The House of Mirth is a tragic story of the life of Miss Lily Bart, a beautiful young girl who is raised to aspire to wealth and luxury. Being raised as an ornament to catch the eye of rich men, she is not skilled in anything except the art of being beautiful and agreeable. The mean and selfish New York elite are too much of a match for her. They do not hesitate to use this defenseless girl in their wicked schemes. And when she’s no longer needed, they have no scruples to cruelly cast her off.
The story explores an unpleasant side of the upper-class New York society with its false friendships, betrayals, jealousies, scandals, and ugly gossip. As a member of this society, the author paints a true picture of the nasty side of New York’s upper society. She exposes the true characters behind all the glamour, showing their real nature. They may be materially rich but morally poor.
Lily Bart is a complex character. It isn’t easy to connect with her. I couldn’t for most of the story. She is vain, proud, and self-centered, and relies too much on her self-importance. She is a victim of society, no doubt, but it was self-brought most of the time. Her imprudent actions and her love for material fineness make her walk on a destructive and degrading path. Towards the end of the story, however, we see a different side to Lily Bart’s personality. Inside the vain, self-centered girl, there lives a young woman who sees the shallowness in her actions and the superficiality of the life to which she aspires. It’s her vulnerability and lack of courage to break free from the position she is placed in by society that makes her a tragic heroine. At the end, Lily truly evokes our sympathy, and I felt her tragedy profoundly.
The story centers on Lily; the rest of the characters play only secondary roles, highlighting her tragedy. Out of these secondary characters, Lawrence Selden plays a prominent role. He truly loves Lily but loathes the life she aspires to. Out of his love, he tries hard to make her see reason, but in vain. Lawrence Selden represents ethics and morality. But he is too severe, judgmental, and lacks the patience to tackle the situation. However, he remains the one true friend to the end. It’s Lily and Lawrence I liked. Except for them, there aren’t any likable characters; most of them are vain and shallow and not worthy of any consideration.
Wharton’s powerful writing is her asset. The beauty of her prose is captivating. Although there were minor moments that I was rather tired of, because the story is centered on Lily, her actions and thoughts, I enjoyed the book overall. Henry James once said to Edith Wharton that she writes best when she writes within her element (which meant about New York and its elite, of which she was a part herself). I fully agree with him.
Rating: 4/5
