著者

大野 朝子

出版者

東北文化学園大学

雑誌

総合政策論集 : 東北文化学園大学総合政策学部紀要 (ISSN:13468561)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.1, pp.125-135, 2004-12-31

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Edith Wharton is one of the most important American writers of the era of great social changes at the turn of the 20th century. She is famous for her realistic descriptions of the high society circles of "Old New York" from which she originally came. A number of critics have pointed out that her ideas on human nature were influenced by the context of her times, especially Darwin, Darwinism and the theory of evolution. The object of this paper is to closely examine The Age of Innocence in order to find her views on human nature and look for the influence of the deterministic viewpoint on her depiction of characters.Edith Wharton is one of the most important American writers of the era of great social changes at the turn of the 20th century. She is famous for her realistic descriptions of the high society circles of "Old New York" from which she originally came. A number of critics have pointed out that her ideas on human nature were influenced by the context of her times, especially Darwin, Darwinism and the theory of evolution. The object of this paper is to closely examine The Age of Innocence in order to find her views on human nature and look for the influence of the deterministic viewpoint on her depiction of characters.