Failure In The Pursuit For An Authentic Existence: An Existential Interpretation Of The Fate Of Lily Bart In The House Of Mirth

The House of Mirth has won Edith Wharton a great fame. It is often interpreted from the perspective of naturalism, feminism and psychoanalysis, and Lily is believed to be the victim of the then social environment, patriarchal ideology, and her own inability to face her own situation. Different from the existing views on Lily’s tragedy, this study investigates Lily’s tragic fate from the perspective of Existentialism so as to reveal the other possible causes of Lily’s tragic life. A close reading of the absurdity of the high society and Lily’s clinging to it indicates that Lily’s existence in the high society is meaningless. A discussion of Lily’s interpersonal relations and her inner heart illustrates the alienation of Lily in such an absurd society, which exacerbates the meaninglessness and absurdity of her existence. An analysis of Lily’s struggle for an authentic existence reveals her awakening and her pursuit for a meaningful existence. The study proves that Lily, being stranded in such an absurd society, lives a miserable life and she is so sympathetic. She has made great efforts to change her fate by marrying a rich man through her beauty and charm, but either the voice of her authentic self makes her give up or she is simply dumped by the hypocritical men. Though her final pursuit for an authentic existence ends in failure, she awakens and makes the right choice to live. Life is so harsh for her, but after all those sufferings and setbacks, she grows and becomes brave enough to face her situation and keeps her integrity even at the cost of her life in the end. From Lily’s tragic existence in the absurd world, the study reveals that the cause of Lily’s tragedy lies in her failure to face her situation in time, her clinging to the pleasure-seeking life, her extravagant hope of the hypocritical upper class which put her in the painful dilemma, and most importantly, her pursuit for an authentic existence. The study also conveys Wharton’s profound and acute insight towards the living state of women in a materialistic society.