Edith Wharton vs. Jane Austen

I admit it. I am a big fan of Jane Austen. I'm not an English literature scholar or even particularly well-read. I simply enjoy her storytelling and her characters. Austen's novels of English society in the 18th century completely captivate me. I wish she had had the chance to write more.

Looking for another author similar to Austen, I decided to try Edith Wharton. About three years ago, I started working toward becoming a well-read person by reading classics in English and American literature. I took on such classics as The House of the Seven Gables (thumbs up), The Last of the Mohicans (thumbs down -- way down), and A Christmas Carol (thumbs way up.) I even compiled a list of classics I wanted to read and Edith Wharton's books quickly rose to the top of that list.

Edith Wharton wrote novels of American society at the turn of the 20th century. I did a little research on her novels and chose The House of Mirth as my first Wharton novel. (I had seen the movie, Ethan Fromme, with Liam Neeson and Patricia Arquette and thought it was a wonderfully ironic and twisted story.)

I'm reading The House of Mirth now and I'll admit I'm having trouble with it. I'm about half-way through the book and I really don't get the point. Even thinking of the characters in the context of the time they were written, I still don't understand why the book has stood the test of time. Maybe I'm not enjoying it because I can tell that the heroine, Lily Bart, is heading for a tragic end. She is making terrible choices. I'm sure some would say that the whole point of the book is that Lily Bart had very few choices about how to succeed in a world where a woman could not survive on her own. During that time, a woman needed a husband or family to support her. (Thank goodness those days are over.)

While Jane Austen's heroines, like Elizabeth Bennett and Eleanor Dashwood, are confronted with similar situations to that of Lily Bart, Austen's women try to make the best of their situations. They seem to have a more light-hearted approach to life. While Lily tries to "work the system" of society to her benefit, Elizabeth and Eleanor choose to live simply, work hard, and wait for opportunities for advancement. It may be a bit "Pollyanna" of me, but I admire a character whom life rewards for "playing by the rules".

I'll keep slogging through The House of Mirth. Then it is back to Jane Austen. Or perhaps the latest take on Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Now that books sounds pretty interesting!

Debbi Dinkins