House Of Mirth Satire

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Edith Wharton’s novel of manners The House of Mirth is a satirical representation of upper society. The personification of this satire is the character Lily Bart. The leader is led to believe that Lily is trapped by her upbringing in higher society, which is seen in Wharton’s use of characterization, imagery, and motifs throughout the novel. Wharton’s characterization of Lily Bart focuses on her beauty as the reason for her acceptance into high society. During the tableaux vivants at the Welly Brys’, Lily’s simple costume was the main focus of the men at the party: “This was the world [Lily] lived in, these were the standards by which she was fated to be measured! Does one go to Caliban for a judgement on Miranda?” (130). Wharton notes through …show more content…

Wharton’s concept of fate associated with Lily furthers the idea that Lily is trapped because of the predetermination of life and Lily’s upbringing culminate into Wharton’s trapped character of Lily Bart. The next time that Selden sees Lily again, it is on the train to Nice when he comments on her beauty: “[At the Brys’, Lily’s beauty] had had a transparency through which the fluctuations of the spirit were sometimes visible; now its impenetrable surface suggested a process of crystallization which had fused her whole being into one hard brilliant surface… to Selden it seemed like that moment of pause and arrest when the warm fluidity of youth is chilled …show more content…

The first time Lily’s indecisiveness was introduced was when she was talking to Selden: “ ‘I threw away one or two good chances when I first came out--I suppose every girl does; and you know I am horribly poor--and very expensive. I must have a great deal of money’ ” (8). Wharton creates Lily as a character that wants both love and money but is destined to have neither. Wharton creates Lily’s need for money from her fear of dinginess and necessity to marry money for power, inherited by her mother, but a fascination with love and happiness. This introduction of Lily’s mistakes early on shows that Wharton has Lily’s indecisiveness act as a character flaw instead of a temporary mistake in judgement. The next time Lily was indecisive was at Bellomont when she was wooing Gryce but drawn towards Selden: “[Lily] was like a water-plant in the flux of the tides, and today the whole current of her mood was carrying her towards Lawrence Selden” (50). At this point, Lily has Gryce in her hands and he would be her permanent acceptance into higher society with money and power. However, Wharton has Lily’s flaw come forth and draw her towards Selden, thus ruining her chances with Gryce and society. Even with Selden, though, Lily is unable to commit to love because she still desires money and power. Wharton creates Lily with her character flaw of indecisiveness to lead her down her fated

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