The Age of Innocence is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making Wharton the first woman to win the prize.
Many people critize this novel for mentioning the triangle marriage which might influnce the young readers' value or point of view. Actually, it is talking about the society rules, something even more realistic and necessary than love. If we cannot investigate clearly the request from the society to each single person, we will definitely be lost in the so called LOVE.
Mea uses her calm analysis on the defaulted social regulations and gives sharp comments on the marriage of the protagonists, which is critical and obvious, but often neglected by most readers.
- By Qi Feng
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In New York 1930’s sociality, the New York upper class was also known as “new noble”. They are similar to how the European noble work, they have a huge and powerful family and everyone’s deeds represent their family’s reputation. In the book “Age of Innocence” , Archer is a famous lawyer and the fiancé of a rich noble lady called May Welland. However, Archer falls in love with the cousin of May, Countess Ellen Olenska, although he doesn’t love May, he married her anyway. There are many reasons why he had married her, but none of him actually made him a happy man after the marriage.
Great family background, perfect personality: almost everyone is waiting for the wedding of this May and Archer. Just as their wedding date was set, Ellen appeared in their lives. Married, divorced, husband has an affair. When these ags were attached to Ellen, society was peeling down her reputation. Almost no one in Ellen's family agreed to Aaron's divorce, and apart from the considerations of fame and fortune. Even her grandmother, who often helped her, did not think a divorce would be a good choice for Ellen. Marrying a divorced woman is a very immoral thing at that time, so to keep his reputation, he has to marry May.
Archer is a kind of man that wants to fight for the freedom of life, but in fact his education of sociality rules is like an invisible chain that stops him from doing that. In the story, Archer wants to run away with Ellen, but because of the reputation, he has to stay with May. And in this marriage, Archer’s marriage is not for himself, but it is for adapting to the environment that he was into. And May, also, doesn't want to make her husband to be known as the young man who abandoned his wife and ran away with a married countess.
Also, in the book, May is actually deeply in love with Archer. And this love is pure, that’s what touched Archer. This love is patient and kind. This is not envious, it is not boastful, it is not proud. It does not seek her own gain. Do not rejoice in injustice, but rejoice in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. When she was nearly dead, she called her son to come over, and asked him to help Archer and Ellen.
In the 1930s, much of New York's upper class was bound by rules. Although many people at that time were fighting for freedom, still those people were stopped by the social rules. I totally agree with the idea of Archer marrying May. Because in my opinion, marrying someone loves you. If he went away with Ellen, he mightn’t have a better life, I mean, he might be blessed, but he is still living in this society, it does not change because he fights for freedom. The way Archer marries May is very “Archer”. Even if he may haven’t made up a lie about her pregnancy, he will stay as well.
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