" The greatest pleasure," wrote Gracian- is to read a book every day "even with the risk, complete the sentence, that this reading we find it boring , as is the case discussed today " The House of Mirth " novel by Edith Wharton, author of the above anything we had read and which is likely not return to read anything more in the future .
Edith Wharton (1862-1937), U.S. writer and designer, had a hectic love life. Married at twenty years, with Edgar Robbins Wharton, frequent infidelities of her husband led her to keep an affair with a journalist from the newspaper "The Times , William Morton Fullerton, who was bisexual and alternated this relationship with a Indian rajah. At the same time, Edith was also bisexual and was known romances with other famous women of her time, including the English-American poet Mercedes de Acosta had numerous lovers, the most famous Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. Women
world, seated on the good society and an extensive knowledge of European culture-crossed the Atlantic sixty-six times, in 1907 settled in France, where she met Henry James, who is said was the most eminent his literary successors.
Edith Wharton (1862-1937), U.S. writer and designer, had a hectic love life. Married at twenty years, with Edgar Robbins Wharton, frequent infidelities of her husband led her to keep an affair with a journalist from the newspaper "The Times , William Morton Fullerton, who was bisexual and alternated this relationship with a Indian rajah. At the same time, Edith was also bisexual and was known romances with other famous women of her time, including the English-American poet Mercedes de Acosta had numerous lovers, the most famous Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. Women world, seated on the good society and an extensive knowledge of European culture-crossed the Atlantic sixty-six times, in 1907 settled in France, where she met Henry James, who is said was the most eminent his literary successors.
During World War I traveled on motorcycles all the front lines, describing that experience in a series of articles. Also developed a comprehensive social work recognized by the French Government the Legion of Honor. He died on December 11, 1937 in Saint-Brice sous Forêt small French town of Ile-de-France near Paris, where he lived from 1919
His most famous novel, maybe not the best, is " The Age of Innocence "
( The Age of Innocence) awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1921, of which there have been several theatrical and film adaptations, the latest version directed by Martin Scorsese in 1993, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder in the main female roles, the film that won an Oscar for her costume . " The House of Mirth " (The house of mirth ) is his first major novel, written in 1905. Was published in installments, a very normal at the time, in the magazine Scribner's Magazine, January to November 1905. That same year, and as a book published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1.
The novel's title is taken from Ecclesiastes, 7:4 " The heart of the wise inhabits the house of mourning, but the crazy inhabits House of Mirth", although it seems that she refused to include this quote on the cover of the first edition of his book and wanted the authors.
We said at the beginning of this post that we had tired of reading this book and it is not because it is misspelled. By contrast, the painting of environments and characters is achieved, especially the protagonist, Miss Lily Bert, a beautiful and ambitious young man, who, lacking property, plan to participate in New York society of rich and famous lover fun and relaxed and luxurious environment. This is the first impression your love Lawrence Selden receives it, when incidentally found in Grand Central Station:
"The shape of the delicate ear, curly hair up - do a little polishing by artificial means? - the thick curtain of black lashes and straight ... everything in it was at once vigorous and exquisite, strong and weak. Selden had a confused idea that it must have been very expensive, many people ugly and poor had to be killed in some mysterious way to create . "
To Miss Bert, perhaps a transcript of someone close to the author herself, " liked to think of her beauty as a power for good, as something that would give the opportunity to reach a position from which they could exert some influence on a vague diffusion of refinement and good taste. He liked the pictures, flowers and sentimental novels and could not avoid the idea that possession of such things ennobled his desire worldly advantages. "
Lily is not easy to enter this world of luxury and elegance, as apart from maintaining a behavior according to social conventions, this kind of life is high costs, " single woman is paid in tips and playing letters, going to the best dressmakers, wearing the appropriate dress for each occasion and being always fresh, delicious and fun . "
I will not reveal which are the problems to be faced by the protagonist and what is the end of this classic American novel not to disturb potential readers. The truth is you do not fully understand just what are the differences between him and his admirer, Selden, a thoughtful man and little decided. Perhaps its different idea of \u200b\u200bwhat success is, as expressed in the following dialogue:
[Seldon] "Success ... What is success?. I am interested in your definition.
- Success? - Lily hesitated. Well, I guess life is to get everything you can. Is a relative quality, after all. Do not match your idea with mine?
- My idea? Absolutely! She sat up with sudden energy, rested his elbows on his knees and stopped the placid look at the fields. "My idea of \u200b\u200bsuccess he said, is personal freedom.
- Freedom? What concerns?
"Everything ... money, poverty, comfort and anxiety, all materials accidents. Maintain a kind of republic of the spirit of what I call success .
this reader, the only independent republic before it is advertised by a popular shopping center, they can not excite these feelings and sensations between people who hate the ugliness, discomfort and poverty and live in a showcase only social attentive to themselves, their luxury and comfort. Therefore, despite its serious literary, I must confess that I am bored this type of stories that convey anything but me is the indifference towards the world "lost?, Populated by unsympathetic and selfish beings. By the way, nor find in this novel ironic vision and offers fine critics who say the author of this social group that should know so well and so faithfully portrayed, perhaps, that if, with a touch of cynicism.
© Manuel Martínez Bargueño
October, 2010
If you have interested in this entry and want to ask, comment or add something about it can leave a comment or write to my e-coreero manuelblas222@gmail.com with confidence be promptly addressed.
Thanks.
Manuelblas
NOTES
1. This novel was also filmed in 2000, written and directed by Terence Davies and Gilliam Anderson in the role of Lily Bart.
Manuelblas
NOTES
1. This novel was also filmed in 2000, written and directed by Terence Davies and Gilliam Anderson in the role of Lily Bart.
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