Deviation from Social Code: Analysis of Characters and Theme of The Age of Innocence

Edith Whartons The Age of Innocence (1920) is a detailed picture of social conventions and decorum of the high association of New York during the late nineteenth century. One of the central themes of the novel is the struggle of an single(a) inside a rigid parliamentary procedure. Order, loyalty, tradition and duty argon the values upheld by the society where Newland Archer grew up. He is a lawyer, engaged to be married to may Welland, raised to be a perfect wife and mother check to societys standards (Wharton, 1998).These aforesaid(prenominal) rules and standards dictate that she pret completes to be ignorant of her fiances feelings toward Countess Ellen Olenska. For a long time, Newland and Ellen had to sacrifice their desires and feelings in vow to deem order in society. Society in The Age of Innocence shapes and directs the manners of an individual, sacrificing what they truly want and truly believe in. Societys forms and conventions nail down how one should think and behave. Societys primary agent of its laws is the family, specifically the over-the-hill funds families belonging to the high society New York.These are the families with inherited wealth which separates them from the lower class. Their wealth is an important dimension in stratification because it ensures the financial stability of the future generation of the family. Their old money allows them a luxurious lifestyle with stunned having the need to work. The greatest manifestation of the enormousness of order is seen in family. It is the foremost duty of the individual to promote and treasure the harmony of his/her blood and marital relationships.The family disapproved Ellens decision to divorce his economise despite his being abusive and cruel to her. For them, it was just natural to race little sacrifices to maintain the family. By going against their principles, she became an outcast someone who is pitiful. At first, Newland was hesitant to be associated with Ellen. She ha s a bad reputation and he precious nonhing to do with her. However, the family expected him to help bring Ellen out in the public so he was forced to enter the Mingotts opera house box and introduce himself.And of course eventually, they hide their true feelings in headache of hurting their family. Following this duty to the family and society, a polity of morality dictates the actions and opinion of the individual in whatever aspect of his/her life. May informed Newland of her manic disorder by letting him guess that she cares for him as this is the only way a love of a untested unmarried adult female should be declared. She must conform to societys perfect portrayal of a young maiden ? sexually innocent and ignorant on matters about affairs and passion (Barker-Benfield, 2000).She was fist seen with white lilies in the valley, unaware of sexual implications of the scenes in the play she is watching. Later in the book, it was established that from the start she was aware of Newlands feelings towards the Countess but she chose to remain silent and respect the code of ignorance. Despite this knowledge, her marry at Grace Church must continue to maintain the order on how things should be done. Newland has his own list of socially mandated duties according to Lawrence Lefferts and Sillerton Jackson, in force(p) on manners and expert on family matters, respectively.Order in society is retained through these rarefied practices to continue the continued existence of the civilization. The social code is strictly enforced by society which compromises the personal meltdom of the individual (Charles, Davies & Harris, 2008). Sometimes a family member has to let go of his/her personal wants and follow the decision of the family to avoid economic and political sanctions. Newland and Ellen could not pursue distributively other in order to maintain their social integrity. Even a simple walk together cannot be done without arousing suspicion.To be break up to a husband is frowned by society eventhough that husband treats you badly, go out with other women even men. Her family wanted her to seek reconciliation with her husband in order to reaffirm the values of society. When she refused to do so, they cut off her leeway as a consequence for her decision. In the end, Ellen chose to maintain her individuality by leaving America, a price she had to pay. She was forced out of New York, condemned by her own family, who believed that she and Newland are having a secret affair.Newland defended the right of Ellen to be with other man Im sick of the hypocrisy that would bury alive a woman of her age if her husband prefers to live with harlots Women ought to be free as free as we are, he declared, making a discovery of which he was standardizedwise irritated to measure the terrific consequences. (Wharton, Book One, Chapter 5, p. 35) He condemned the double-standard prevalent in the society where a man can seek sexual pleasures away a failed m arriage but the woman cannot.He may have modernised views but he was unaware of their implications in his own very traditionalistic marriage. But these codes exist not without loopholes. Those who found these loopholes are often detest but still accepted in the society. Hypocrisy is common and rampant in Old New York high society. Families attend balls and gatherings hosted by the same person they contempt for being so common who they would gladly transit following the collapse of his business. Lawrence Lefferts claims to be an expert in Christian virtues plot of land snubbing Ellen for being a divorcee.Newland is aware that if he leaves May for Ellen, societys sympathy will pour for May. She told Ellen of her pregnancy despite being fainthearted of it to drive her away from Newland. She was aware of Newlands passion for Ellen but did not say everything. This society, with its rigid rules and conventions, was challenged by the arrival of a new society symbolized by the Beaufo rts and Countess Ellen Olenska. Though they were not successful in blending and harmonizing with the old societys tradition, they opened new possibilities of otherwise closed-minded individuals.Towards the end of the novel, it became clear that a new order has taken over with hot ideas and movements. They began to consider and attribute importance to different things such as raise and artistic people. There was an obvious change of attitude to people like the Beauforts. Beauforts illegitimate daughter, Fanny, and her marriage with Dallas Archer were not objected by society. In fact they were fond of her bright personality. Society did not post any obstacle to Newland and Ellen being together but Newland was so stuck in the quondam(prenominal) that he failed to recognize that time has changed.