The Age of Innocence

Set in 1870s upper-class New York City during the Gilded Age, "The Age of Innocence" follows Newland Archer, a young and wealthy member of high society, whose life takes a complex turn when his fiancee's cousin, Ellen Olenska, returns from Europe. As Newland navigates his feelings and societal expectations, the novel explores the intricacies and hypocrisies of the social elite. Wharton masterfully examines the constraints of tradition and the pursuit of personal happiness within a rigid social structure.