RESUME : The age of innocence.

Sujet: RESUME : The age of innocence. Mer 01 Mar 2006, 22:14

C'est mon propre résumé.

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
Edith Wharton

BOOK I

I

Newland Archer attends the opera in New-York. It’s sung by Christine Nilsson. He is attracted by the young and innocent May Welland. An unknown beautiful lady appears.

Mr Larry Lefferts è form expert
Mr Sillerton Jackson è New-York Kinship & scandal expert

II

The beautiful lady is May Welland’s Cousin Countess Olenska : she is poor. We learn about old Catherine Mingott (how she married her daughters to rich foreigners). Thorley likes the Countess. Newland Archer is Engaged with May Welland and wants it to be known, yet he still has to convince Mrs Welland.

III

We learn about the Beaufort (his doubtful extractions / same standard as the Mingots but not as thrifty. Newland Archer goes to the Beaufort’s Ball.

IV

Mrs Welland, May and Archer pay a visit to Mrs Mingott to tell her about the wedding. Ellen Olenska and Julius Beaufort appear. Olenska is daring with Archer. + forecasting elements about the trouble she will cause to Archer & May’s couple.

V

We learn about the Archer family. Sister and mother are very good friends with Sillerton Jackson. Newland stays at home whereas Sillerton comes to talk to the ladies about the countess Olenska. Olenska’s hanging around the men is discussed. Conventions. At that time divorce was unheard of, Olenska wishes to get divorced! She lived with the secretary. Archer makes daring remarks about women’s right to freedom as he talks to Sillerton.
Olenska breaks conventions : dressing / divorce / freedom

VI

Archer has doubts about his marriage. He’s starting to question conventions. A dinner is organised at the Lovell
Hypocrisy of social marriages is spoken of.
Mingott’s to meet Olenska è that’s the American way of doing
They all refuse except the beauforts.
Mrs Archer goes to Mrs Louisa Henry van der Luyden. The Van der Luyden family is one of the three reallt aristocratic family in New-York.
(hypocrisy in the claiming of belonging to the genuine aristocracy is spoken of as well).

VII

Archer and Mrs Newland go to the Van der Luyden. They harshly criticize both Olenska and the Mingott’s attitude. Meanwhile they invite her to the following week’s reception they give.

VIII

Olenska (Ellen Mingott before she married the rich Polish guy) was brought up by her Aunt Medora Manson. She is the cousin of May.
Medora ; Mrs Welland and Mrs Lowell Mingot are sisters, and daughters to Old Catherine Mingott. Ellen’s Aunt (Medora) was already taking liberties with conventions. Newland and the other go to the dinner at the Van der Luyden. Archer seems to have some admiration even some attraction to the Countess.
Old New-York is spoken of (in opposition with the new trend). It’s said that the difference is just the same as between a Duke and a Van der Luyden Duke. Old N-Y still makes the distinction between these.
Prestigious plates and jewels => characterization. + difference between the two societies. Olenska’s dressing + she isn’t ashamed => different values.
Olenska’s talking is very free, she says the Duke is dull.
Archer seems to value the hardships she’s gone through.
They are to meet again the following day at five.

IX

Archer goes along with the Welland to announce the marriage. He tried to advance the date of the wedding. He’s read anthropology (autobiographical elements). Newland goes to see Olenska. Her room is different from anything he has ever seen + word foreign. Newland has the feeling his life with May is sealed. Olenska criticizes the Van der Luyden’s, and expresses original views. Archer says N-Y is awfully secure. She says she doesn’t like people who force other to pretend and then she cries > close scene between the two of them. Then Mrs Struthers and the Duke of st. Austrey come. Olenska is invited at Mrs Struthers on Sunday. Archer is growing interested in Olenska and send her Roses which he’s more worried about than May’s lilies-of-the-valley.
Olenska has opened his eyes è never before ect … and he himself tells it.

X

Newland is insisting He want to marry soon. He is fed up both of conventions and of doing things the same way everyday. Eyes => May may never see things. Olenska does. Olenska’s going to the Struther’s has upset the Van Der Luyden’s (since she went with the duke), there was smoking and daring songs. Newland doesn’t consider it bad. It triggers quarrels anyway. Allusion to ‘the free Sunday’ 1871 Act. Europe is seen as freer, Newland defends Olenska.
Henry Van der Luyden comes but he isn’t angry. The Duke being European he took Olenska to that party. The quarrel seems to be over for now.

XI

Newland is charged to take care of Olenska’s divorce. He works in the law field. He first dislikes it as it bring Olenska back to his mind, but will finally take care of it. His taking care of the case was required by the Mingott’s from Newland’s boss. The divorce isn’t welcomed at all though. Archer will wait until he sees Olenska before telling his boss whether he will (as the Mingotts want) be against the idea of divorce or not.

XII

Archer goes to Olenska’s but Beaufort is here, it upsets him, makes him jealous. Olenska is dressed in a vey provocative way for an evening, and though it’s obviously completely out of conventions, Newland likes it. Olenska gets rid of Beaufort and then they discuss her divorce. Newland speaks sincerely and tries to disuade her. It seems she wants to marry the secretary whom she loves.
He manages to dissuade her, but it seems to have severely lowered her mood.

XIII

Archer watches Saughraun at the theatre : the scene of departing is similar to his with Olenska. The // is underlined. Archer speaks to Olenska again and she admits he was right. It’s perceptible Archer is no longer found of getting married. May is gone with her father.

XIV

Winsett fournalist (‘clever people’ living in the slums) =/ fashionable people. Olenska doesn’t care about social sign-posts. Invalid can mean lacking of social gifts. Winsett hates conventions. Winsett’s solution for gentle-men, doing something or emigrating. Archer can’t get along with the idea (once more because of conventions). Reference to Henry James ‘the portrait of a gentleman. Perhaps a proleptic statement ‘you will never amount to anything, any of you’. Archer’s firm => Old-fashioned legal firms. Archer worries about his life and occupations and wonder how it’ll be once he is married. Olenska as gone with the Van der Luydensat Skuytercliff. He accepts an invitation made by the Chiverses close to the place where she is in the hope of seeing her.

XV

Archer arrives at the Chiverses and spend a few days there with them. Then he goes to the Van der Luyden’s House and meets Olenska. She has something to tell him. Something has happened. They go in the patroon’s house alone and have a conversation. Beaufort is here and he was the one she was running away from. Archer strangely invites him in. Then he figures out the possible relations and attractions between Beaufort and Olenska. Then he goes back to N-Y. Beaufort is back there, too. A few days later Archer receives a note from Olenska. A take a sudden depart for St Augustine where May is.

XVI

Archer is happy to see her but at the same time he wishes his complicity with May were different. He kisses her but it disturbs her. Back with May he is back in the world of conventions. He however somehow seems resigned to his life with may. è wanting more // ‘this life is the one which belongs to him’. He has a conversation with Mrs Welland. Then as he argue with May about advancing the date of the marriage they quarrel. She thinks he still loves his former mistress Mrs Thorley Rushworth. He explain it isn’t the case and things settle down.

XVII

Ellen visited the Archers while Newland was with May. Archer’s goes to Mrs. Manson Mingott to deliver messages and asks her to help him to advance his marriage’s date. Olenska enters, Archer will see her the following day. She is going to the Struther’s. Archer wants to prevent her from doing so and thus from seeing beaufort. When he comes, the Marchioness Manson (Ellen’s aunt who brought her up) is here, Winset and Dr Carver, too. The Marchioness is just like Ellen, very critical towards N-Y. Medora Manson has come to try to convince Newland that Ellen should go back with Olenski her husband who is full of remorse. Olenski sent flowers and Medora as his messenger.

XVIII

Ellen enters the room. She gets rid of the flowers. As Mandora go they remain alone. Archer tell Olenska he loves her. They discuss it. The kisses each other. As she expresses her feelings for him a telegram from May arrives saying that Mrs Manson’s Mingott convinced the Welland to advance the marriage.

BOOK II

XIX

It’s the wedding day. Newland first find it boring and he seems to think of Olenska at various times during the ceremony, but he after all is happy to be married. There were rumour the Catherine Mingott would come despite her disability but she didn’t. Mandora and Olenska were back from their trip but Olenska, unlike her aunt, didn’t attend the ceremony. The wedding breakfast is at Catherine Manson Mingott’s. As there is an expected problem they will spend their first married-night at the Patroon’s house. May asks Newland whether he has ever been in it.

XX

The Newland Archers are on their tour. They shall met the Carfry with whom Newland’s family had made friends during former travels. May isn’t found of London at all, nor more generally of Europe and doesn’t seem to care about travelling as much as she did in the past. There are a vicar and a Tutor at the Carfrys. The tutor is Mr. Rivière. He is French but speaks brilliant English. He lives for the life of ideas. May thinks him common, and because of this Archer won’t invite him for a talk. N-Y is harshly criticised by Archer. Archer begins to see only submission and disappointment in his marriage and its most probable future.

XXI

Archer and May spent time in Newport. There is a party at the Beauforts. May wins the bow contest. Then they go to Catherine to tell it to her and learn that Olenska (who had left the perfect house Beaufort had found for him and who had settled in Washington) is here. Archer is asked to fetch her. He sees her, but she doesn’t turn around so he goes away. Life at the Wellands’ is very precisely scheduled, and thus, so is his.

XXII

Emerson Sillerton and his wife Amy are spoken of. They organised a party to meet the blenkers. Emerson Sillerton has everything : lineage and money, but he works (archaeology teacher), that’s why he is cast away. During that party Archer will look for another horse for his wife’s brougham. Only the girls will attend. After looking for the Horse Newland goes to see the Blenkers’ because it’s where Olenska now lives. He meets one of the daughters and learns the Ellen is presently in Boston. He pretends he is to go there, too (to get to know her exact location).

XXIII

Archer is in Boston. Even fashionable places are untidy there. He meets Olenska. She has been made an offer by her husband who sent a messenger. Archer notices a unusual-looking man. (actually the messenger). They have a ride together and are alone in the ‘cabinet particulier’ of a boat.

XXIV

The have a passionate conversation in the ‘cabinet particulier’.

XXV

Mr. Rivière happens top be Olenski’s messenger. He is the French tutor Archer had met in London and who was looking for a job in New-York. As Archer is at the railway station the following day, going back home, he meets mister Rivière again. Thet have a rendez-vous. The latter makes him understand he is the messenger. Rivière has now taken the side of the countess and came to ask Archer not to let her go back. The familly had taken Archer aside from the negociations and talkings.

XXVI

N-Y is changing, girls are wearing dresses as soon as they buy them and everybody now goes to Mrs Struthers on Sundays. The beaufort familly may collapse because of Beaufort’s unfortunate speculations. Olenska will not be able not to go back (to Europe) according to Sillerton Jackson. She is broke. Then Archer returns to his home with his wife and says he must go to Washington. He pretends it is for business (whereas it’s obviously not the main not the only) but May makes him understand she knows it’s to see Ellen : “you must be sure to see Ellen.”. Ellen at that time lives in Washington.

XXVII

Archer’s due business at Washington is postponed but he is determined to go there all the same (and won’t tell May about the postponement). But Beaufort has made his situation even worse and disgrace will be on everybody because of him. Catherine Mingott had an heart stroke because of this so Archer can’t go anymore. It’s because Mrs Beaufort (Regina) had asked Catherine to make the family support her husband’s failure that the former had a stroke. Olenska will be telegraphed. Newland is sent to do it. He will not see Olenska as he has to attend his pretended business. May is delighted at that thought ; besides once he’s gone she criticises Olenska with the others.

XXVIII

Beaufort’s failure is announced in the newspapers, the whole family discuss it. Newland will go to fetch Olenska. May perfectly understands what happens. Olenska and Archer will have at least two hours alone as they will be on their way back.

XXIX

In the brougham, they have a passionate talk about their situation. They kiss, then the conversation becomes more intense. Archer gets off the brougham and goes back to his home Whenever Archer thinks he is going away from conventions he happens to still be very conventional.

XXX

May is made for sport and outdoors activities, not for needlework. Archer perceives what a monotonous thing his marriage will be, he even wish her dead. He is summoned by old Catherine who speaks frankly to him and tells him Ellen is going to stay here with her. Catherine asks him to back her through Letterblair as far as this decision was concerned. Archer is once more conventional during this talk (he doesn’t dare asking a question). It seem Old Catherine understands everything about his relations with Ellen.

XXXI

Ellen is back at Catherine’s. She pays a visit to Regina Beaufort despite conventions. Archer meets her there. Then they have a rendez-vous in the Museum. Ellen will come at him once then go back to her husband. As he goes back home May arrives a bit later. He’s been at Catherine’s and has seen Olenska and had a good (pleasant) talk with her. She is very moved and sad.

XXXII

There is a dinner at the Van der Luyden. Then they go to the opera to see Faust. It’s the first time that winter that Faust is played. It’s been two years since the beginning of the story. Then Archer breaks conventions, pretends to have a headache and goes back home with his wife. As he was going to tell her everything, he learns that Ellen is going back to Europe and thanks to Catherine she will be independent from her husband.

XXXIII

The Newlands give a farewell dinner for Olenska. It occurs to Archer that they all think him and Olenska to be lovers. Archer says he’ll travel. He tries to make his determination clear to the countess. Then the guests talk about the Beauforts and about conventions. Archer and Olenska are separated all the evening by the other guests. Then Olenska makes him understand she won’t be his mistress : “if you and May could come”. Then she goes away and he goes to the library. May tells him she is certain to be pregnant and that she had already told it to Olenska a fortnight ago (chapter XXXI). That’s the reason for Olenska’s change of mind.

Sujet: Re: RESUME : The age of innocence. Mer 01 Mar 2006, 23:29

XXXIV

Thirty years later. Archer has three kids : Dallas, Bill and Mary. May is dead. Society has changed except the marriage tradition. Adaptation : Archer writes in a reformist newspaper => it recalls Winsett. His children marry people he couldn’t stand. Fanny + Dallas // with Archer + Olenska è “wasn’t she your Fanny ?”. What happens in the Epilogue through Archer’s son is indeed what hasn’t happened the latter. Old ways are spoken of, compared to the new generation. Archer goes with Dallas in Paris. Dallas is very perceptive. He understands his parents life and his father’s relation to Olenska in all its complexity. They are to see the countess Olenska. At the last moment Archer steps back. He won’t see her, he watches her window and then, as it’s closed by a servant, goes back to his hotel.

Go Tensai

» RESUME : As you like it.
» RESUME : The golden apples.
» RESUME : The tortilla curtain.
» RESUME : Fiesta : the sun also rises.
» RESUME : Juno and the Paycock.