The Old Maid (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Edith Newbold Jones
- First Published: 1924
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The 1850’s
- Setting: New York City
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
- Subjects: Children, Family or family life, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Mothers, Parents and children, Nineteenth century, New York City, Marriage, Class consciousness, Adoption or adopted children, Single people, Loneliness, Orphans or orphanages, Weddings
- Locales: New York, NY
Characters Discussed
Delia Ralston, a young New York matron of impeccable social position. Years before, she had turned down an unconventional young man, and though she is contentedly married, she still speculates secretly about a life of passion. She is relieved when she hears that her cousin Charlotte is to be married. Charlotte, though, changes her mind, confiding to Delia that one of the children in the orphanage nursery she has established is her own—by Delia’s first love—and that marriage will mean giving up the child, Tina, a thing she cannot do. Delia persuades...
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