The age of innocence
Theme analysis
Introduction
The beginning of the 19th century was a period that would best be described as a revolutionary period. This was the period that gave birth to a lot of social changes that are now part of our day to day lives that we more often than not now ignore. Some of the social ideas that arose from this period include personal freedom, Civil Rights, Voting Rights and Fair Housing which the people had to fight hard to bring into existence. This was a period of drastic yet dramatic free thinkers who not only boldly aired their views, but freely aired their views to any person who gave them attention without fear of anyone or anything. Indeed, this is the period that produced Edith Wharton’s novel The Age of Innocence. Wharton, in the book gives a picture of what living in early 19th century New York was like. In her eyes, this society is one that is stuffy and rigid yet it is trying so much to embrace the changes that would inevitably come. However, this creates a lot of friction and conflicts. One is able to experience the authors’ provocation of free spirit and mind against what society had set out as norms which she thought were rather restrictive, obligatory yet hypocritical in nature. Her provocation of free mind and spirit is outlined in the different themes that can be observed throughout her novel and the dilemmas that she places in front of her characters.
Hypocrisy
Wharton depicts the whole society as a sham in her novel. While some people are not allowed to do some things that are considered morally and socially ‘unacceptable’, they are willing to turn a blind where some members are concerned. Wharton writes,
“In reality, they all lived in a kind of hieroglyphic world, where the real thing was never said or done or even thought, but only represented by a set of arbitrary signs” (Wharton 44)
In this particular society, it is apparent that loop holes can be found and that while those who found this loop holes were hated, they were also tolerated. One such example is Lawrence Lefferts. On one hand, he is a ‘good Christian’ who extols Christian virtues and even snubs Ellen when she leaves her husband. On the other hand, society knows that he has numerous affairs. Society is also aware of the fact that Beaufort carries out illegal businesses yet everybody is too concerned about being subject to gossip if they were to speak out. Newland is aware of the fact that society may forgive his having a quite affair, but will sympathize with May if he was to leave her for Ellen. May is aware of the fact that her husband has always been in love with her cousin but she pretends that she does not know. Society decides to expel Ellen on the presumption that she is having an affair with Newland while overlooking the fact that the two are truly in love and are in fact sacrificing their love to conform to society norms. Finally, May struggles to keep a ‘harmonious family’ façade so show society that everything is okay while she lives in turmoil with a man who in fact despises her. Hypocrisy in this society is a great irony to the authors’ title The Age of Innocence.
Appearances versus Reality
New York society seems to value appearances more than reality. This particular society is seen as rich and is all about showing off. This particular period was known as the gilded period meaning that it was gold coated. However, this also meant that there had to be something at the core and in this case, there was a rotten society. Archer is in love with Ellen, society knows for a fact, however, he is engaged to May and thus has responsibilities. Mays’ announcement that she is pregnant leaves archer with no choice but to remain with her because society despises a man who shacks his responsibility to his family. Ellen’s’ decision to divorce her husband and live a free life is met with a lot of contention from the society. Society and even her own family do not want to be associated with her and publicly snub her. Ellen gives an excuse of not having a dress to wear to the ball where May and Archer were to announce their engagement while all along she wants to avoid bringing shame to her family. To this particular society, appearance is everything. Ellen on many occasions tells archer that the New York society is not one to listen but would rather keep up with their appearances and pretend. When Ellen decides that she wants to leave the society, May throws a very successful going away party. However, this is just a show of her civility in her position as wife to Archer and her success as wife over the ‘mistress’. The importance of appearance to society is also seen where the whole society shows up to the ball that Beaufort holds every year while deep down they know that he is scandalous and in fact not one of their own. Society comfortably accepts the infidelity of both Beaufort and Leffert as long as it is discreet. Society is determined to quash the free spirit that is within Ellen by vilifying her for the steps that she takes against society. To society, the role of the wife is first and foremost towards her family and husband. Thus, this is a society that is seen to embrace pretence rather than reality.
Obligations versus ones personal freedom
“The individual…is nearly always sacrificed to what is supposed to be the collective interest: people cling to any convention that keeps the family together - protects the children, if there are any’ he rambled on, pouring out all the stock phrases that rose to his lips in his intense desire to cover the ugly reality which her silence seemed to have laid bare” (Wharton 110).
Wharton in this book paints a picture of a society that exerts great influence over the lives of the people who dwell in it. In this case, the people who exist and dwell in this particular society have to obey the unwritten rules that are in it. The actions taken by these people are closely scrutinized to know if they have been followed to the later. In a quest to follow all this rules however, personal freedom is sacrificed. In this case, Newland cannot forsake his duty and follow his heart.
“Everything was equally easy – or equally painful, as one choose to put it – in the path he was committed to tread, and he had obeyed the flurried injunctions of his best man as piously as other bridegrooms had obeyed his own, in the days when he had guided them through the same labyrinth. So far he was reasonably sure of having fulfilled all hid obligations” (Wharton 115).
Similarly, he cannot even have an affair as society would frown upon it and in fact do expel Ellen on suspicion of its existence. Ellen on the other hand is expected to stay with her husband and the fact that she asks for a divorce make her a villain in the eyes of society. Society believes that to be married to a husband who has numerous affairs is better than to be divorced. In the end, love is sacrificed so that obligations set up by society can be met.
Conclusion
Through her book, the author able to articulate the frustrations that she had with New York society during the early 19th century. She paints the picture of a stifle society that is hell bent on curtailing the personal freedom of the people that exist within that society. She creates characters that are at a constant impasse on whether to throw caution to the wind or continue being shackled by societal norms. However, as the book draws towards the conclusion, the author shows the gradual acceptance of change that the society experiences. For example, Archer’s son in the end marries Beaufort’s daughter. Such change in the end means that the author was able to accept that there was light at the end of the tunnel and that society sooner or later conforms to change.
Works Cited
Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. New York: Windsor Editions, 1920. Print.
