English 9223
Edith Wharton, Rebel and Traditionalist
Instructor: Professor Miranda Green-Barteet.
Winter Half Course.
Born at the height of the Gilded Age into an upper-class New York family, Edith Wharton was expected to follow the path set out for young women of her social set—to be a good society woman by marrying well, having children, and attending society functions. Instead, Wharton became one of the most prolific writers of the early 20th century, chronicling and commenting on the very society into which she was born. In this course, we will read Wharton’s writing in all genres, including novels, short fiction, essays, and letters. As we read, we will consider how she simultaneously critiques and reveres New York society. In all her works, Wharton critiques and often satirizes this world, but she also acknowledges the pull New York society has on those who are a part of it and those who remain on its fringes. As we read, we will consider issues of class, gender, race, sexuality, community, and individuality. Among others, we will also consider the following questions: was Wharton an advocate for the “New Woman”? Where does class figure into her social critiques, particularly the working classes who rarely appear in her works on elite society? How does Wharton represent and affirm whiteness, especially considering her silence regarding race? Are Wharton’s critiques of early-20th century New York and upper-class society still relevant? Why are her works set in locations other than New York or focused on groups other than New York’s social elite often overlooked? How might those works change our view of her so-called “New York texts”? Readings may include: The House of Mirth, Ethan Frome, Summer, The Age of Innocence, The Custom of the Country, Madame de Treymes, Wharton’s short stories, excerpts of A Backward Glance (Wharton’s autobiography), and selections of her letters, along with recent scholarship and historical context.
