The House of Mirth (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Edith Wharton (Author), Martha Banta (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2000 | Series: Oxford World's Classics

Since its publication in 1905 The House of Mirth has commanded attention for the sharpness of Wharton's observations and the power of her style. A lucid, disturbing analysis of the stifling limitations imposed upon women of her generation, Wharton's tale of Lily Bart's search for a husband of position in New York Society, and betrayal of her own heart, transformed the traditional novel of manners into an arrestingly modern document of cultural anthropology. With incisive contemporary analysis, the introduction by a leading scholar of American literature updates this increasingly important work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beautifully produced, this may well become the standard reading text."--E.N. Feltskog, University of Wisconsin

"Essential reading to know this chronicler par excellence. Great for english, humanities and women's studies courses."--J.C. Moore, Scottsdale Community College

"I always choose Oxford World Classics editions whenever I can because their introductions and notes are the most useful and the texts are clearly the most carefully prepared. This book looks to be no exception!"--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College

"Beautiful, thoroughgoing, very professional--a complete 'treatment' of the text from Introduction to Chronology to Bibliography and Notes. Plus the great affordable price! A really terrific edition."--John Dempsey, Brown University

"Excellent, reasonably priced edition. . . . introduction [is] useful for background and critical information."--Lynn F. Williams, Emerson College

About the Author

Professor of English at the University of California, Los Angeles, Martha Banta is the author of Imaging American Women: Ideas and Ideals in Cultural History (New York, 1987).

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192835793
• ISBN-13: 978-0192835796
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mirthless House, December 16, 2009

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The House of Mirth (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

America and Europe of the 1800s were stiff, gilded, formal place, full of "old" families, rigid customs and social transgressions. Especially for women.

And nobody chronicled them better than Edith Wharton, who spun exquisitely barbed novels out of the social clashes of the late nineteenth century. "The House of Mirth" is one of her darker stories, where scandals and lack of conformity trigger a tragic downward spiral for a vibrant woman.

Like most not-so-rich women, Lily Bart is on the prowl for a marriage to keep her in luxury and affluent circles. What's more, she has a rapid intellect and striking looks, but she is also a habitual liar who defies society's strictures (she gambles and smokes). Her only friend is Lawrence Seldon, but she is determined not to marry for love alone.

Unfortunately, her schemes and plans start to collapse -- her adoring suitors either aren't rich enough, or her independent spirit sends her off. Her desperation becomes even more intense as she finds herself in the thick of a scandal, spun up by a malicious society matron to cover up her own affair. With her reputation in ruins, Lily's life spirals down into a new life of unemployment, poverty, and the final tragedy.

Edith Wharton always paid a lot of attention to a woman's restricted life in the Gilded Age, and how scandals, unconventionality and society's hypocrisy could ruin them. But "The House of Mirth" pays more attention to this than most -- it's a bleakly realistic story, unflinchingly showing Lily's slow descent into miserable loneliness.

Despite that, Wharton's writing is pure flowering poetry with a knack for evocation ("Her small pale face seemed the mere setting of a pair of dark exaggerated eyes"), and has a sensual quality with all the descriptions of silks, plants, soft light and luxurious mansions. And she vividly portrays the upper echelons of New York society at the time -- affairs, gossip and gilded salons -- as well as the restricted lives of women

But Wharton is just as capable of describing the darker, sadder world that Lily falls into ("... blurred the gaunt roof-lines, threw a mauve veil over the discouraging perspective of the side streets"). Sedoesn't pull any punches with the tragic finale, which has a distinct air of inevitability about it -- no fairy-tale last-minute save by a Prince Charming.

Lily starts out the book as a glimmering satellite of society, who can be rather selfish and cruel, but who nevertheless gains some sympathy for her terrible plight. The cruel, glittering society of the time had no room for women who stood outside the lines, especially if they tried to lie at all the wrong times. And so we see poor Lily, driven into miserable poverty and drug addiction.

"The House of Mirth" is anything but mirthful -- it's the study of a woman's slow downfall, and the cruel society that left her friendless and disgraced. Haunting and vivid.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic, beautiful and captivating. I adored this book!, March 2, 2000

By 

Jennifer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of Mirth (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

I was totally overwhelmed by 'The House of Mirth'. Although it was clear that Lily's short sightedness was responsible for her downfall, I find it difficult to pin point exactly why the character evoked such strong feelings of sympathy from me. Her beauty makes her captivating, and she is so naieve and inexperienced, that you cannot help but feel so much sadness when things take an inevitable turn for the worse. The ending was incredibly emotional, and so moving, illustrating the point that, at the end of the day, beauty will not secure success or fulfillment. I cannot reccomend this book highly enough - it is beautifully written with a complex yet incredibly loveable female protagonist. In my opinion, this book is underrated. It is certainly worthy of the title "Modern Classic."

(I would so appreciate anyone who could e-mail me with their views on this book. After reading it I have decided to write my university dissertation on this and some of Wharton's other masterpieces - [e-mail]

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Achingly Beautiful, October 13, 2010

By 

rachel (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House of Mirth (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

The House of Mirth is undoubtedly one of the most poignant and heart-wrenching American classics.

While those of the Jane Austen persuasion spend the entirety of her novels waiting for the ultimate moment wherein the mishaps will be cleared and the characters will finally admit to each other all they need to admit so that past regrets pave present happiness, the House of Mirth is a tragedy of a message...or word... unspoken.


The love story between Lawrence Selden and Lily Bart is heart-wrenching because it is so palpable, so infinite, so evitable and yet so hopeless. Lily's personal sacrifices on account of her love and her untimely demise leave a painful gulp in your throat and a tug at your heart.

If only... If only.... You can't help repeating as you turn the final page.


Lily Bart is often listed as one of the most important and intriguing characters in, not only Edith Wharton's world, but the 20th Century. She is a serene product of the Gilded Age: a woman whose marriageable commodity is threaded with an astute sense of pride and independence. A few mis-steps ( hapless and innocent ) and Lily is thrown from the Society which petted and embraced her to a world where she is utterly useless. Dejected and most certain of her meaningless and empty offering to society, Lily's tragedy is not in losing what she had in the social spectrum yet in what she never gained: an outlet for her broad mind, her engaging and humourous wit, the strength to acknowledge, admit and accept a love that just slightly evades her.


This novel is beautiful and frustrating and dire and tragic and devastating and golden. It awakes emotions that prompt a physical response. You will wring your hands, bite back tears, shout mercilessly to a kind of mirror- ---- you know that your voice is lost in a vacuous portal --- that Wharton holds all of the puppet strings that you, like Lily and Lawrence Selden will be washed out amidst a sea of conniving and social climbing villains who permeated an age of lust, heartlessness and greed.

It's a wonderful read.