The House of Mirth Chapters XV

In my own personal analysis, I feel that chapter 15 of Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth is a major turning point in the plot of the story because of a number of events that unfold in this chapter. First of all, after the horrific incident with Mr. Trenor the previous night, Lily has decided that she must repay all her debts to him in order to rid herself of any obligation to him whatsoever. In scrounging up the money to pay this debt, however, Lily attempts—and fails—to get permission from Mrs. Peniston to borrow some money from her. Lily took for granted the help of her aunt (and of everyone in her life, for that matter) and has now been coerced for the first time in her life to fend for herself and pay for the consequences of her own careless and selfish actions. I think this lack of help from Mrs. Peniston signaled a turning point within Lily, for I hope that after this experience she will learn to finally take responsibility for her actions and expenses and adjust her life accordingly. Next, Mr. Rosedale stops by Lily’s house for a visit in which he asks for Lily’s hand in marriage, which I feel is the one of most significant turning points in the plot of this story. Initially, it seems obvious that Lily will reject his proposal, for she clearly finds Rosedale repugnant and would be miserable living the rest of her life as his wife; however, I worry that Mr. Rosedale might have offered Lily a future so tempting and desirable that it might be difficult for her to turn down. After all, as Mr. Rosedale points out, “You’re not very fond of me- yet- but you’re fond of luxury, and style, and amusement, and of not having to worry about cash. You like to have a good time…” (Wharton, 144). Furthermore, Lily acknowledges the fact that Mr. Rosedale has not only become immeasurably powerful, but he also knows “too much” about her; if she were to offend him by turning down his proposal for marriage, he could potentially destroy her and all her hopes of a bright future. With all of this mind, and considering the fact that a marriage to Rosedale could allow her to repay her debt to Trenor as well as secure her a life of exorbitant wealth and the nonexistence of worry, I actually grew concerned that she might consent to marry him. Plus, matters grew even worse when she learned that Selden had left on a cruise for the West Indies and Havana without telling Lily, apparently indicating that he may never have interest in her again. On top of everything else, Lily received an invitation from Mrs. Dorset at the end of chapter to embark with their party on an impromptu cruise of the Mediterranean. With all of these sudden and unexpected twists and turns in the lives of the characters, Wharton has successfully manufactured a very intriguing turning point in The House of Mirth in chapter 15 that interests me to find out what will happen next. Will Lily agree to marry Rosedale, and if she does, how will Mr. Trenor react? Will she ever be able to repay her debt to Mr. Trenor, and if so, how? Will Selden ever discover the truth of what happened between Mr. Trenor and Lily on the night he saw them on the street? With this exciting turning point in the story, I am anxious to see how the plot will thicken and resolve itself as the story progresses.

*Mr. Rosedale proposes marriage to Lily not on the basis of love, but rather on the basis of mutual benefit, just as Margaret and Andrew agree to get engaged for the exact same reasons in the movie The Proposal.