The Age Of Innocence Essays - English-language Films,

The Age Of Innocence The Significance of The Unsaid in The Age of Innocence As he entered the box his eyes met Miss Wellands, and he saw that she had instantly understood his motive, though the family dignity which both considered so high a virtue would not permit her to tell him so. The persons of their world lived in an atmosphere of faint implications and pale delicacies, and the fact that he and she understood each other without a word seemed to the young man to bring them nearer than any explanation would have done. (Wharton 16) This statement vividly illustrates the power of the unsaid within New York society during the 1870s, the time in which The Age of Innocence was set. At that time, there existed a powerful set of rules, regulations, and codes pertaining to ones conduct that were most often unspoken and, therefore, were never formally outlined. However, this did not in any way lessen the degree to which these standards were adhered to, and, thereby, upheld as if they were carved in the same stone as the Ten Commandments. Because New York Society d id not have much need for religion, other than for rites of passage, the rules of society were to them like rules of their religion. As a woman who was raised in this society, Edith Wharton was able to illustrate with great clarity the influence that the unsaid had when it came to knowing how one should behave if society is to look on them favourably. She further goes on to express the perils of a life lived within these particular codes. In the initial example used in the introduction, which took place in Chapter II of the novel, the reader is not only able to see the reason for Newland Archers behaviour, but the example also acts as a method of foreshadowing which alludes to the significant role that that which is left unsaid would play within the novel. After having read the entire novel, the reader would be able to reflect back and see this as the first of many times where discussions were replaced by unspoken understandings, and where the correct course of action is implied, but never spoken of directly. Although there are many times in the novel where thoughts and feelings are left unsaid, there is no relationship more affected by it than that of Newland Archer and May Welland/Archer. Right from the initial example the reader can see that Newland and May subscribe wholly to Societys dictates concerning appropriateness of public behaviour. They do not discuss the fact that Archer would like to announce the engagement earlier in order to assist Mays family in protecting Ellen Olenska. In place of a discussion on this issue, there exists an exchange of glances that Archer sees as a mutual understanding between he and May. This understanding exists in this case, and in others yet to be analyzed, without any verification of its accuracy having ever taken place. The second time that the unsaid played an imperative role in the relationship of Newland and May was in Chapter XVI when he had travelled to St.Augustine to advance the date of their wedding. This is a paradoxical point in the novel where the reader may feel as if May was abandoning all of the social customs in order to speak what was on her mind, yet as the conversation progressed she spoke her mind only to an extent and the couple subsequently left what would have been the most important part of their conversation unsaid. May questioned whether or not there was another woman between them, but she ended her questioning after having her suggestion of Archers previous mistress rebuffed. This was one time where Archer seemingly couldve told May about his feelings for Ellen Olenska without further recourse, however Archer decided to hold fast to his traditional values and avoided the embarrassment that such an announcement would have brought. The next, and possibly the most important, time in which the unsaid played a crucial role in the novel were the circumstances surrounding Ellen Olenskas final departure from New York. When Newland had tried to revel his feelings for Ellen Olenska to May in Chapter