The Age of Innocence

Newland Archer does not visit Ellen's house at the end of The Age of Innocence because he cannot break free from the rigid societal structures that have defined his life. Additionally, he prefers to...

Edith Wharton wrote The Age of Innocence to critique the rigid social structures and moral codes of New York society in the 1870s. She aimed to highlight the constraints placed on individuals,...

Irony in The Age of Innocence is evident in how characters conform to societal expectations while yearning for personal freedom. Newland Archer criticizes social conventions yet remains trapped by...

May Welland's innocence is complex, as she appears more aware and manipulative than initially perceived. While Newland Archer views her as innocent, May's actions suggest she understands the...

This is a summary of the questions, not a verbatim transcript. The answers are paraphrased. The full interview can be found in the June 2014 issue of l'Espresso magazine. It was published in Italy...

Wealthy New York parties in the 1880s often featured appetizers such as caviar, foie gras, raw oysters, and shrimp cocktails. Crudités with dip, meats "en croute," and various cheeses and cured meats...

In The Age of Innocence, the author conveys a satiric, ironic tone through providing details about the characters and settings of upper-class society. Word choice and figurative language are used in...

Ellen Olenska's exact age is not specified in The Age of Innocence, but she is likely in her late twenties or early thirties. Women of her social class typically married around age twenty-one, and...

Ellen Olenska is portrayed as a powerful and feminist heroine in The Age of Innocence due to her independence and defiance of societal norms. She challenges the restrictive conventions of New York...

The Age of Innocence combines social satire and psychological realism to critique the rigid social codes and hypocrisy of New York's elite in the 1870s. Through detailed character development and...

The rising action involves Newland Archer's growing admiration and love for Countess Ellen Olenska, despite being engaged to May Welland. The climax occurs when Archer chooses to remain with May,...

The Age of Innocence questions whether a social order can be maintained if its members refuse to compromise their own desires.

There is an element of naturalism, of people having uncontrollable desires that might destroy them, in The Age of Innocence. Protagonist Newland Archer struggles with his uncontrollable desires for...

The title "The Age of Innocence" is ironic because it suggests a period of purity and virtue, yet the novel reveals the hypocrisy and rigid social codes of 1870s New York society. While ideals of...