The Characters of The Age of Innocence
Edith Wharton\'s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Age of Innocence, is a masterful portrayal of the lives and relationships of the aristocracy in 1870s New York.
The characters are complex, multi-dimensional, and nuanced, with each one revealing the social conventions and hypocrisies of the time.
Main Characters:
1. Newland Archer: The protagonist, a wealthy lawyer engaged to May Welland, but struggling with his own desires and sense of identity.
2. May Welland: Newland\'s fiancée, a beautiful and innocent socialite who embodies the conventions of her class.
3. Ellen Olenska: May\'s cousin, a free-spirited and independent Polish countess who challenges the societal norms and sparks Newland\'s passion.
4. Mrs. Manson Mingott: May\'s grandmother, a shrewd and manipulative matriarch who controls the family\'s social standing.
5. Lawrence Lefferts: A charming but scandalous socialite who represents the corrupting influence of privilege.
Supporting Characters:
1. Janey Archer: Newland\'s sister, a kind and gentle soul who serves as a confidante.
2. Sillerton Jackson: A gossip and social commentator who reveals the hypocrisy of the aristocracy.
3. Mrs. Welland: May\'s mother, a strict and conventional woman who enforces societal expectations.
Apr 15, 2025
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