Edith Wharton (1862-1937)

Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was an American novelist. She was from aristocratic New England stock; she lived and worked in France between the wars. Her work often depicts the suffocating society of the New England wealthy.

For the GRE Literature exam, associate the following works and characters with Edith Wharton. In each case, a summary knowledge will suffice.

1. The House of Mirth (1905)
-Lily Bart, NYC socialite seeking husband; title from Ecclesiastes 7:4
2. Ethan Frome (1911)
-1900s New England; Zenobia (Zeena), romance with Mattie Silver. Told through townspeople's eyes.
3. The Age of Innocence (1920; Pulitzer winner)
-1870s NYC. Newland Archer engaged to May Welland; May's cousin Ellen Olenska intrudes.

Edith Wharton is not worth adding to your GRE reading list unless you find yourself with some extra time and you haven't read any of her work. In that case, I recommend the Oxford World's Classics edition of The House of Mirth.