The House Of Mirth
(Edith Wharton)
The House of Mirth Summary The setting of Edith Wharton?s ?The House of Mirth? is New York at the turn of the century and the main character is a 29-year-old society beauty who must marry quickly or resign herself to a life of genteel poverty. Lily Bart has been brought up like a hothouse flower ? to be used for solely decorative purposes. Her mission in life is to marry well. And she sets off with a vengeance. Her mind proposes but her heart disposes and all through the process of almost getting married to various kinds of heirs she is truly in love with Lawrence Seldon, as impoverished as herself and as infatuated with her as she is with him. The very first chapter is a study of the contrast between what Lily could have had and what she chooses instead. Her heart yearns for freedom like that of Lawrence Seldon, who has a New York flat. But when he suggests that she could do just as well for herself she slips back to the way of thinking she has learnt from society, and its representative, her mother, and says flats are for boring widows and governesses or girls who had no hope of marrying. So, through several foolish matchmaking efforts with wealthy bachelors both young and old, Lily?s status in society plummets until she is forced to make a living. But this she has not been trained to do. And this proves to be her undoing. This novel is a fine example of Edith Wharton?s eye for detail regarding the society of her times. She uses a light but detailed touch to describe the carnivorous society hostesses, the uncouth social climbers and the meaningless mores that form the frame for Lily Bart?s story. Through these crass characters, however, Wharton is keen enough an observer and intelligent enough writer not to miss out the beautiful exceptions. The title is derived from the Bible: The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth (Ecclesiastes 7:4) and Lily sure has chosen to be a fool by deciding to find her fortune in the house of mirth.
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