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Immortality and Myth in The Age of Innnocence

wall paintings tell us about the mythical characters’ predilection for a sensual life; this compares to Wharton’s characters’ penchant for their own hedonistic life of carousing, sexual cavorting and dizzy social calendars of parties and operas. The Greeks, mythical and real, were masters of architecture and decoration, which to this day, attest to their immortality. Wharton pays great attention to the mansions and embellishments of the New York houses. Her society attempts to be immortal in its own buildings; and by amassing ornate bits and bobbles from ages past and paintings and decorations, the society feels it will live on forever:Then the house had been boldly planned with a ball-room, sothat, instead of squeezing through a narrow passage to get toit (as at the Chiverses’) one marched solemnly down a vistaof enfiladed drawing-rooms (the sea-green, the crimson andthe botron d’or), seeing from afar the many-candled lustresreflected in the polished parquetry, and beyond that thedepths of a conservatory where camellias and tree-fernsarched their costly foliage over seats of black and goldBamboo. Wharton’s characters, albeit mortal beings, are made immortal and some can even be compared with mythical characters. We’ll begin with the lesser characters. Newland Archer's sister, Janey who: “was subject to starts and aberrations of fancy welling up from springs of suppressed romance,” might be compared to the mythical character, Cassandra. We remember that Cassandra: “a pathetic figure in the Trojan saga, was another of Apollo’s loves and a prophetess. When she agreed to give herself to Apollo, as a reward the god bestowed upon her the power of prophecy.” But Cassandra refused to be kissed when approached by Apollo so he spat in her mouth. Forever after her prophesies were not believed. Just like Janey, Cassandra was not taken seriously. As a character...

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