Student Companion to Edith Wharton (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313317156)

One of the most accomplished American writers of the early 20th century, Edith Wharton achieved both critical recognition and popular acclaim. This Student Companion provides an introduction to Wharton's fiction. Beginning with her life and career, the volume places Wharton in the context of her times, focusing on how she was shaped by the culture of wealth and privilege into which she was born. Her struggle to resist the demands of her social world paralleled her characters' lives and contributed to the power of her writing. Included are an in-depth discussion of her writing, along with analyses of thematic concerns, character development, historical context, and plot. A close critical reading covers each of her major works, with a full chapter devoted to each: The House of Mirth (1905), Ethan Frome (1911), Summer (1917), The Age of Innocence (1920), and her two novellas, Madame de Treymes (1907) and The Old Maid (1924).

Another chapter addresses Wharton's short stories and considers some of her most famous and anthologized tales, such as The Other Two and Roman Fever. This companion is ideal for students who are reading Wharton for the first time, or for general readers who are seeking a greater understanding of her writing. A select bibliography offers suggestions for further reading about Wharton and includes criticism and contemporary reviews of her work.

Author: Melissa McFarland Pennell
ISBN-10: 0313317151
ISBN-13: 9780313317156
Publisher: Greenwood
Language: English
Published: 05/30/2003
Pages: 208
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.02lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.50d

Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 04/01/2004 pg. 177
School Library Journal 10/01/2004 pg. 67