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Economic Stability In Edith Wharton's The House Of Mirth

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The House of Mirth

Society identified a person based on their economical stability during the early nineteenth hundredths. But for women, money was their way of being known or recognized since women were not acknowledged at this time. In The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton includes the character of Lily Bart as determined in finding a wealthy husband in order to portray how during the nineteenth hundredths, a woman's main interest is how the economic stability drives their marriage status.

For many women, marrying a wealthy man was their way to escape the poverty and receive what they always wanted. Social class plays a big role with the main character Lily when she believes that her main goal is to marry a wealthy man. “Society is a revolving body which is apt to be judging according to its place in each man’s heaven; …show more content…

She believes that Cyrce who has money but is socially awkward, will want to marry her. It depicts how society will do anything to reach economic stability. Economic stability is an important issue with the character Lily for example, “But if Judy knew when Mrs.Fisher borrowed money of her husband, was she likely to ignore the same transaction on Lily’s part? If she was careless of his affections, she was painly jealous of his pocket” (Wharton 242), this portrays how Lily believes that a man’s job is to bring money to the house and not actually love his wife. It shows how women’s society main interest is just whether if the man has money or not. Lily is selective on choosing the “perfect husband”, for example, “Lily refuses to wholly

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