The basic plot of The Age of Innocence is this, Newland is engaged to May Welland during the time where high society dominated New York. However, when May’s scandalous cousin, the Countess Ellen Olenska, returns to the city, his world is turned upside down as he falls in love with her. What bothers me the most about this story is that is appears as though Newland falls for Ellen the second he sees her. It does not make sense, but the way I am interpreting it is that Newland is engaged to May and over the moon about it, then the Countess comes along and all of a sudden now he loves her. I feel like there is no process of the two of them falling in love. I can understand why Newland is attracted to her. Ellen represents everything New York society is against, “it is clear she is not ‘innocent’, and she doesn’t pretend to be so” (Davis article). Since Newland is struggling with his own identity within society at this time, Ellen seems like the perfect girl for him. It frustrates me for in the beginning of the novel, Newland could not be happier with his choice of a bride, “She dropped her eyes . . . Newland Archer . . . drew a breath of satisfied vanity and his eyes returned to the stage” (26). Then all it takes is some new meat to come along and he can change his affections just like that? Again, I understand why Newland and Ellen fall for each other, I’m just not happy about it.
I find all of the women in this novel to be confusing. Countess Olenska is constantly gossiped about and to an extent ostracized for her scandalous, non New York high society behavior, but Mrs. Manson Mingott definitely marched to the beat of her own drum and she was respected for it,
He had always admired the high and mighty old lady who . . . put the crowning touch to her audacities by building a large house of pale cream-coloured stone (when brown sandstone seemed as much as the only wear as a frock-coat in the afternoon) (33).
When the Countess is old will she be admired for her bold choice in clothing and quirky house in the artists district? It is interesting that Wharton chose to have these two clearly independent female characters mixed in with the rest of the society pleasing women who would not be caught dead wearing last seasons colors. The fact that these two types of women are put in the same social settings and therefore always being compared by the reader only makes them contrast more.
(456)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Miss Independent?
When I first started reading “The Age of Innocence”, I felt like the character of May Welland was not one to stand up for herself in a sense. She seemed like the kind of person who would do whatever anyone told her and appeared to be very naïve and prim and proper about things. Especially when compared against the Countess Olenska, who’s every action made some kind of scandalous statement, I considered May to be somewhat bland, even possibly annoying, “A lovely human doll whose uselessness aggrandizes her owner’s social standing” (147). However, one of the Jstor articles I found discusses how although May comes off as this quiet, prude, she is actually quite clever and able to manipulate situations and people to work in her favor, while keeping up her innocent façade the entire time. While Newland thinks he is the one controlling the relationship, “It would presently be his task to take the bandage from this young woman’s eyes and bid her look forth on the world” (101); it is May who is really calling the shots. She decides when they get married, and she decides when they announce their engagement, not Newland. She executes her power in the relationship in such a subtle manner that it is almost impossible to detect it unless it is pointed out to the reader. There is one part of the article that I disagree with though. When May questions Newland’s feelings about her after he asks to move up the engagement, she tells him, “ I couldn’t have my happiness made out of a wrong . . . if you feel yourself pledged in any way . . . Newland, don’t give her up because of me!” (167). Why is she willing to sacrifice her happiness so the man she loves can be with another woman? If I were May I would be angry both with Newland and with this mystery fiancée snatcher.Why does May offer Newland a chance to call off the engagement? Is it that she is trying to avoid the embarrassment of having a cheating husband? Does she want to cut if off before things get out of control? Is she trying to do the socially acceptable thing? Or is she really just that considerate of others and their feelings?
Jstor Articles
The Transparent Eyes of May Welland in Wharton’s The Age of Innocence
Vulgarity and Red Blood in The Age of Innocence
A Footnote to Edith Wharton
(412)
Jstor Articles
The Transparent Eyes of May Welland in Wharton’s The Age of Innocence
Vulgarity and Red Blood in The Age of Innocence
A Footnote to Edith Wharton
(412)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Man Who Laughs At Death
John Donne’s “Death be not proud”, otherwise known as Holy Sonnet X, was part of a collection of nineteen sonnets that were published after John Donne’s death. Donne wrote several poems challenging death, his most notable being his “Death’s Duel” sermon, which he delivered when he was on the verge of death himself. Although the exact year in which “Death be not proud” was written is unknown, many believe it to be between 1601 and 1610. Throughout the entire poem the speaker dismantles death from something feared and unknown to something weak and irrelevant. His challenging something that is so universally feared is what makes the poem so captivating. The language in the poem is relatively simple, which allows the speaker’s confidence to shine through. It is this confidence that makes death seem less terrifying.
“Death be not proud” is a fourteen-line sonnet consisting of an eight-line stanza, called an octave, and a six-line stanza, called a sestet. This kind of sonnet is commonly known as a petrarchan sonnet, with the octave presenting the theme and the sestet developing it. In this particular case the octave presents the idea of why death is not as powerful as people believe it to be, “For, those, whom thou think’st, thou dost overthrow, die not . . .” (4). The speaker then goes on to explain why he doubts death’s power in the sestet. The poem takes the rhyme scheme ABBA, ABBA, CDDC, EE and while the meter varies, most of the lines are in iambic pentameter.
The ways in which Donne describes death in the poem are essential to the overall theme of removing death from its pedestal. Words like “poor” or “slave” causes death to appear flawed and almost pathetic. It is these same words and more that help Donne personify death and have it be the person he addresses throughout the poem. In the opening line “Death be not proud . . .” (1), this simple command signals that death is the one the poem is directed at. The most obvious personification is the speaker’s referral to death as “thou”, “thee”, and “thy”, which of course translates over as “you” and “your”. By awarding death possessive pronouns Donne makes it seem less conceptual and more physical, since clearly it is quite difficult for ideas to have ownership over something. They say “to err is human” and by humanizing death it is easier for the speaker to point out its imperfections. The speaker makes several acute observations about death and how it truly is a lowly slave to luck, hoping for wars, accidents, murders, and plagues just so it can have a purpose and “put men to sleep”. However, as death fails to see, a simple potion made from a poppie or some kind of incantation can also cause men to sleep—and do a better job than death can.
Donne focuses on the Christian ideal of life after death throughout the poem. The line “an soonest our best men with thee do go, rest of their bones, and souls delivery” (7) talks about how even though death may have condemned a man’s body to a coffin, his soul continues to live on for all eternity in heaven. It is this belief in the afterlife that ends up being the death of death, for there is no such thing as “dying” any more, “One short sleep past, we wake eternally” (13). When we “wake eternally” our souls remain alive forever, only the physical part of man is gone. Death has no right to be proud since not even he can take away a person’s soul.
(609)
“Death be not proud” is a fourteen-line sonnet consisting of an eight-line stanza, called an octave, and a six-line stanza, called a sestet. This kind of sonnet is commonly known as a petrarchan sonnet, with the octave presenting the theme and the sestet developing it. In this particular case the octave presents the idea of why death is not as powerful as people believe it to be, “For, those, whom thou think’st, thou dost overthrow, die not . . .” (4). The speaker then goes on to explain why he doubts death’s power in the sestet. The poem takes the rhyme scheme ABBA, ABBA, CDDC, EE and while the meter varies, most of the lines are in iambic pentameter.
The ways in which Donne describes death in the poem are essential to the overall theme of removing death from its pedestal. Words like “poor” or “slave” causes death to appear flawed and almost pathetic. It is these same words and more that help Donne personify death and have it be the person he addresses throughout the poem. In the opening line “Death be not proud . . .” (1), this simple command signals that death is the one the poem is directed at. The most obvious personification is the speaker’s referral to death as “thou”, “thee”, and “thy”, which of course translates over as “you” and “your”. By awarding death possessive pronouns Donne makes it seem less conceptual and more physical, since clearly it is quite difficult for ideas to have ownership over something. They say “to err is human” and by humanizing death it is easier for the speaker to point out its imperfections. The speaker makes several acute observations about death and how it truly is a lowly slave to luck, hoping for wars, accidents, murders, and plagues just so it can have a purpose and “put men to sleep”. However, as death fails to see, a simple potion made from a poppie or some kind of incantation can also cause men to sleep—and do a better job than death can.
Donne focuses on the Christian ideal of life after death throughout the poem. The line “an soonest our best men with thee do go, rest of their bones, and souls delivery” (7) talks about how even though death may have condemned a man’s body to a coffin, his soul continues to live on for all eternity in heaven. It is this belief in the afterlife that ends up being the death of death, for there is no such thing as “dying” any more, “One short sleep past, we wake eternally” (13). When we “wake eternally” our souls remain alive forever, only the physical part of man is gone. Death has no right to be proud since not even he can take away a person’s soul.
(609)
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Age of Innocent Gossip
Before I started reading Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, I had always thought it would have been so much fun to live like the characters did. Money, glamorous clothes, and mingling with Dukes and other New York royalty at the opera, all sounded like so much fun. However, when I began reading the book, I saw that the grass was not that green on the other side. One was constantly judged by every aspect; their clothes, who the talked to, where they lived, and even on what kind of food they served at their dinner parties. It seems that all these people did was about one another, like it was their life source or something. Were the New York aristocrats really that bored? I did find it rather amusing however that the go-to person for the latest dish was a man, Mr. Sillerton Jackson. Usually the novel’s designated gossip is a silly and a somewhat ridiculous woman. Mr. Sillerton Jackson however, appears as cool and collected as any other New York gentleman, and understands the importance of respect when it comes to sharing secrets, “For not only did his keen sense of honor forbid his repeating anything privately imparted, but he was fully aware that his reputation for discretion increased his opportunities of finding out what he wanted to know”(31). Gossip seems to be the driving force in these peoples lives, “what will so and so think if I wear this” “can you believe he showed up with her?”. You would think with all that money and the opportunity to travel and learn these New Yorkers would want to talk about things slightly more substantial than just how low-cut Countess Olenska’s dress was at last night’s opera.
The character of Newland Archer is slightly refreshing in the novel because it seems he does not really care about the latest bit of gossip, and overall finds the New York aristocrat scene rather unfulfilling. It is almost quite humorous. I have this image of Newland standing outside the door of a house with a look of dread on his face and the second the door opens he puts on a big smile and exclaims “How lovely to see you!” while on the inside he is going “kill me”, “The man had spent an unsatisfactory day . . . packed in the family landau the rolled from one tribal doorstep to another . . . with the feeling he had been shown off like a wild animal cunningly trapped” (87). Now this does not mean that he does not care about what others think of him. In the beginning of the novel Newland cares about his social standing just as much the rest, “What was or was not ‘the thing’ played a part as important in Newland Archer’s New York as the inscrutable totem errors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousands of years ago” (24). I think Newland does not care what others think, but he just doesn’t know it yet. He is drawn Countess Olenska because of her ability to speak her mind and not worry about committing any social blunders. Newland wishes to have that same kind of bravery and I believe that is one of the many reasons why she attracts his attention.
(549)
The character of Newland Archer is slightly refreshing in the novel because it seems he does not really care about the latest bit of gossip, and overall finds the New York aristocrat scene rather unfulfilling. It is almost quite humorous. I have this image of Newland standing outside the door of a house with a look of dread on his face and the second the door opens he puts on a big smile and exclaims “How lovely to see you!” while on the inside he is going “kill me”, “The man had spent an unsatisfactory day . . . packed in the family landau the rolled from one tribal doorstep to another . . . with the feeling he had been shown off like a wild animal cunningly trapped” (87). Now this does not mean that he does not care about what others think of him. In the beginning of the novel Newland cares about his social standing just as much the rest, “What was or was not ‘the thing’ played a part as important in Newland Archer’s New York as the inscrutable totem errors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousands of years ago” (24). I think Newland does not care what others think, but he just doesn’t know it yet. He is drawn Countess Olenska because of her ability to speak her mind and not worry about committing any social blunders. Newland wishes to have that same kind of bravery and I believe that is one of the many reasons why she attracts his attention.
(549)
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