The Age of Innocence

Edith Wharton

Mar 2017 · Author's Republic · Narrated by Brenda Dayne

About this audiobook

The Age of Innocenceis author Edith Wharton's 12th novel. It won the1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making it the first novel written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and thus Wharton the first woman to win the prize.

The story is set in upper-class New York City in the 1870s. The Age of Innocencecenters on an upper-class couple's impending marriage, and the introduction of a woman plagued by scandal whose presence threatens their happiness.

Though the novel questions the assumptions and morals of 1870s New York society, it never devolves into an outright condemnation of the institution. In fact, Wharton considered this novel an "apology" for her earlier novel, The House of Mirth, which was more brutal and critical.

The novel is noted for Wharton's attention to detail and its accurate portrayal of how the 19th-century East CoastAmerican upper classlived,and the social tragedy of its plot. Wharton was 58 years old at publication; she had lived in that world and had seen it change dramatically by the end ofWorld War I.

An Author's Republic audio production.

Ratings and reviews

The Age of Innocence offers a compelling portrayal of Gilded Age New York society and explores timeless themes of love, duty, and societal expectations. Wharton's incisive social commentary and rich character development continue to resonate with readers today.

Newland becomes increasingly disillusioned with the rigid social customs of upper-class New York society when he meets Countess Ellen Olenska, May's cousin. Ellen is a free-spirited woman who has returned to New York after leaving her abusive husband in Europe.

May Welland represents the epitome of innocence and adherence to social conventions, while Ellen Olenska embodies freedom and defiance of societal norms. Supporting characters, such as members of New York's high society and members of Newland's family, provide insight into the broader cultural context and the pressures of conformity.