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The Old Maid: (The 'Fifties)
Hardcover
Classic FictionGeneral FictionHistorical Fiction
ISBN13: 9781025874883
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 202
Weight: 1.02
Height: 0.50 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Old Maid is a poignant and masterfully crafted novella that delves into the rigid social hierarchies and hidden emotional depths of 1850s New York society. A central piece of Edith Wharton's acclaimed Old New York series, the story explores the complex relationship between two cousins, Delia Ralston and Charlotte Lovell. When Charlotte reveals a scandalous secret-an illegitimate daughter she has raised in secret-the two women enter into a delicate, often painful domestic arrangement that spans decades.
As the years pass, the narrative examines themes of sacrifice, maternal longing, and the stifling expectations placed upon women within the upper echelons of American aristocracy. Wharton's sharp social observation and psychological insight bring to life a world where reputation is everything, yet the most profound truths remain unspoken. The Old Maid is a compelling study of the sacrifices made in the name of propriety and the enduring power of maternal love, rendered with the elegant prose and emotional complexity that define Wharton's literary legacy. This work remains a significant contribution to early twentieth-century American literature, capturing the fading grandeur and internal conflicts of a bygone era.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
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