Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth A Casebook [Paperback]

Edith Wharton is recognized as one of the twentieth century's most important American writers.The House of Mirthnot only initiated three decades of Wharton's popular and critical acclaim, it helped move women's literature into a new place of achievement and prominence.The House of Mirthis perhaps Wharton's best-known and most frequently read novel, and scholars and teachers consider it an essential introduction to Wharton and her work. The novel, moreover, lends itself to a variety of topics of inquiry and critical approaches of interest to readers at various levels. This casebook collects critical essays addressing a broad spectrum of topics and utilizing a range of critical and theoretical approaches. It also includes Wharton's introduction to the 1936 edition of the novel and her discussion of the composition of the novel from her autobiography.

1. A Backward Glance
2. Introduction to the 1936 Edition ofThe House of Mirth: Edith Wharton
3. The Death of the Lade (Novelist): Edith Wharton'sHouse of Mirth: Elaine Showalter
4. Debasing Exchange: Edith Wharton'sThe House of Mirth: Wai Chee Dimock
5. Crowded Spaces inThe House of Mirth: Amy Kaplan
6.The House of Mirth: A Novel of Admonition: Linda Wager-Martin
7. The Word Which Made All Clear : The Silent Close ofThe House of Mirth: Shari Benstock
8. ThePerfectJew andThe House of Mirth: Irene C. Goldman-Price
9. Another Sleeping Beauty: Narcissism inThe House of Mirth: Joan Lidoff
10. Lily Bart and the Drama of Femininity: Cynthia Griffin Wolff
11. Engendering Naturalism: Narrative Form and Commodity Spectacle in U.S. Naturalist Fiction: Lori Merish
12. The Crumbling Structure of Appearances : Representation and Authenticity inThe House of MirthandThe Custom of the Country: Christopher Gair
13. Extinction, Taxidermy, Tableaux Vivants: Staging Race and Class inlƒV