• SHARON ROSE R
• Dr C DIVYA

Renowned American novelist and short story writer Edith Wharton (1862–1937) is recognised as a literary great whose writings offer sharp social commentary on the intricacies of the Gilded Age and early 20th-century America. Wharton, who was raised in New York's elite society, was affected by her affluent upbringing and astute observations of social subtleties in her widely read novels and short tales. Wharton's creative contributions are distinguished by an examination of the societal restraints that people, especially women, endure within the inflexible systems of class, marriage, and tradition. She was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her ability to shed everlasting light on the human condition is just as important to her lasting legacy as her creative accomplishments.Edith Wharton's novels intricately dissect the theme of love within the societal confines of the Gilded Age and early 20th-century America. Her nuanced exploration of relationships brings to light the profound influence of societal expectations, class divisions, and personal choices on the characters' experiences of love. Wharton's works consistently portray how social norms and class distinctions shape romantic relationships. Characters, particularly those in higher social strata, grapple with restricted choices imposed by societal expectations. The pursuit of love becomes entangled with considerations of wealth, status, and reputation.

Love, Society, Relationships, Sexuality, Struggles

"UNVEILING WHARTON'S HEARTS: LOVE AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN SELECTED NOVELS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 12, page no.c558-c561, December-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2312293.pdf

"UNVEILING WHARTON'S HEARTS: LOVE AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN SELECTED NOVELS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 12, page no. ppc558-c561, December-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2312293.pdf