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<p>What are your thoughts on Ellen Olenska as a feminist heroine in the book <em>The Age of Innocence</em> by Edith Wharton?</p>

In the way she depicts New York society's treatment of Ellen Olenska, Wharton makes a scathing rebuke of the sexual double standard during this time. The Countess Olenska has damaged her reputation by divorcing her scoundrel husband and will never be fully accepted by upper-class social circles again.

When Ellen falls in love with Newland Archer, she decides against becoming his mistress not only out of loyalty to her cousin May, but also because she realizes that, as a woman, she would be the one taking all of the risk. It is all too clear that Newland, as the man in the relationship, would not experience any backlash from the community, but that Ellen would be ruined forever by an affair. Ellen is aware of the unfair social realities of women's lives, which possibly makes her a prototypical feminist heroine.

The Countess Olenska definitely portays a feminist heroine in the novel.  Wharton does an extraordinary job in how the reader will ultimately access both Ellen and Newland.  Although both characters understand the societial powers they are up against, it is clear that Ellen has a much more realistic grip on their situation.  For example, Newland's attempts at pleading "his case" to Ellen result only in making Ellen's resolve stronger.  In this case it can be argued that on certain levels Ellen is the stronger individual, because she gives up the one thing she desires for the sake of everyone else in her life.  In doing this she takes on the role of a feminist heroine.