"The Age of Innocence" Annotations

Fracasso,  Evelyn. “The Transparent Eyes of May Welland in Wharton’s ‘The Age of Innocence.’” Modern Language Studies. 21.4(1991): 43-48. JSTOR. Web. 3 Dec. 2012

The author addresses the purpose or necessity of May Welland in Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence.”  Many critics argue the uselessness of the stagnant character. Fracasso states that it’s May’s very expressive eyes, not words, that within readers can witness character growth and movement beyond the original young and innocent virgin girl. Through her eyes one can see that she has been seriously misunderstood by her fiancé and eventual husband, Newland Archer. He sees nothing profound in her serious eyes filled with “bright unclouded admiration” or her “eyes of such despairing clearness.” May begins the novel as the young girl at the opera in a white dress, an innocent blush across her cheeks and eyes dropped and moves to the end with her transparent eyes with their “unnatural vividness.” Through these expressions once can see May’s growth and her silent fierceness that manipulates Newland without his knowledge. Fracasso’s idea gives “The Age of Innocence” new meaning through the silent but forceful May Welland.  

Moseley, Edwin. "The Age of Innocence: Edith Wharton's Weak Faust." College English 21.3 (1959): 156-160. JSTOR. Web. 5 Dec 2012.

Moseley compares the three main characters in “The Age of Innocence” to characters of myth, Newland as Faust, May as Diana, and Ellen as Helen of Troy. These references provide the story with a greater insight, not provided in the novel, into the characters. But Wharton’s  Faust is no match for her Diana. As much as Newland would like to live the intellectual and fierce romantic life of Faust that is not the case. He lacks the tenacity to break away from the society and life that he mocks and is continually drawn back by his Diana who can hit any target.