Not All That Glitters is Gold in an Edith Wharton Novel

Allison Clark

Staff Writer

A longing look from across a crowded ballroom, a struggle to make space for oneself in society as a woman in the late 1800s, a battle for love when duty called for a quiet surrender. There are countless historical novels on shelves across the globe, but no one quite does a story about the Gilded Age like Edith Wharton.

With the debut of HBO’s original series ‘The Gilded Age’ in 2022 and the premiere of their third season this past June, cravings for a peek into the inner circles of New York City’s historic aristocracy have made a resurgence. ‘The Gilded Age’ immerses viewers in the drama, splendor, and opulence of the turn of the century. While director Julian Fellowes does a fantastic job at recreating a world lost to time, he was not the first to tell tales of the aristocracy of the Industrial Era in New England.

Wharton, a Gilded Age aristocrat herself and most notably the first female Pulitzer Prize winner, trailblazed this subcategory of fiction. Her novel, ‘The Age of Innocence,’ explores the theme of obligation versus desire, and secured her a prize in 1921. Wharton had a front row seat to every aspect of this era, having lived through it since her debut into society at age seventeen.

According to her biography on The Mount, an organization committed to preserving Wharton’s legacy and home in Lenox, Massachusetts, she spent her early years in Europe. She returned to America at the age of ten in 1872. Falling in love with literature and the art of composing a work, Wharton began writing as much as she could. She was a master observer, spending many balls and dinners watching her peers rather than participating. Wharton drew inspiration from those in circles she frequented and is estimated to have written over forty books.

One of Wharton’s most effective literary choices was the way in which she characterized her protagonists and the time she took to ensure every individual had depth and a true personality. Wharton’s “The Custom of the Country,” for example, follows a young woman living in New York City with her mother and father as she struggles to clamber up the social ladder through strategic alliances and daring attempts at marriage. Undine Spragg, Wharton’s protagonist, is bold, audacious, and at times appalling.

The Mount reminds readers that many consider Undine to be an antiheroine due to her tendency to cause destruction within her relationships– familial, romantic, and friendships. What makes Undine so unforgettable, however, is not just her actions throughout the prose but Wharton’s ability to chisel out and continuously build her character, strengthening her heroine’s decisions and actions, making for a story that is tempting to digest in one sitting.

Similarly, Jane Austen’s character Emma Woodhouse, from her 1815 novel ‘Emma’ is another candidate who at times fits the bill of “antiheroine.” Emma is characterized by her strong personality and her well-meaning attempts to intervene in the lives of others, often causing more harm than good. Both Wharton’s and Austen’s protagonists in their respective novels are assertive and independent, following their own trail regardless of external opinion.

Simultaneously, the Gilded Age was a time of stark poverty and struggle for those not in the upper class. According to the Library of Congress’ ‘Primary Source Timeline’, the second phase of the Industrial Revolution led men, women, and children alike to spend their days and nights working under harsh conditions for minimal pay. Additionally, racism ran rampant through the country, oppressing groups and furthering their struggle to survive in a changing social and economic landscape. While some lived in riches and luxury, others struggled with racism and poverty, a fact that should never be overlooked when reading about this era.

While Wharton’s novels were popular upon their release, what has made her one of the most read and taught authors? Her strong literary abilities produced quality work that can be studied for structure and technical prestige.

Due to her insider knowledge, Wharton also became a critic of the lives her contemporaries lived, detailing the struggles and judgment some faced at the behest of others in her plots. Wharton is a master at creating a world on the page that readers can tumble into and become lost within the text.

Additionally, her novels provide readers with a glimpse into lives rarely lived, much like the literary and television phenomenon that is author Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” series.

While many of her novels have been read countless times, her work has also graced the big screen with adaptations of some of her most popular stories: ‘The Age of Innocence’ (1993), ‘The House of Mirth’ (2000), and her unfinished work ‘The Buccaneers’ (2023). Most recently, Netflix has announced that a remake of ‘The Age of Innocence’ is in the works, with a release date yet to be determined.

Take a chance on Wharton and pick up a copy of one of her classics. Allow yourself to become wrapped up in the drama, deception, and extravagance of the Gilded Age, knowing that the voice behind the curtain is one who walked in the steps of her characters, weaving reality and fiction into stories that are entertaining, witty, and more critical than meets the eye.