The Age Of Innocence
The past few days were a blur of movement when life's realities (business renovation, short budget, job hunting, ministry work, children home, summer temperature, a gallbladder attack, for God's sakes!) knocked into the door of comfort zone and took over but still kindly allowed, not much blogging, regretfully, but some Edith Wharton in between. At page 92 of "The Age Of Innocence" she wrote that "... cleanliness and comfort are two of the costliest items in the modest budget...' to which I heartily say 'you bet!' In fact I find myself rethinking how my household can afford to continue operating with a staff of 4 and find, with trepidation, that the driver will have to go this summer. This can only mean limited extra activities for my girls or added driving chore to my daily calendar, which isn't exactly an exciting prospect. In any case, compromises will have to be made that we were all known to have survived doing before, it's okay. But definitely these middle class concerns were not what "The Age ..." is all about.
Wharton's elegant writing smelled of a rose garden in full bloom, and gives one, undoubtedly, an insider's view on the rigours and rituals of upper-class establishment during the end of the 19th century New York. Tedious, rigid, maybe necessary but constricting were the motions that one had to go through for de rigeur social norms back then, which in one way one can appreciate for being the art of civility practiced in its highest form, that you understand is the desirable manner of turning the other way, to not have to deal with the vulgarity of scandal, which, like hypocrisy, as then and now, is rife and never out of fashion.
Tribal solidarity, gracious courtesy belying cold brutality, palpable sexual tension in the slightest nuances, love, faithfulness and betrayal -- all told in beautifully elegant prose in a rich setting -- this novel is not for the faint of heart, which Countess Olenska, the unconventional heroine, was certainly not. And that is why in the end, she had the courage to walk away and live the life that she wanted, to be who she is, in a foreign land that couldn't be more like home, and away from the conventions of New York, the town so seemingly good to her, but really only for its own selfish sake. What a great story of love this is, and not in the usual way it is served. I loved, loved this book, moreso that it's another tick off The 100 Best Novels Ever Written for me.
Filed Under: Books
Wharton's elegant writing smelled of a rose garden in full bloom, and gives one, undoubtedly, an insider's view on the rigours and rituals of upper-class establishment during the end of the 19th century New York. Tedious, rigid, maybe necessary but constricting were the motions that one had to go through for de rigeur social norms back then, which in one way one can appreciate for being the art of civility practiced in its highest form, that you understand is the desirable manner of turning the other way, to not have to deal with the vulgarity of scandal, which, like hypocrisy, as then and now, is rife and never out of fashion.
Tribal solidarity, gracious courtesy belying cold brutality, palpable sexual tension in the slightest nuances, love, faithfulness and betrayal -- all told in beautifully elegant prose in a rich setting -- this novel is not for the faint of heart, which Countess Olenska, the unconventional heroine, was certainly not. And that is why in the end, she had the courage to walk away and live the life that she wanted, to be who she is, in a foreign land that couldn't be more like home, and away from the conventions of New York, the town so seemingly good to her, but really only for its own selfish sake. What a great story of love this is, and not in the usual way it is served. I loved, loved this book, moreso that it's another tick off The 100 Best Novels Ever Written for me.
Filed Under: Books
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