|
It took me all of my adult life to get around to reading this book, and I am glad I finally did, even though it was a terribly depressing story. Wharton's stunning, if dramatic, portrayal of Lily Bart's downfall was well-written and authentic. It was a critical social commentary on the lives and morals of the wealthy of that era.how they lived and schemed, their manipulations and gossiping, and how they can bring someone down.Lily is 29, unmarried, with no money, dependent on others to provide her with a roof over her head. I think Wharton makes the reader feel Lily's increasing panic as her life get worse and worse, as her efforts to keep her head above water get more and more difficult.
In favor of reading this novel and in support of The House of Mirth's power to translate emotion and feeling from the world it represents to an empathetic reader, I admit, that, for the first time ever while reading a book, I cried. This edition is also particularly nice. The print is a good size and the weight of the book is not cumbersome despite its hard cover. More Everyman editions will be added to my library, for sure.
I could only stand reading one third of this book. And the maid who tried making a deal was pretty unrealistic as well. Also, the author makes too much of a big deal on appearances. But, convoluted high-style writing aside, I found the plot unbelievable and rather trivial. Conversely, people who don't try to pretend they have it by over-dressing. I mean, if Lily was the hottie she was supposed to be in the book, then men being what they are, would have been standing in line with a "purple heart on." She wouldnt need much of an IQ either--some men are intimidated by that. I found the writing difficult to follow--maybe it requires a higher SAT than mine, I dont know. In today's time, she would be making a deal of a different kind--haha--just kidding.
If she was a 10, as I gathered in the book, then all she had to do was be nice to any guy and they would melt like butter, even ones with money. When I could see this not happening, building momentum, I lost interest. Some people with money dont particularly like to advertise it. Once again, a book in the literarture genre comes up short, at least for me.
That was a disappointment.Although Lily's adherence to her code of conduct was critical to her last minute redemption, I was selfishly very sorry that Bertha Dorset didn't get her comeuppance. For most of the book, I found the final outcome hard to predict; unfortunately the ending was too clearly foreshadowed.
I found myself frustrated with Lily Bart, sometimes thinking she deserved what she got and then at other times I was pulling for her.It's easy to look at Lily with modern eyes and think of her as a purely foolish woman; however, in the context of her time, it is hard to imagine her creating a more independent life for herself. The milliner experience is telling: in Lily's limited world, she is skilled at trimming hats.
The House of Mirth was a more complicated read than I expected. You catch glimpses of the person she might become but over and again Lily chooses the materialistic life she knows.Interesting to me is how my expectations for Lily declined as did her prospects: at first I hoped for Selden and happiness, later I merely hoped for anyone (Dorset or Rosedale) and escape from her desperate circumstances.
In the real world, she has nearly no skill at all. Her greatest failing at personal growth was not taking seriously the possibility of a life with Selden.
I won't detail it here for the sake of other readers but once the idea was introduced, it was impossible to read on without dismissing all other possible outcomes. Maybe that's why I cannot judge Lily too harshly.
Edith Wharton was awarded a Pulitzer prize for a reason. On the other hand, Lily unwittingly craves love, understanding, and closeness and thus sabotages numerous advantageous matches. As Lily's story progresses, after several errors in judgment, she finds herself disinherited and ostracized by people who just several months before fought for her attention. "The House of Mirth" is no exception.This is a story of Lily Bart - a young woman born and raised in luxury and sophistication who at the age of 19 finds herself penniless and depending on patronage of her wealthy relatives. This book is filled with a feeling of impending doom and leaves you with a lasting impression. Lily is an ambiguous figure. Her writing is exquisite and her portrayals of 19th century American "high" society is meticulous and realistic (well, as much as I can tell living over 100 years later). She is manipulative, but unable to commit any serious moral sins, even to safe her own reputation and future prospects.
On one hand, she is spoiled and has an air of entitlement about her. She is determined to marry a rich man, she sometimes enters into questionable deals to improve her situation, she takes advantage of people around her. She gradually meets her downfall."The House of Mirth" is definitely the most tragic and my favorite of Wharton's novels. Highly recommended to all fans of classical literature.
|
