CliffsNotes House of Mirth

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on The House of Mirth takes you into the waning years of the Gilded Age and the moral bankruptcy of New York City's elite class. Edith Wharton's story of a woman — whose beauty causes men to desire to possess her and women to be jealous of her — reflects the complicated struggle of the individual against the social strictures of a powerful, and triumphant, moneyed class.

This concise supplement to the satirically critical The House of Mirth, helps you understand the overall structure of the novel, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author. Features that help you study include

• Chapter-by-chapter summaries and commentaries
• A character map that outline key characteristics and relationships
• Insightful character analyses
• A critical essay about the opulence and emptiness of the Gilded Age
• A review section that tests your knowledge

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Bruce Walker is adjunct professor of literature and technical writing at the University of Detroit, MI. He earned a B.A. in English from Michigan State University in 1985. He has been a contributing editor to Gale Group's Literary Criticism Series, Contempory Musicians, Newsmakers, and Encyclopedia of World Biography.