The House of Mirth Themes

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The House of Mirth | Themes

Women’s Roles
As seen in The House of Mirth, women in early twentieth-century society had little chance to play any role other than wife and mother. The female leaders of society, Judy Trenor and Bertha Dorset, derive their power and social standing from their marriages. The women who work as companions, such as Carry Fisher, have been married in the past. Lily’s only goal in life, the only “profession” for which she has been trained, has been to make a good marriage. When she fails to reach this achievement, she has no skills or even inner resources upon which to...

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• - The House of Mirth summary and study guide in the eNotes.

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