I confess to being a little surprised to read in Chapter VII that Lily drives to the train station to pick up Gus in a four-wheeled, one-horse, run-about buggy, apparently on her own. I wonder how typical this was for the time. We read that Carry Fisher had originally intended to pick up Gus, and probably fleece him for some more cash, until Judy intervened to ask Lily to run this errand for her instead.
Are we to gather that it was common for young women of fashion in New York at the turn of the 19th century to drive a horse and buggy out in public on their own? Why not send a groom or someone else from the Trenor household staff to fetch Gus? Obviously, Edith Wharton wanted to arrange for Lily and Gus to be alone for a period of time, and thought that this was the best way to bring it off. I imagine it was probably a typical practice at the time, or else Wharton wouldn't have used it as a pot device. Still, it struck me as being a little unusual to find Lily driving a horse and rig out in public on her own.
I’m not surprised at Lily refusing Mr. Rosedale’s offer of marriage. For one thing, there’s his whole attitude and manner of speaking. “I’ve got the money,” he says, “and what I want is the woman—and I mean to have her too.” Rosedale talks as if he’s buying a horse. He also seems very sure of himself, as if he assumes all his money will make Lily a pushover for his offer. He doesn’t understand that no one likes being taken for granted.
Rosedale doesn’t have to declare, “I love you. Most ardently.” Nobody would believe that. But he could have at least sat down in Lily’s presence, instead of standing and leaning aggressively on his walking stick. He could have tried a softer approach, explored the possibility of shared interests and aspirations between Lily and himself, and basically shown her more respect.
As it is, Lily doesn’t refuse Rosedale’s offer outright. She says she needs more time to think about it, which Rosedale accepts as a better response than he’d bargained for. But Lily’s answer is also based on her expectation that Lawrence Selden will arrive at any minute and show her the way out of her predicament involving Gus Trenor and his $9000. When Lily sees a newspaper notice stating that Selden is aboard ship on his way to the West Indies, she seems to change her mind about Rosedale and begins to write him a note, only to stop when Bertha Dorset’s telegram arrives inviting Lily to join her on a Mediterranean vacation.
Another reason for Lily declining Rosedale’s proposal is, as you point out, that Lily still retains a higher moral sense than the Dorsets, the Trenors, and the rest of their social class. Although her life goal is to marry a rich man, it seems that Lily still hopes that somehow, she’ll be able to marry for love as well. There’s a part of Lily who Lawrence and Gerty speak of as “the real Lily”—the moral Lily—and this is the Lily who refuses to sink to the level of her peers by marrying only for money. It is this same inner moral standard that probably led her to sabotage her chances with Percy Gryce.
Lily Bart is unwilling to marry Lawrence Selden because, as a lawyer, he can’t provide her with the posh standard of living to which she has become accustomed. But would marrying Lawrence really have been that much of a social climbdown for Lily? I don’t think so. For one thing, the legal profession was becoming increasingly important in early 20th century America, as contract law and financial dealings became more detailed and complex. Lawyers were respected for being highly educated and for having years of training to equip them to handle such complicated matters.
Lawyers were also highly valued members of their local community. Becoming a lawyer was often a stepping stone to a career in politics and higher office. So, although the leather armchairs in Lawrence’s office might be shabby, there was every prospect of him being able to purchase better furniture in the near future. After all, he circulates among the higher echelons of New York society where he has the opportunity to make himself useful to wealthy clientele with legal troubles.
There is no evidence in “The House of Mirth” that I can recall to indicate that Lawrence is struggling financially. His parents live in shabby gentility, having lived beyond their means, but Lawrence has learned from their example and seems to manage his money well. He has the proper clothes and evening wear to attend the opera and be invited to parties put on by the wealthy class. He is well-mannered and we never have any sense that Lawrence doesn’t fit in with his surroundings. He is also affluent enough to take a cruise to the Caribbean at the drop of the hat, and later travel to Paris on a client’s behalf, before travelling to the south of France to catch up with Lily.
There is also something special about Lawrence that sets him apart from other young men, and makes him attractive to women such as Bertha Dorset. Even Lily can appreciate Lawrence’s distinctive personality, which makes the reader wonder why she doesn’t consider acquiring him as her husband a more than sufficient compensation for the fact that he’s not rolling in wealth. Lawrence is really Lily’s best option as a husband, and it’s a wonder she doesn’t realize this and seize the moment when she can.
I confess to being a little surprised to read in Chapter VII that Lily drives to the train station to pick up Gus in a four-wheeled, one-horse, run-about buggy, apparently on her own. I wonder how typical this was for the time. We read that Carry Fisher had originally intended to pick up Gus, and probably fleece him for some more cash, until Judy intervened to ask Lily to run this errand for her instead.
Are we to gather that it was common for young women of fashion in New York at the turn of the 19th century to drive a horse and buggy out in public on their own? Why not send a groom or someone else from the Trenor household staff to fetch Gus? Obviously, Edith Wharton wanted to arrange for Lily and Gus to be alone for a period of time, and thought that this was the best way to bring it off. I imagine it was probably a typical practice at the time, or else Wharton wouldn't have used it as a pot device. Still, it struck me as being a little unusual to find Lily driving a horse and rig out in public on her own.
I’m not surprised at Lily refusing Mr. Rosedale’s offer of marriage. For one thing, there’s his whole attitude and manner of speaking. “I’ve got the money,” he says, “and what I want is the woman—and I mean to have her too.” Rosedale talks as if he’s buying a horse. He also seems very sure of himself, as if he assumes all his money will make Lily a pushover for his offer. He doesn’t understand that no one likes being taken for granted.
Rosedale doesn’t have to declare, “I love you. Most ardently.” Nobody would believe that. But he could have at least sat down in Lily’s presence, instead of standing and leaning aggressively on his walking stick. He could have tried a softer approach, explored the possibility of shared interests and aspirations between Lily and himself, and basically shown her more respect.
As it is, Lily doesn’t refuse Rosedale’s offer outright. She says she needs more time to think about it, which Rosedale accepts as a better response than he’d bargained for. But Lily’s answer is also based on her expectation that Lawrence Selden will arrive at any minute and show her the way out of her predicament involving Gus Trenor and his $9000. When Lily sees a newspaper notice stating that Selden is aboard ship on his way to the West Indies, she seems to change her mind about Rosedale and begins to write him a note, only to stop when Bertha Dorset’s telegram arrives inviting Lily to join her on a Mediterranean vacation.
Another reason for Lily declining Rosedale’s proposal is, as you point out, that Lily still retains a higher moral sense than the Dorsets, the Trenors, and the rest of their social class. Although her life goal is to marry a rich man, it seems that Lily still hopes that somehow, she’ll be able to marry for love as well. There’s a part of Lily who Lawrence and Gerty speak of as “the real Lily”—the moral Lily—and this is the Lily who refuses to sink to the level of her peers by marrying only for money. It is this same inner moral standard that probably led her to sabotage her chances with Percy Gryce.
Lily Bart is unwilling to marry Lawrence Selden because, as a lawyer, he can’t provide her with the posh standard of living to which she has become accustomed. But would marrying Lawrence really have been that much of a social climbdown for Lily? I don’t think so. For one thing, the legal profession was becoming increasingly important in early 20th century America, as contract law and financial dealings became more detailed and complex. Lawyers were respected for being highly educated and for having years of training to equip them to handle such complicated matters.
Lawyers were also highly valued members of their local community. Becoming a lawyer was often a stepping stone to a career in politics and higher office. So, although the leather armchairs in Lawrence’s office might be shabby, there was every prospect of him being able to purchase better furniture in the near future. After all, he circulates among the higher echelons of New York society where he has the opportunity to make himself useful to wealthy clientele with legal troubles.
There is no evidence in “The House of Mirth” that I can recall to indicate that Lawrence is struggling financially. His parents live in shabby gentility, having lived beyond their means, but Lawrence has learned from their example and seems to manage his money well. He has the proper clothes and evening wear to attend the opera and be invited to parties put on by the wealthy class. He is well-mannered and we never have any sense that Lawrence doesn’t fit in with his surroundings. He is also affluent enough to take a cruise to the Caribbean at the drop of the hat, and later travel to Paris on a client’s behalf, before travelling to the south of France to catch up with Lily.
There is also something special about Lawrence that sets him apart from other young men, and makes him attractive to women such as Bertha Dorset. Even Lily can appreciate Lawrence’s distinctive personality, which makes the reader wonder why she doesn’t consider acquiring him as her husband a more than sufficient compensation for the fact that he’s not rolling in wealth. Lawrence is really Lily’s best option as a husband, and it’s a wonder she doesn’t realize this and seize the moment when she can.