Reading Edith Wharton Through a Darwinian Lens: Evolutionary Biological Issues in Her Fiction

By Judith P. Saunders

Beneath the polished surface of the genteel environments delineated in Wharton's fiction, characters are competing fiercely for desirable mates, questing for social status and resources, and plotting ruthlessly to advance their relatives' fortunes in life. This book identifies these and other evolutionary issues central to her fiction, demonstrating their significance in terms of character, setting, plot, and theme. Connections to existing Wharton criticism are made throughout the book, so that readers can see how an evolutionary perspective enriches, refutes, or reconfigures insights derived from other critical approaches.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786440023
• ISBN13: 9780786440023
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher