Strong and Free or Wealty and Restrained

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton


As the novel begins, Wharton introduces the main character Lily Bart. This beautiful 29 year old woman is a member of high society, and she appears to captivate men. Despite her beauty and poise, she is still single and in search of a husband. Lily does not really appear to desire marriage. I believe that she feels pressured to marry because of the time in which she lived. Women in the early 1900s were subordinate to men, and those in upper classes depended on marriage for financial support. Lily stated of marriage, that "-a girl must, a man may if he chooses" (Wharton, 8). This shows that women of her status could only support themselves through marriage. Lily appears to want the freedom to do as she pleases, but this would require her to marry or join the workforce. Seeing as she is of the upper class, working for a living does not meet her standards. This leaves Lily in quite a predicament because she does not want the restraints of living with her aunt or the restrictions marriage would place upon her. Even more so she does not want to work to provide for herself. I am curious to see if Lily will pursue marriage or join the workforce.