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Free Will and its Place in "The House of Mirth", 2001.
A look at Edith Wharton's attempt in "The House of Mirth" to reconcile choice with predeterminism.
2,569 words (approx. 10.3 pages), 3 sources, £ 55.95
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Abstract
This essay is a comprehensive look at Edith Wharton?s first successful novel, "House of Mirth". It. argues that the novel is less about the disparity in social class than it is about the juxtaposition between structure/predeterminism and free will. It includes several character analyses of the major players, including Lily Bart and Lawrence Selden, and cites several critical texts in an attempt to further argue its thesis.
From the Paper
"One of the main problems with Lily?s personality is that her desire to join the ranks of the elite society is at odds with her desire to escape the boredom of it. In the second chapter of the novel, she reflects on her lies to Mr. Rosedale, thinking, 'Why must a girl pay so dearly for her least escape from routine? Why could one never do a natural thing without having to screen it behind a structure of artifice?' This epigram fully illustrates the paradox of Lily?s existence. She is almost fully committed at the outset of the novel to marriage to a wealthy socialite, even if she doesn?t love him. But always there is some part of her that yearns for the freedom to make her own decisions without being judged for it. The irony is that while Lily knows she would pay dearly for her little deviations from the elitist norm, she really has no idea how much she will pay in the end."
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"The House of Mirth", 2007.
An analysis of the book, "The House of Mirth", by Edith Wharton.
1,034 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 0 sources, £ 25.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how, in her book "The House of Mirth", Edith Wharton addresses the issues of class and gender faced by western society during the beginning of the twentieth century. The paper analyzes how gender expectations often go hand-in-hand with class expectation in Wharton's novel. The views of the main character, Lily, regarding the char-woman is one such example. The paper further discusses how, in the society of the time, there is a very definite class distinction between the upper and lower classes. The paper concludes that Lily's suicide is the ultimate act of defiance against society's expectations of her.
From the Paper
"Class expectation is closely integrated with gender expectation in Lily's quest to marry Gryce. This becomes abundantly clear in Part III, when Lily reflects that she has no choice but to accept the bland future in front of her, and entertain Percy Gryce relentlessly "on the bare chance that he might ultimately decide to do her the honour of boring her for life. "It was a hateful fate--but how escape from it? What choice had she? To be herself, or a Gerty Farish." Even being bored for life is better than being associated with Gerty Farish. While the idea therefore does not particularly appeal to Lily, she nevertheless accepts her fate for as long as she is able to do so."
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"The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The House of Mirth", 2004.
Discussion and analysis of the themes of male hegemony and domination of women in the stories, "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The House of Mirth".
1,895 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper summarizes the plots and analyzes the female characters in Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth" and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" in order to illustrate the themes that expound on the aspect of male hegemony and the discrimination that women had to suffer in a male-dominated society.
From the Paper
"As in ?Yellow Wallpaper?, Society seems to have cast its influence on Lily and she looses her capacity for judgment. This is evident in that she is indecisive about her marriage. She is never contended with the good proposals that come her way and is always on the lookout for better offers. It is this kind of indecision that proves to be the undoing of Lily. The power that money enjoyed and the need to get absorbed into the higher ranks of the society had indeed blinded Lily. Lily is one of those typical women who entertains wrong notions that money and status alone could guarantee happiness. So we see that Lilly is psychologically defeated by society and her consideration of marriage as a springboard to success makes her vulnerable to the manipulations by wealthy guys. She asks Gus Ternor the husband of her friend Judy to invest some money for her in the stock market. Lilly gets the first blow of this opportunistic society when she is asked by Gus Ternor to pay him back by way of spending her time with him."
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"The House of Mirth" and "Little Women", 2004.
A comparative analysis of Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth" and Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women".
1,336 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the similarities between Lilly in Edith Wharton's novel, "The House of Mirth" and Jo in Louisa May Alcott's novel, "Little Women". The paper explains that in the beginning of these stories, both women have very clear ideas of what they think will bring them happiness and success. The paper claims that by the end of each novel, each woman discovers, through experience and maturity, that what they once believed to be true was no longer so.
From the Paper
"The experience of life fosters maturity and certain realizations that are almost always a surprise. Two literary female characters that demonstrate how this notion operates is Jo March from Louisa May Alcott's novel, Little Women and Lily Bart in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. In the beginning of these stories, both women have very clear ideas of what they think will bring them happiness and success. However, by the end of each novel, each woman discovers, through experience and maturity, that what they once believed to be true was true no longer. In Little Women, Jo discovers that her success lies in being a wife and a mother. In The House of Mirth, Lily realizes that marrying a rich and successful man will not bring her the happiness she longs for."
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Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth", 2008.
Summarizes the plot of Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth".
1,480 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 1 source, APA, £ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Edith Wharton's novel "The House of Mirth"
is set in the late 1800s in New York City during a time in which the elite members of upper-class society held most of the wealth and all of the power. The author points out that the central theme of the book is the endless seeking of wealth, which drives the protagonist Lily and plays on the mind of every character in the novel. The paper relates that, in the midst of her attempts to acquire wealth in order to remain in the society to which she has grown so attracted, Lily finds herself in a great deal of trouble. The author concludes that the reason for Lily's death does not matter because she has escaped the low-class life in which she believed she was never meant to live.
From the Paper
"As Lily grew older so did her hunger for money, along with her fear of the life of a pig. This hunger and fear were on display in her relationship with Lawrence Selden. Lawrence Selden is a dear friend of Lily and happens to be a bachelor. This bachelor lives his own life, care free of the judgmental ways of the upper class, even though he tends to show his face in those circles from time to time. He is a lawyer who lives a comfortable life, but his financial status doesn't seem to be enough in the eyes of Lily. His knowledge of Lily's ways does not seem to bother him as much as his financial status bothers Lily."
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Societal Pressures and "The House of Mirth", 2007.
An analysis of the societal pressure on women in Edith Wharton's novel, "The House of Mirth".
1,238 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 30.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the societal pressures that are presented and discussed in Edith Wharton's novel, "The House of Mirth". It explains the role of the main character, Lily Bart and how she had the responsibility of learning to function as a member of her class. It also points out that Edith Wharton was able to turn away from the strictures of her youth as she grew older but the character of Lily Bart could not. The paper compares Lily's choices to the choices of the modern woman.
Table of Contents:
Social Pressures
Pressure to Marry
Modern Women's Choices
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Lily Bart was a product of her times. She was raised in a family with good social connections, but with little money. When left on her own, Lily had no way to support herself. She became not only a product of her times, but also a victim of them, as she tried to find her way to getting a husband. Her failure to do so, as well as her death, were both the result of her primary failure in making the correct decisions. Neither of these failures were truly her fault; society had not taught her how to weigh the options that were open to her to make the correct decisions."
"Today, Lily Bart would have more options open to her. She would have access to social services programs. She would also have the ability to work and to think for herself. Living when she did, however, it was almost inevitable that Lily Bart would die as she did: alone, poor, and with hope being only an elusive dream."
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?The House of Mirth?, 2002.
This paper discuss the book "The House of Mirth," by Edith Wharton, specifically Lily Bart's business sense."
1,105 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 2 sources, £ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses why the character Lily Bart from Wharton?s ?The House of Mirth?, is a failure in the business world. He explaines that this is because she has been raised, as most women of the time were raised, as a wealthy pampered woman who has no understanding of the business world. The paper also presents the concepts of poverty and wealth as understood through the male characters. The author believes that the only skills that society teaches women is to look pretty and snag a man.
From the Paper
"Selden's idea of success is similar to whatever Lily may think, "My idea of success, he said, is personal freedom ...Freedom from worries...from everything; from money, from poverty, from care and anxiety, from all the material accidents. To keep a kind of republic of the spirit,...that's what I call success". That idea of success is "rich" in one word. If you are rich enough to be free from worry about money, then you are successful in Selden's eyes and in society's eyes. If you are poor, you are clearly a failure, and it does not matter if you are happy or not, you are only successful if society says so. "
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"The House of Mirth", 2002.
Examines Edith Wharton's harsh treatment of her female characters in "The House of Mirth".
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 1 source, £ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper examines Wharton's presentation of the characters of Lily Bart and Gerty Farish in Wharton's "House of Mirth" in order to demonstrate why these women do not deserve lasting happiness. The emphasis of the discussion shall be on the lead character of Lily Bart.
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Wharton's ?The House of Mirth", 2002.
The paper discusses the destructive nature of unrestrained ambition as highlighted by the character of Lily Bart in Edith Wharton's novel ?The House of Mirth".
1,780 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 40.95
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Abstract
The author demonstrates that the novel, ?The House of Mirth", revolves around a young beautiful woman (Lily Bart) who aspires to join the upper class and in her quest for success ruins her own life. The paper studies the many faces of Lily?s ambition and shows why it turned into a negative force for the protagonist. The author feels that Edith Wharton's strength was exposing readers to both sides of ambition.
From the Paper
"She was proud of the fact that unlike other women, she did not think that marriage was the solution to all her problems. She did not want to be an ordinary woman and thus marriage for its own sake was not important to her. In Book I, we see the rebellious side of Lily?s personality. It is here that we learn of some really important things about this character and her wild rather unrealistic ambitions. She harbors some foolish beliefs that make it impossible for her see beyond the obvious."
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Setting in "House of Mirth", 2005.
An examination of how setting impacts Lily in Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth".
841 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 20.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that setting is a very important tool in a novel and that Wharton uses Lily's surroundings to emphasize the importance of self-worth apart from material gain and social status. The novel's setting impacts Lily in two ways - her life is shaped by the society that she was born into; and Lily's character can be seen in her physical surroundings.
From the Paper
"In The House of Mirth, we see how settings can be used as instruments to help us understand characters. With Lily, we learn that how we view our settings may very well guide our destiny. By the end of the novel, Lily learns that happiness means more than marrying into money. She also realizes that one's surroundings do not always provide warmth in a home. Instead, what one learns to love and appreciate about one's own life proves the most powerful setting. In short, Lily's frame of mind was her most influential and damaging setting and, once she realized this, she was free."
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"The House of Mirth", 2003.
Examines the identity of the heroine, Lily Bart, in Edith Wharton's novel.
2,014 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 5 sources, APA, £ 45.95
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Abstract
This essay deals with the character Lily Bart in "The House of Mirth" by novelist Edith Wharton. One critic has argued that Lily Bart ?has an unstable and insecure sense of her own identity and a compulsive need to find some ?mirror? in which an acceptable ?self? will be reassuringly reflected back.? This essay analyzes to what measure this statement is true.
From the Paper
"A third factor to influence Lily?s self is the fact that she is or becomes what others perceive or want her to be. She adapts to people, she does whatever is requested of her. When her friend Judy wants Lily to help with ?tiresome things? Lily does not give her true feelings but goes downstairs and helps, when Lily meets Percy she adjusts her personality to him, when Lily is accused by Bertha of having an affair with her husband she does not fight off the allegations. It is at times as if Lily has no real opinion on anything, as if she does not really want to fight for herself. Lily speaks a lot ? but she never really says what she means."
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?The House of Mirth?, 2004.
Discusses the importance of beauty and reputation in upper-class societal status within Edith Wharton's novel.
1,626 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 38.95
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Abstract
Although wealth is a necessary prerequisite in order to secure a place for oneself in society, wealth alone cannot solidify a person's place, and beauty and reputation prove to be essential qualities in the quest to be successful in Edith Wharton's novel, "The House of Mirth". This paper examines how, in the novel, Lily is ultimately ostracized from upper-class society due to the loss of her reputation, rather than the loss of her wealth. It is her beauty that made Lily feel entitled to marriage to a wealthy man, thus maintaining her position in upper-class society. The paper shows that, when her reputation is destroyed, Lily's tale ultimately reveals that beauty and reputation are the essential components, at least for a woman, in upper-class society.
From the Paper
"Lily's beauty is an essential component in her ability to attract a rich man, and through his wealth and standing entrench her place in high society. Lily sees the world through her beauty, and it is this beauty that defines her destiny and creates a place for her in the upper social class. Without this beauty, Lily would be fated to the same unmarried and poor life as her friend Gerty Farish, who is plain and thus not able to attract a rich man with her looks. As such, Lily quite rightly believes that her beauty should virtually guarantee her a rich husband, and an associated life in the upper class. In doing so, Lily clearly sees both herself and her beauty as objects that are to be attained. In debating marriage to wealthy Percy Gryce, Lily muses of herself as becoming, "the one possession in which he took sufficient pride to spend money on it" (65)."
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A Sympathetic Hero, 2007.
This paper analyzes the character of Selden in the novel "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton.
2,398 words (approx. 9.6 pages), 3 sources, MLA, £ 52.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses whether Selden is a sympathetic hero in the novel "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton. For purposes of this analysis, a sympathetic hero is defined as a character that is endowed with the unique ability to inspire empathy and commitment from the reader. The paper provides an overview of Selden's character and explains that he embodies the perfect sympathetic hero, representing a character capable of inspiring empathy and compassion from the reader.
Outline:
Introduction
Overview of Character
Selden the Sympathetic Hero
Conclusions
From the Paper
"To understand how Selden embodies the image of the sympathetic hero, one must first understand the nature of the character including their background. Lawrence Selden is described by Wharton as a young lawyer, capable of moving within elite social circles while still viewing them with "the detached scrutiny of an outsider" (Hawkins, 2006). Selden, while not wealthy, has not trouble intermingling with elite members of society. He is a consistent friend in the work to Lily, someone who provides friendship, compassion, honest advice and kinship (Hawkins, 2000). Wharton portrays Selden at times as a helpless romantic, who believes that love and happiness are subjects."
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Women and Marriage, 2002.
A review of two novels, "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton and "The Coquette" by Hannah Webster Foster, illustrating the feminist view of love and marriage.
2,450 words (approx. 9.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper examines two of the literary works of manners which were created during the 17th and 18th centuries. The books, "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton and "The Coquette" by Hannah Webster Foster provide a look at women?s perception of marriage and to what extent society influenced them. The paper discusses the underlying themes of feminism and the quest for freedom in these novels, thereby illustrating the predominant female opinion of love and marriage.
From the Paper
"The author also highlights the highly judgmental nature of the New York?s elite people. The class distinctions that existed in New York are clearly obvious when Simon Rosedale looks at Lily with a suspecting eye. (Just for the only reason that she had tea with Selden, a modest person) This is preciesly the reason why Lily tries to conceal her meeting with Selden when Rosedale questions her about her presence at the Benedick. "Yes--I came up to see my dress-maker. I am just on my way to catch the train to the Trenors'." (Part 11)So in a way the society has contributed to the suppression of Lily?s true feelings (her love for Selden) and her earning for the elusive status and security. What is more Lily is even forced to get involved in gambling (a pass time for the rich) just to cement her place in the higher society. One only gets the feeling that Lilly has virtually compromised the real things in her life in pursuing false vanities. In all Lily is thoroughly haunted by the fear of social seclusion and envisions that money alone could get her the status and security. Lily is bereft of these things and she seeks to restore hem through her marriage. But in her pursuit to secure the comforts and the status in life she looses her own real identity and becomes another victim of the society which is perverted by the negative stains of class and money."
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