Edith Wharton in the novel ‘The Age of Innocence’ can be credited with revolutionizing the view of love in the twentieth century. During this era, the society upheld a rigid social code that was passed down through the generations for the preservation of values and transmission of cultures and traditions. Wharton depicts New York as a city with a civilization influence in its ability to pass values, order, loyalty and its tradition from parents to their children (Wharton, 1996). Wharton views love as hidden in respectability and practiced through hypocrisy, cruelty hence the time reference of the era as ‘the age that killed romance’. The novel reveals different views of love through its characters with each approach displaying specific strengths and also weaknesses in its application to modern society.
The novel offers different views of love which creates a struggle between the individual as it constraints their desires, opinions, and wishes and conforms them to those of their society. In ‘The Age of Innocence’, the view of love as marriage is prominent. Newland Archer is tasked with an individual duty to promote and protect the solidarity of the group connected through blood and marital relationships by keeping his marriage commitment to May (Wharton, 1996). In that society, love is viewed as marriage built on affection and friendship but void of passion. The high society depicts love as the act of bringing two people from prominent families together in marriage.
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The novel also portrays love through the view of adultery and multiple marriages. The relationship between Newland Archer and Countess Ellen Olenska is depicted as true love complicated by the demands of duty, order, and loyalty present in the society. Archer despite being married to May Welland wishes to escape with Elle in a world where they can love one another. Ellen despite being a cousin to May, she becomes romantically involved with her husband. When Archer confesses her feelings for her, she confirms her own and is not in the least remorseful of their predicament (Wharton, 1996). From the novel, love is viewed from the perspective of multiple marriages where Ellen who had been successfully married and settled in Europe returns to New York escaping the bad marriage and being divorced (Wharton, 1996). Her status, however, does not deter her from having a successful affair with Archer. Love is also viewed as a product of the society as it determines who is acceptable and who is appropriate for marriage. Ellen had been rejected and unaccepted by the community until the Lefferts’ brings her into their circles as Lawrence Leffert was also having an affair.
The approach to love as marriage is practical as it allows the society to raise a generation that conforms to the set order, duty rules and regulations. However, the view of love as marriage is weak as it denies the society a chance of true love and connection which can bring fulfillment and satisfaction to humanity. On the other hand, love through adultery and multiple marriages are beneficial to the participants offering them a chance of freedom and pursuit of personal satisfaction happiness. It, however, changes the society ability to maintain stable marriages and pass on their values throughout the generations due to its improper nature.
I agree with the love for marriage view due to its benefits to society. By offering the community a chance to reproduce and raise generations, the light of love as marriage and raising of families is useful in providing societal values and continuity. The marriage approach is appropriate for the modern society to enable society to transmit values, virtues, and meaningful traditions to the new generations. However, the current community is in search for true love which has led to adultery and multiple marriages with an increase in divorces and loss of generational values.
References
Wharton, E. (1996). The Age of Innocence. 1920. Edith Wharton: Four Novels, 839-1126.
