The Age of Innocence

'The Age of Innocence' centers 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. Not to be overlooked is Wharton's attention to detail regarding the charms and customs of the upper caste. The novel is lauded for its accurate portrayal of how the 19th-century ...