Roman Fever: A Brilliant Display :: Roman Fever Essays

Exposing Gender Stereotypes in Roman Fever Definitive criteria for judging the success or failure of a work of fictionalization are not easily agreed upon individuals almost necessarily introduce bias into any such attempt. Only those who affect an exorbitantly refined fastidious taste, however, would deny the importance of poignancy in literary pieces. To be sure, writings of dubious and fleeting merit frequently enchant the public, but there is in addition the occasional author who garners widespread acclaim and whose works remain deeply affecting despite the passage of time. The continued eminence of the fiction of Edith Wharton attests to her placement into such a category of authors it is a recognition of her propensity to create poignant and, indeed, successful literature. The brevity of her Roman Fever allows for a brilliant display of this giving in it we find many of her highly celebrated qualities in the space of just a few pages. Roman Fever is truly outstanding a wo rk that exposes the gender stereotypes of its day (1936) but that moves beyond documentary to reveal something of the perennial antagonisms of human nature. From the storys first sentence, upon the introduction of two women of ripe but well-cared-for put age, it becomes clear that stereotypes are at issue (Wharton 1116). This mild description evokes immediate images of demure and supportive wives, their husbands wards. Neither woman is without her handsomely mounted black handbag, and it is not until several paragraphs into the piece that Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley level acquire first names (1117). Thus, without even disclosing any of the ladies thoughts to the reader, Wharton has already revealed a great deal of their personal worlds. They live in a society which expects women to act largely as background figures, thoroughly engaged with furthering their husbands careers and the constant struggle to remain pretty. Indeed, little else is desired or even tolerated3/4and Grace Ansl ey and Alida Slade appear, at first glance, to conform to this image perfectly. As the workings of the characters minds are revealed, the extent to which they have internalized these values becomes apparent. Each, in their brief description of the other, mentions that her companionship was quite beautiful in her youth. Alida recalls how much she enjoyed having been married to a famous lawyer she misses being the Slades wife (1119). Startlingly, now that their husbands are dead, we find that the women consider themselves to be in a state of unemployment (1118)