House of Mirth Analysis

This House of Mirth analysis looks at how Wharton portrays Lily Bart, a character with ambiguous purpose. The novel opens with a sense of irony and gradually turns sentimental. But the narrator manages to strike a fine balance between portraying Lily and society as satires and sensitivity in treating the protagonist. By the end, the reader will be rooting for Lily and his or her plight.Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth
Originally published in 1905, Edith Wharton's The House Of Mirth created a literary sensation when it first appeared as a serial in Scribners magazine. It became one of the most important novels of the twentieth century and established Wharton as one of the foremost American women of letters. The novel chronicles the life of beguiling young woman Lily Bart, who strives to rise to the highest levels of a heartless society.Although Lily Bart was raised to be a perfect upper-class woman, her drive and independent character make her a rebel. She refuses to marry for love without the money to support herself, and a sexy, handsome man named Lawrence Selden steps in to save the day. Wharton's book was an instant success and made Wharton one of the greatest novelists of all time.Lily Bart's ambiguous purpose
As a twenty-nine year-old, Lily Bart has a tenuous grasp of high society. In order to achieve this goal, she sometimes manipulates others, but she refuses to compromise her principles or morals. Even after a failed attempt at blackmailing Bertha Dorset, Lily remains a social outcast, even if she does use her beauty to get what she wants.Although she may not be a woman, Lily's morality is a point of contention throughout the novel. Throughout the novel, Lily displays a deep desire to be morally upright. In the opening scenes, she accepts a charitable act because it makes her feel good about herself. However, later, when she realizes the fruits of her generosity, she does not pursue it. She also refuses to engage in a sexual relationship with Gus Trenor, even though it would pay her bills in full. Moreover, she declines to defend herself against Bertha Dorset.Judy Trenor's hatred for Lily Bart
A dislike for Lily Bart has been a recurring theme in The House of Mirth, and in this play, Judy Trenor makes it the focus of her hatred for Lily. One night, Judy had received a distressing phone call from her aunt, Mary Fisher. Having just finished a dinner party with Carry Fisher, she had hurried to the Trenor townhouse. Gus Trenor, however, rushed her into the den where he explained to her that Judy was ill.Lily Bart's infatuation with Gus Trenor develops from the very beginning of the novel. Throughout the novel, Lily's betrayal is presented as a chain of events. The first chain of betrayal begins when she accepts money from Gus Trenor to become his mistress. Gus later learns about Lily's betrayal and punishes her. This act leads to the conclusion that the entire house will be destroyed, and the rift between Lily Bart and Gus Trenor is only going to widen.Lily's refusal to marry
This analysis of Lily's refusal to marry focuses on the relationship between her mother and her desire to be married. In early twentieth-century society, women had few other roles other than to marry. Marital status is often the source of power for female leaders in society. In the House of Mirth, Lily's mother has instilled in her the horror of 'dinginess,' believing that only foolishness and stupidity would tempt her to marry for love, despite her lack of inner resources.In this House of Mirth analysis, we'll discuss how women are able to resist marrying men for their money. Lily Bart tries and fails to marry for money. Her ambivalent personality makes her unable to marry for money, despite the fact that she comes close to doing so. Although she comes very close to marrying Percy Gryce, she ultimately changes her mind about him. In addition to the ambivalent character, she recognizes that many of her acquaintances are coarse and pettish. She refuses to marry for money because she believes it will be more advantageous for her to remain single.Lily's host's displeasure with Lily Bart
The displeasure of the house of mirth host is reflected in Lily's character's actions. Lily has made public appearances advertising her illicit relationship with Wellington Brys, but her reputation is damaged when she makes appearances without a man. When Wellington throws a lavish "general entertainment" party, he elicits a reaction from the women who attend the party, which he has set up in the house of mirth.The house of mirth host's displeaste with Lily is a perfect example of social determinism. Lily, who compares herself to Gerty Farish, has a limited moral sense. When she gets married to an unscrupulous man, she realizes she is useless in life outside of her social circle.Lily's relationship with her host
The novel The House of Mirth explores the difficult relationship between two young women: working class Lily, who cares for her husband and baby, and unmarried social worker Gerty Farish. While neither is a mother nor a wife, they are both nurturing women. Although their relationship is tense and confusing, it remains compelling. Read on to discover how Lily comes to understand what it really takes to be a successful socialite and how she can overcome her challenges to succeed in the world.As an attractive and intelligent woman, Lily can make people feel like they're her friends and her confidantes. She can use this power of fascination to entertain herself and make people feel bad about themselves. She is prone to engaging in fitful attempts to seduce rich men and manipulates Gus into romantic attention. In addition to attracting attention from her fellow houseguests, Lily treats people like scraps of the bottom of her shoes, causing her to lose confidence in herself and her abilities.