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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
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Unlock the more straightforward side of The Age of Innocence with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, an award-winning novel set in New York high society in the late 19th century, where many women were defined by and judged on their relative ‘innocence’ or ‘experience’. This dichotomy is explored through the protagonist Newland Archer’s passionate and conflicting feelings towards two cousins: his naïve, submissive fiancée May Welland, and the headstrong Countess Olenska, who is married to another man. Edith Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Age of Innocence in 1921, making her the first woman ever to receive the award. She is considered one of the most influential female writers of the early 20th century.
Find out everything you need to know about The Age of Innocence in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, an award-winning novel set in New York high society in the late 19th century, where many women were defined by and judged on their relative ‘innocence’ or ‘experience’. This dichotomy is explored through the protagonist Newland Archer’s passionate and conflicting feelings towards two cousins: his naïve, submissive fiancée May Welland, and the headstrong Countess Olenska, who is married to another man. Edith Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Age of Innocence in 1921, making her the first woman ever to receive the award. She is considered one of the most influential female writers of the early 20th century.
Find out everything you need to know about The Age of Innocence in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries.com?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Book Analysis) - Bright Summaries
AMERICAN NOVELIST, SHORT STORY WRITER, PLAYWRIGHT, ACTIVIST, AND DESIGNER
Born in New York in 1862.
Died in Saint-Brice-sous-Forêt, France, in 1937.
Notable works:
The House of Mirth (1905), novel
Ethan Frome (1911), novel
The Decoration of Houses (1897), non-fiction
Edith Wharton was born Edith Newbold Jones to a prominent New York family in the mid-19th century. She travelled throughout Europe frequently in her early life before settling permanently in France after the dissolution of her marriage. Wharton wrote nearly 20 novels and over 50 short stories as well as collections of poetry and plays and was widely recognized during her lifetime for her talent as a writer: she was the first woman to ever win the Pulitzer Prize for literature (for The Age of Innocence in 1921) and was thrice nominated for the Nobel Prize.
In addition to her literary career, Wharton was renowned for her expertise in home décor and gardening. She also distinguished herself as an important activist and advocate
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