Table of Contents
Who is Medora Manson?
Marchioness Manson is one of Mrs. Manson Mingott’s daughters, and is Ellen’s guardian for much of her life. Like the Mingott daughters, the Marchioness has had (by New York standards) an unconventional upbringing in Europe.
Who is the hero in The Age of Innocence?
Newland Archer
Newland Archer is the hero of our tale, and the plot of the novel follows his journey from complacent young man of society to impassioned lover to resigned old age. Just based on how much of The Age of Innocence takes place in Newland’s presence or even in his head, we know that he’s the Main Man.
Who is Medora Manson in Age of Innocence?
Medora is one of Mrs. Mingott’s daughters and Ellen’s aunt, who became Ellen’s guardian after the deaths of Ellen’s parents. Medora is one of the most eccentric members of society and she is considered one of the reasons that Ellen has such an unconventional view of the world.
Is Gossip Girl based on The Age of Innocence?
Von Ziegesar began by modeling Gossip Girl on Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, that earlier tale of a closed New York society. Serena van der Woodsen, a beauty kicked out of boarding school, returns to her old school, only to be dogged by envious rumors of lesbianism and love children.
Who is Madame Olenska?
Ellen, the Countess Olenska, fulfills Newland’s longing for an emotional fantasy life. Her words, her unconventional taste in clothing and interior decorating, and her attitudes symbolize the exotic to traditional Newland. She causes him to question his narrow existence and brings out his protective instincts.
Why did Countess Olenska leave her husband?
A clandestine affair with him means no honor, no principles, and no happiness. As she explains, “I can’t love you unless I give you up.” Unselfish in doing exactly that, she realizes they are “chained to their destinies” and she leaves because an unconventional life cannot survive in 1870s New York.
Does Ellen love Newland?
Ellen falls in love with Newland, but she is a realist. She asks him, “Does no one want to know the truth here?” as she notices the narrow hypocrisy of his social world. Ellen knows that they cannot live a life outside of convention without hurting others.
How is Ellen Olenska described?
Ellen is an independent, unconventional woman who falls in love with Archer, despite being the cousin of Archer’s fiancée May. Though Ellen lived in New York for some time when she was young, she spent much of her childhood in Europe, and New Yorkers now consider her to be more foreign than American.