Architecture and anthropology in the House of Mirth

This I read The House of Mirth decline by Edith Wharton on the recommendation of a former professor. It is a story of a young woman in the high society of New York in the early 1900s and follows her social rise and decline of ultimate. My professor suggested that I keep my eyes open in the entire history of anthropology. I was amazed at how many elements of anthropology, I find almost every page, how many of the social events and nuances I recognized from anthropology lectures. I startedto ask whether a Wharton student of anthropology or as an astute observer of people and the society that they are able to capture these subtle elements was.

Of enormous importance in the novel was equivalent to social norms. Lilly (the heroine / victim) of the novel was accepted and loved by their peers and Elite warmly accepted into their exclusive group. She was considered the handsomest of all of the young women in New York, the desire of many suitable bachelors, and the holder of the greatsocial intelligence. Your access to this group gives Lilly the world, she is welcome, introduced the parties, pleasant summer stays in country homes, European vacations, and to provide only the best in the New York society. Unfortunately for Lilly, she does not behave quite as they would a young woman like her, and she begins to have a falling out and is the victim of mistrust and suspicion like. Finally, the problem is so great, especially with a female rival, that they completely bannedfrom the group. It is not that they as individuals of all dislike her, but she is such instability, the group that the group to get rid of them, in order to preserve themselves.

In addition, there was an almost constant description of the characters, whether by thought, word or action, taking into account their status among their peers and how to preserve or increase their current social status. It is almost a constant game of the balance of own attributes against a rival. For example, Wharton writes"It was not that Miss Bart fear of losing their newly acquired power over Mr. Gryce. Mrs. Dorset or perhaps frighten him was blind, but she had neither the ability nor the patience to effect his capture." Lily took an objective look at the threat of a particular rival and was quickly made to discover all the points of weakness, they could use to their advantage. These and other examples abound intrasexual competition in the course of the novel, especially in connection with the high society in which statuseverything.

What is of further interest is that architecture is the backdrop for all these events. The richest estates, dignified living rooms are the most elaborate and elegant ballrooms and most exclusive restaurants, hosting the events. In the beginning the reader through the mansion at Bellomont will be introduced, where:

"The hall was supported by arcades, with a gallery on pillars made of bright yellow marble ... and the light from the great central lantern overhead sheda brightness to the women's hair and struck sparks from their jewelry, as they moved. "

The architecture and the social residents of the Upper House was working to win as one, the wealth and social status of the grace and the passengers. Later in the novel recalls her ambition to have Lilly

"A flat, which should be the complicated luxury of their friends' environment through the whole extent of the artistic sensibility that they feel excel themselves, their superiors, in which each color and line shouldCombine to enhance their beauty and distinction give their free time. "

This will reinforce the perhaps obvious, but interesting idea that those were going to live with a higher social status in a place that reflects their status. It would be a strange sight, a respected author, architect, politician or captain of industry to be a resident to be seen in tenements. Architecture and social status are reconnected after Lilly has been ostracized by their group and provide links to for themselves. It hastaken residence in a boarding house and

"She feared for her narrow room to return to paint with his blotched wallpaper and shabby, and she hated every step of the way there by cutting a New York street in the last stages of decline from fashion to commerce."

In this case, create a parallel architecture and urban planning to go back to their own social history of Lilly's. As they fall from grace of high society and good fashion in a world where they have their own administrationCommerce hardly reflects the architecture of their position.

While the novel it was clear that architecture served as a backdrop for social activities, and has been intertwined with each other anthropological events. Architecture was to social class and the people and their behavior was tied to their homes connected.

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