"The Age of Innocence"

Comparison Essay # 6187

English > Comparison
Literature > American

A look at the novel "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton and how this era differs from the modern era.

1,050 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2001 United States

Paper Summary:

"The Age of Innocence" depicts the era from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. This paper showcases the difference between current times and the age of innocence through the novel. It looks at the differences in attitudes towards promiscuity and exposure to sex that is prevalent in society today.

From the Paper:

"In Wharton's The Age of Innocence, society is governed by a set of strict rules. People are encouraged to act properly and abide by these codes of society. The rest of society shuns those who do not abide by the codes. People are expected to behave as if they were pure. For example, men and women are not suppose to be exposed to sex until they are married, although men, such as Newland Archer, occasionally have affairs with older woman before they get married. Society is not yet used to anything illicit. Despite these codes, scandals still occur. Lawrence Lefferts, Mr. Beaufort, and Newland Archer all engage in extramarital affairs, yet these scandals are pushed below the surface. People find out about them, yet they choose to ignore them and pretend that they either do not occur or that they are isolated incidents, such as when Newland is suspected of having an affair with Ellen Olenska. Nobody accuses him of anything, or says anything to his face. Rather, they plan around it and act as if it never occurred "