The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Book Analysis) - Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

Unlock the more straightforward side of The Age of Innocence with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, an award-winning novel set in New York high society in the late 19th century, where many women were defined by and judged on their relative ‘innocence’ or ‘experience’. This dichotomy is explored through the protagonist Newland Archer’s passionate and conflicting feelings towards two cousins: his naïve, submissive fiancée May Welland, and the headstrong Countess Olenska, who is married to another man. Edith Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Age of Innocence in 1921, making her the first woman ever to receive the award. She is considered one of the most influential female writers of the early 20th century.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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