, a man from a similarly wealthy background. However, their marriage was troubled due to Teddy’s struggles with mental illness and financial irresponsibility. After more than two decades of an unhappy marriage, they divorced in 1913.
Following her separation, Wharton moved to France, where she spent much of her later life. During World War I, she was deeply involved in humanitarian efforts, working to aid refugees and the wounded. For her contributions, she was awarded the French Legion of Honor in 1916. Despite her social standing, Wharton was keenly aware of the limitations imposed by high society, and her novels often critiqued its rigid conventions and hypocrisies.
2. Main Works
Edith Wharton’s literary career spanned over four decades, during which she produced some of the most insightful novels of her time. Her works often explored themes of class, morality, and the struggles of individuals, particularly women, within restrictive societal structures.
One of her earliest successful works was The House of Mirth (1905), a tragic story about Lily Bart, a woman trying to secure a place in New York’s high society but ultimately doomed by its unforgiving social codes. The novel sharply critiqued the social expectations placed upon women and remains one of her most studied works.
Her most famous novel, Ethan Frome (1911), stands apart from her other works due to its stark, rural setting and bleak tone. Unlike her usual focus on the upper class, Ethan Frome depicts the suffocating life of a poor New England farmer trapped in a loveless marriage. The novel’s themes of desire, isolation, and tragic fate have made it a staple in American literature courses.
In 1920, Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence, making her the first woman to receive the award. The novel portrays the conflict between societal expectations and personal happiness, centering on Newland Archer, who is torn between duty and passion. It offers a nostalgic yet critical look at New York’s upper-class society in the late 19th century.
Wharton also wrote The Custom of the Country (1913), a novel that follows the ambitious and manipulative Undine Spragg, a character often compared to contemporary social climbers. Other significant works include Summer (1917), which explores themes of sexual awakening and personal freedom, and Twilight Sleep (1927), which satirizes the excesses of the Jazz Age.
In addition to novels, Wharton was an accomplished short story writer. She published collections such as Xingu and Other Stories (1916) and Ghosts (1937), which contained supernatural tales showcasing her range and interest in gothic and psychological themes.
3. Anecdotes and Controversies
Wharton loved architecture and interior design. She co-authored The Decoration of Houses (1897) with architect Ogden Codman Jr., advocating for a more classical and functional approach to interior design. Later, she designed and built her own home, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts, which is now a museum dedicated to her life and work. Wharton considered The Mount her true home, a place where she could write in peace, and she maintained meticulous control over its design.
During World War I, Wharton demonstrated extraordinary courage and compassion. She traveled to the front lines in France to report on the war and organize relief efforts. Her efforts were so significant that the French government honored her contributions. Unlike many of her contemporaries who retreated to safe locations during the war, Wharton actively sought to help those in need, earning her the admiration of many.
Despite her literary achievements, Edith Wharton was not without controversy. One primary criticism of her work is that she often focused on the struggles of the wealthy elite rather than the working class. Some modern scholars argue that while her novels critique the constraints of high society, they rarely offer perspectives from outside the privileged world she inhabited.
Additionally, Wharton’s personal views on race and class have come under scrutiny in recent years. Some of her writings contain prejudiced portrayals that reflect the biases of her time. For example, The House of Mirth includes negative stereotypes about Jewish characters, which scholars have debated as either a reflection of societal views or an endorsement of them.
Her role as a woman writer in a male-dominated literary world also sparked debate. While she was celebrated for her achievements, some critics of her time and even later scholars questioned whether her works had the same depth as those of male contemporaries like Henry James. However, in recent years, feminist critics have re-evaluated her contributions, recognizing the depth of her explorations of gender and power dynamics.
4. Conclusion
Edith Wharton remains one of the most significant figures in American literature, offering a keen and often critical perspective on high society, gender roles, and personal ambition. Through works like The Age of Innocence, The House of Mirth, and Ethan Frome, she captured the complexities of human nature and the conflicts between individual desires and societal expectations. Despite facing criticism and controversy, her legacy endures, and her works continue to be studied. Wharton’s impact on both literature and culture is undeniable.