Teaching and Discussing Edith Wharton's Works
Research help for students is available on the Student
Graduate and Undergraduate Sites
for Teachers and Students
P. Reuben's page on Wharton PAL: Perspectives in American
Literature- A Research and Reference Guide includes a bibliography
for The House of Mirth as well as a brief summary of her importance
as an American writer.
and Discussion Questions for Wharton's Major Texts are now available
at the Wharton Society site.
on Poverty and Social Class in The House of Mirth from
Lucia Knowles's class at Assumption College; background information,
links, and ideas, including links to conduct manuals.
Mount: Edith Wharton and the American Renaissance. This
content-rich and well-researched site is worth a visit.
Sites for Teachers
Ammons on teaching Wharton's "The Valley of Childish Things" (at
the Heath Anthology site).
questions on Summer from Wharton-L members.
Grace Lee's "Biography
of Edith Wharton: A Site Focused on Career and Relationships" at
the Claremont Graduate School includes information for teachers and
an online quiz.
Resources from CSPAN's summer 2001 program on Wharton. This
site includes a free streaming video version of the 2 1/2 hour program
as well as selected clips from Scott Marshall, Shari Benstock, Warren
Goldstein, and Stephanie Copeland.
Wharton's Wyndcliffe contains pictures of this Wharton-related
home on the Hudson.
An Edith Wharton Crossword Puzzle allows readers to test their knowledge of Wharton's works.
Edith Wharton: A Life in Pictures and Text offers a brief overview of Wharton's life and an online quiz for undergraduate students.
See also the pages for sites on Wharton and on American literature.
Sites for Students These sites are not sponsored or endorsed
by The Edith Wharton Society, and we make no claims for the accuracy
of their information. Teachers should also be aware of the summaries and analyses
at sites like gradesaver.com and Sparknotes.com (see below) since many
students consult these sites and dishonest students may attempt to
plagiarize material from them.
a commercial site created by students, contains a biographical
note as well as summaries and character lists for The
House of Mirth and The
Age of Innocence.
Sparknotes.com has summaries
and quizzes for Ethan
House of Mirth, and The Age of Innocence.
Clubs, Weblogs, and Discussion Groups (not affiliated with EWS or Wharton-L)
Wharton Discussion Group at Yahoo Groups. Description from the
site: "This list is a forum for discussing the works of American
author Edith Wharton. Academics and casual readers alike
are welcome. Discussion of contemporaries and other relevant
authors as well as EW's 'life and times' is welcome. We
conduct 'group reads' of Edith Wharton's novels and short stories."
English teacher Leila Rosen's group
weblog "Aesthetic Realism and the Works of Edith Wharton" discusses
Wharton's works through the philosophy
of Eli Siegel: "The world, art, and self explain each other: each
is the aesthetic oneness of opposites."
AP and High School Courses
Reader's Guide to Age of Innocence at teachervision.com
provides study questions and background information.
Haven Teachers' Institute has a parallel curriculum unit on African-American
and white women writers that includes Wharton's story "Roman Fever."
If you have teaching suggestions, syllabi, or course materials on Edith
Wharton that you would like to see included on this page, please send
links to the address below or use the online
response form. Thank you.