Here
was the truth, here was the life that belonged to him; and he, who fancied
himself so scornful of arbitrary restraints, had been afraid to break away from
his desk because of what people might think of his stealing a holiday! ~
narrative regarding Newland Archer
Set
in late 19th Century, upper-class New York, The Age of Innocence follows the
last days of bachelorhood and early married life of gentleman lawyer Newland
Archer. And then, the conflict he suffers between duty and self-indulgence.
He’s
not a bad guy, and his fiancée/wife is by all accounts a peach. But sweet May
is not quite equal to Newland’s ideal of an independent minded woman. He has
some progressive ideas about equality of the sexes, but…
There
was no use in trying to emancipate a wife who had not the dimmest notion that
she was not free…
So,
they are wed.
He
had married (as most young men did) because he had met a perfectly charming
girl at the moment when a series of rather aimless sentimental adventures were
ending in premature disgust; and she had represented peace, stability,
comradeship, and the steadying sense of an unescapable duty.
But
only weeks before the wedding, enter May’s cousin Countess Ellen Olenska. Ellen’s
presence and behavior is scandalous to the upper-class New York society for
leaving her husband and though the family harbors her from the horrible count,
she is still something of an embarrassment and social liability. Newland is disdainful with all the rest, but he slowly perceives a fascinating
soul, unbound by tradition and duty.
And
as Deano sang…that’s amore!
Poor
Newland. He must do what is right, or what he desperately wants. He concludes
that in all the world, in all of time, only he and Ellen suffered such an
unbearable duty.
Ellen
Olenska was like no other woman, he was like no other man: their situation,
therefore, resembled no one else’s, and they were answerable to no tribunal but
that of their own judgment.
I
was never quite sure what Wharton intended the reader to wish for: Newland and Ellen to run away together, or for
Newland to honor duty and societal codes (probably the latter). I was sympathetic to his unhappiness,
but I’ll spare the spoiler as to which road he chose.
His
wife May? Well, she is just a little bit more clever and more independent minded
than is apparent to Newland or the reader.
The
three main characters, Newland, May, and the Countess Olenska were all vivid
and believable. Secondary characters were probably caricatures that Wharton
fully intended to lampoon society elites of the gilded age. I thought it was
masterfully done. It was a bit esoteric for me though, and I don’t feel it has
aged particularly well. For that, I give it…
3
½ out of 5 stars
Which
I’ll remind, is a good rating.
This
novel satisfies the “Virtue” category: (title must name a virtue: “innocence”)
in the What’s in a Name 2024 challenge.
.
