Edith Wharton

1、1American novelist;Short-story writer;Designer.2Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 Literary status 4 Writing features 5 Garden designer-the Mount 6 Charitable works 7 The House of Mirth3Biography Born into a wealthy, upper-class family in New York Marriage：1885, married Edward Wharton (12 years older, t

2、ravel, acute depression, incurable) It was an unhappy and childless marriage. They divorced in 1913. Died of a stroke in 1937 and was buried in the American Cemetery in Versailles, France. 4Works Published about 55 books (lifetime), including novels, novellas, collecton of short stories, poetry, aut

3、obiography and other works. She wrote a wealth of short stories and was particularly well regarded for her ghost stories, for example Tales of Men and Ghosts, 1910 .5Famous novels The Valley of Decision, 1902(first novel published) The House of Mirth, 1905 The Custom of the Country, 1913 Summer, 191

4、7 The Age of Innocence, 1920 (A 1921 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.) The Buccaneers, 193867Literary Status One of the most distinguished American women writers. She occupies an important position in realism of the late 19th century and early 20th century. The first woman writer who won the Pulitzer P

5、rize for literature In 1930, the American National Institue of Arts and Letters gave Wharton a gold medal. She was the first woman to be honored. 8Writing Features A subtle use of Dramatic Irony Upper-class people; Americans living in other countries In many works she consciously describes womens si

6、tuation and psychology, and reflects their misfortunes and painful struggles. She vividly depicted the conflict between social and individual fulfillment, between desire and social repressed sexuality, between the manners of old families and the shocks of modernization .9Garden designer In 1902 she

7、built The Mount, her estate in Lenox, Massachusetts, which survives today as an example of her design principles. 10Charitable works Throughout the war she worked tirelessly in charitable efforts for refugees and, in 1916 was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in recognition of her commitment

8、 to the displaced. The scope of her relief work included setting up workrooms for unemployed Frenchwomen, organizing concerts to provide work for musicians, and opening tuberculosis hospitals.11The House of Mirth(Page from original manuscript of The House of Mirth)(Original illustration)12Context In

9、 Americas Gilded Age (between 1876 and 1901, approximately), it was a time of great industrial expansion in the United States and great cities such as New York became worlds of extremes, in which the rich got much richer, and the poor got much poorer. Wharton knew the upper-crust New York society we

10、ll because her family was in it. She was familiar with the politics of that society and knew how cruel it could be. It was her intent to satirize this society, but also to show the profoundly tragic suffering that goes on inside it.13 The House of Mirth was written at a time when the realist movemen

11、t in literature was thriving, spurred on by the publication of the influential realist novels of French writer Emile Zola. The type of realism seen in Whartons writing is particularly influenced by Darwinism, best described as the survival-of-the-fittest concept. 14Themes The Safety of Love and Deat

12、h (In The House of Mirth, for a woman, love or death seem to be the only possibilities for salvation. In Book Two, Lily finds herself at a crossroadseither she can choose love, marry Selden without wealth; or she will find rest in the finality of death. Lilys obsession with wealth and luxury continu

13、ally prevents her from acknowledging and accepting Seldens love, and so the safety love can offer is not a viable choice for her. She is thus left with death as her only option.)15 Freedom vs. Slavery (Lily often describes the relationship with money in terms of freedom and slavery. When she has mon

14、ey and is able to pay her debts, she feels a sense of unparalleled freedom. But when the money is gone and her debts overwhelm her, she likens her situation to that of slaveryshe is a slave to the whims and desires of others, a slave to the social demands of the upper-class circles, and a slave to h

15、er own inability to be happy without money)16Symbols - Money The House of Mirth deals with American class hierarchies, which are dictated by money, unlike European classes, where nobility is predetermined and not totally dependent upon wealth. Thus money is the only way inand outof the upper class c

16、ircles that Lily frequents. More than access, money also ranks individuals within the circle. Percy Gryce is the most desired bachelor for a time because of his extraordinary wealth. Money is also linked with power: Bertha Dorsets version of Lily and Georges relationship is believed over Lilys simply because Bertha is richer. Money defines characters as well. Selden is part