The Representation and Function of Paris in Edith Wharton's "Madame de Treymes" (PDF)

Essay aus dem Jahr 2014 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Literatur, Note: 1,3, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Edith Wharton's novella" Madame de Treymes" (1907) is set in Paris and revolves around the three protagonists John Durham, Fanny de Malrive and her sister-in-law Madame de Treymes. On a visit to Paris the New Yorker John Durham meets his former college-friend Fanny again, who has married into the Parisian upper-class, but lives separated from her unfaithful aristocratic husband. John and Fanny want to marry, but divorce is impossible in Catholic France and especially in a titled family. Therefore John seeks Madame de Treymes' help in getting the family to consent to a divorce and is confronted with the sinister strength of the French social order.

Edith Wharton presents Paris as a corrupt place filed with intrigue and betrayal, a place hostile towards foreigners. Paris is represented through the representation of its aristocracy society, which is shown as a tight, arrogant, intriguer, narrow community feeling superior towards outsiders. Moreover the representation of the French society demonstrates the contrast between the moral Americans and the immoral French.