Social Fiction
A recurring idea that shapes The House of Mirth.
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Wharton studies beauty, money, status, gendered dependence, and social cruelty in Gilded Age New York.
Wharton studies beauty, money, status, gendered dependence, and social cruelty in Gilded Age New York.
The author of The House of Mirth.
Explore author profileThis work develops its ideas directly rather than through a character-led narrative.
The House of Mirth belongs to the literary and cultural world of Public-domain literature.
Wharton studies beauty, money, status, gendered dependence, and social cruelty in Gilded Age New York.
Begin by following how social fiction and tragedy shape the work’s central choices.
Source and editorial notice
Public-domain source information is preserved with the published edition. This reading guide was created with AI assistance and reviewed before publication.