The+Legacy+and+Achievements+of+Edith+Wharton

=All About Edith Wharton = Edith Wharton was an American author born on January 24, 1862 into a fairly wealthy family. For the first several years of her life, her family toured Europe, then settled down in New york where she spent the majority of her childhood. She was the youngest of three children, and had a very diverse and creative imagination. By the age 18, she had already written her first novella. Edith got engaged, but the relationship fell apart before they got married, and she later married a rich sportsman, Edward Wharton. The marriage soon fell apart, which is why the majority of her novels include unhappy, loveless marriages. Edith divorced Ethan, and spent the remainder of her life in France. During the time of World War I, she created hostels for refugees, became a fund-raiser, and wrote novels from the perspective of the American battlefield front lines. Because of these kind acts, she was awarded the French Legion of Honor for her great courage. Edith suffered from a stroke and died on August 11, 1937.

=Other Works/Accomplishments = //The House of Mirth//- (1905) This was one of the best-selling books in the year it was published. It was also Edith's first successful book that helped lead her to fame. //A Motor Flight Through France//- (1908) In this novel she talks about the travels she took with her husband and Henry James. It also talks about a man she was in love with while she she was still married to her husband. //Age of Innocence//- (1920) This was probably one of Edith's most famous works. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1921- the first time the award had ever been given to a woman. //Roman Fever//- (1934) This was a short-story published in Liberty magazine. It was one of her best-known short stories that was about her travels in Italy. It won her a great pay of $3,000. Included above are only some of the works Edith Wharton has written. To view all other novels and short stories she has written, click on the link listed below: []

=Critics' Views = //Ethan Frome//- Critics agree and praise that Ethan Frome was Edith Wharton's best-constructed novel that included a diverse vocabulary and a great intensity level of actions. However, early critics disliked the novel's bleakness. Later critics went on to criticize the character Ethan Frome's characteristics and debate whether Ethan is actually tragic or just morally inanimate. //Age of Innocence//- Critics point out that Edith Wharton is less caustic of her criticism of culture than she was in previous books. Enotes states "The Age of Innocence is regarded as a skilled portrait of the struggle between the individual and the community." //The House of Mirth//- Although most critics agree that //The House of Mirth// had flaws, they also admit that it is one of Wharton's greatest achievements and a great contribution to American literature.

Sources used: The "Edith Wharton" section at the beginning of the book [] <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[] <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[]

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