The House of Mirth: Book 1 XI-XII

This next section in Edith Wharton's novel The House of Mirth Lily is confronted with continuing problems with Mr. Trenor because he is missing Lily.  She is also having troubles with her aunt and her cousin Grace, along with Mr. Dorset, Rosedale, and Seldon.  The setting in the novel is what causes all of Lily's problems along with he indecisiveness but mainly the time period.  In the late 1800s being rich was very important for women, and marrying rich was even more important.  Social status was all women had, considering they could not vote, and it was very rare for them to independent.  If they did live alone they were considered unmarriageable, which no woman wanted to be.

"...the idea that any scandal could attach to a young girl's name, above all that it could be lightly coupled with that of a married man, was so new to her that she was so much aghast as if she had been accused of leaving her carpets down all summer, or of violationg any of the other cardinal laws of housekeeping," (Wharton, 100).

This passage expresses Mrs. Peniston's views of Lily talking to a married man so intently.  She couples something that is so scandalous to the society with domestic duties.  This proves how much emphasis was put on women to be very domestic and if they did anything wrong in their housekeeping duties it was just as bad as having an affair.  The late 1800s society was not accepting of woman in any other aspect except for domestic affairs.