Keyword Guide · character-analysis
Edith Wharton’s *The House of Mirth* explores New York’s Gilded Age high society through a cast of sharp, conflicted characters. This guide breaks down key figures, their motivations, and their roles in the novel’s critique of wealth and social pressure. Use it to prep for quizzes, class discussions, or literary analysis essays.
Lily is the novel’s central figure, a charming, well-born woman trapped between her desire for financial security and her quiet disdain for the shallow elite she navigates. Her tragic arc stems from a failure to reconcile these conflicting impulses—she rejects unethical paths to wealth but lacks the means to survive outside her social circle. For essays, focus on her struggle as a critique of gendered economic dependence in the Gilded Age.
Selden is a quiet, intellectual lawyer who stands apart from high society, though he’s often drawn into its orbit. He’s both fascinated and critical of Lily, offering her a glimpse of a life free from social constraints, yet he’s too passive to meaningfully intervene in her downfall. Frame his character as a moral foil to the novel’s wealthy elites, and a symbol of unfulfilled potential for connection.
Bertha is the embodiment of Gilded Age social cruelty. A wealthy, powerful matriarch, she uses her influence to maintain her status, targeting anyone she sees as a threat to her reputation. Her rivalry with Lily drives much of the novel’s conflict, highlighting how social power can weaponize gossip and exclusion. For class discussions, analyze her as a product of the same system that destroys Lily, rather than a one-note villain.
Other figures round out the novel’s social commentary: Simon Rosedale, a self-made Jewish banker desperate for elite acceptance, exposes the classism and anti-Semitism of the era; Carry Fisher, a former social climber turned broker of favors, represents survival through compromise; and Gerty Farish, Lily’s modest cousin, offers a model of a life lived outside society’s rigid rules. For quizzes, memorize their core motivations and how they interact with Lily to reinforce the novel’s themes.
Gerty Farish is Lily’s most direct foil. Gerty lives a humble, unassuming life free from the pressures of wealth and status, offering a stark contrast to Lily’s obsession with maintaining her social position. Her contentment highlights the cost of Lily’s uncompromising attachment to elite society.
Every major character ties back to the novel’s core themes of class, gender, and moral compromise. Lily represents the tragedy of gendered economic dependence, Bertha illustrates the corruption of social power, and Selden symbolizes the passivity of those who observe injustice without acting.
Start with a thesis that links a character’s arc to a core theme (e.g., “Lily Bart’s downfall exposes the Gilded Age’s exploitation of women”). Then use 2-3 body paragraphs to connect specific character choices, interactions, and turning points to that theme, ending with a conclusion that ties their fate to the novel’s broader social critique.
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