Lily and society

In The House of Mirth, Lily Bart’s struggle to survive in a strict society reveal a lot about her character, and possibly Wharton’s own beliefs of society in this time period. Lily is a confusing character. In some ways she defies the expectations of her time, but in other ways she conforms to them. While at first she seems to care little about society’s expectations of her, as we learn more of her hopes and plans for marriage, it becomes clear that she isn't as independent and defiant as she first appeared.

At times, especially early on in the novel, she appears to be a strong, independent woman. She has waited longer that was acceptable to get married, and even with so much pressure on her to marry soon she still takes her time, and turns down offers. Just the fact that she turns town marriage proposals from wealthy men is quite defiant. For example, Rosedale offers her the wealth she claims to be looking for; “I wanted money, and I’ve got more than I know how to invest; and now the money doesn’t seem to be of any account unless I can spend it on the right woman. That’s what I want to do with it: I want my wife to make all the other women feel small” (228), but she turns him down. Accepting his proposal would have been an easy solution to all her problems. She would have been wealthy, and probably accepted back into the society she is to desperate to stay a part of. But saying no to his proposal and continuing to reject the expectations society has placed on her hint at a part of her character that is rebellious. She is continuing to act according to what she wants, rather than what is expected of her.

However, as the novel progresses and we begin so see more of Lily’s character, she seems in many ways to conform to the social boundaries and expectations of that time period. She is desperate to fix her tarnished reputation, rather than searching for happiness she tries to find ways to climb back up the social ladder, and accumulate wealth to continue her extravagant lifestyle. She doesn’t consider marrying for love, she is still heavily influenced by the idea that in order to secure a future for herself she must marry a wealthy man. This does not fit with the image of a defiant woman, breaking the strict rules of society, as Lily is prepared to marry a man for money, even at the expense of her own happiness. Maybe this is Wharton suggesting that even rebellious women can’t escape the future society expects of them.