【正文】 social characteristics 1 Introduction Edith Wharton was an exotic flower in American history of literature, and she is one of the most outstanding “novel of manners” after Henry James. Wharton was born in a prominent aristocratic family, living an affluent and leisurely life. At Wharton?s early age, she learned the intricacies of social customs and rituals under the guidance of her grandmother and mother, so she was quite familiar with the customs of the world of upper class. Wharton showed a keen interest in literature in her childhood. Later, she got married with Edward Wharton sharing the equal prestige. As they were not congenial in hobbies and interests, Wharton was tired of the vain and flashy social activities of upper class. She got divorced resolutely and determinedly with Edward regardless of the upper class? objection. Wharton left for Europe after divorce. She was influenced by European?s edification of thought, and raised her keen insight on the current situation in society at that time. Wharton hobnobbed with Hery James, and her early works had traced the creation of James. She was put on a lot of glorious titles since she had long been desolated, such as “America?s most distinguished secular style writer”, “godmother of the psychological novel” “feminist prophet” and so on. Because of Wharton?s prominent family background, she knew very well about the customs of New York?s upper class, and New York?s cultural environment had given her unique social sensitivity and literary tastes. As one member of the upper class, Wharton lived a wealthy life since she was a little girl. Since she had witnessed the old conventions for a long time, it was quite easy for her to write according to these experiences. “She was quite familiar with New York upper class, not only just familiar with its goldplated surface, but also well aware of nature of decadent” (Wang Yiting, 20xx). Edith Wharton once wrote in her autobiography Backward Glance that “l(fā)ife is the saddest thing there is next to death”, which seems to imply that stories tend to reflect sadness. She seldom wrote romantic scenes in her stories and she never paid attention to fairy tales, the fabulous or the legendary. And consequently, 2 most of her tales depicted heroes and heroines leading unhappy lives. Many of her works were based on the background of New York. The masterpieces based on “Old New York” of Wharton included full length novel “The Age of Innocence” ,“The House of Mirth” and the novella collection “Old New York” (including “false dawns”, “New Year39。這部小說對當代起著不可小視的作用。小說以貴族青年紐蘭 和埃倫的愛情悲劇為主線，以新興資產(chǎn)階級的代表博福特的命運沉浮為輔，相互映襯， 反映出內(nèi)戰(zhàn)之后美國上流社會最典型的時代特征 。s Day”, “spark”, “spinster”). These works fully and truly reflected the social characters of old New York upper class in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The Age of Innocence is the most important masterpiece of Wharton which caused a huge repercussion as soon as it was published. It had brought substantial economic ine and extraordinary reputation and played a great role for her to win the 1921 Pulitzer Prize, and been the first lady to receive this honor in American history. In this novel, New York is definitely more than just a geographical name, and also has bee a land of culture that is casted in the unique human color. 3 Chapter 1 The Historical Background and Plot Summary of The Age of Innocence The historical background of The Age of Innocence The historical background of The Age of Innocence is New York of the late 1870s. People of that era paid more attention to the elegant and exquisite manners than anything else in the history of New York. “The upper class make every effort to “window dressing” all the time .They refused any external threat to the entire upper class and decorated their every action under the protection of holiness and integrity” (Wang Min, 20xx). They were most concerned about their social status, living a leisurely life under the imprisoned and boring social norms. They turned a deaf ear to the misfortunes of others. The author depicts them vividly like this “In reality they all lived in a kind of hieroglyphic world, where the real thing was never said or done or even thought ,but only represented by a set of arbitrary signs”(Wharton, 20xx). At that time New York society was dominated by men, women did not have the right to speak and accept education in school like men. The most shameful thing of one family was divorce. In order to obey the social norms, the female had to give up their rights to pursue happiness and freedom, which would definitely result in the inevitable tragic ending of women who are in the “other” status in a patriarchal society. The plot summary of The Age of Innocence The Age of Innocence tells a tragic love story between Newland and Ellen. The male character in the novel Newland Archer is born in a prestigious family in New York, young and refined, and he always feels apart from the whole society. When Newland plans to announce his engagement with May Welland, a lady from the upper class with the same reputation, May?s cousin Ellen suddenly es back from Europe. She wants to seek help from her family for her divorce. Newland is attracted by Ellen who has outstanding personality but miserable marriage, and his emotional balance is gradually inclined to Ellen. With spiritual awakening, Newland finds the beautiful 4 wisdom and full of artistic temperament Ellen is his true lover, but his fiancee May seems to have nothing except her purity and elegance. May and the upper class represented by her are really boring and lifeless. At that time, New York are old fashioned, the ol