In the short story Roman Fever, women characters are depicted as loving and sympathetic mothers, but Edith Wharton criticizes their traditional social roles unveiling low morals and desire to gain public recognition at any price. Roman Fever depicts that role of women in society is limited by public opinion and traditions which force women to lose their moral values and human dignity to gain recognition and high social appraisal. Thesis Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley belong to a high social class and are faced with similar life challenges, but possess different moral values and ethical principles.
Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade grew up in Manhattan, New York, and are influenced by the social morals and values of their social class. Wharton comments: “The similarity of their lot had again drawn them together, lending itself to mild jokes” (Wharton n.d). Both women are widows of the same age with grown-up daughters, Jenny and Barbara. The theme of widowhood helps Wharton to unmask contradiction arisen in the society and criticize the dependence of women upon their husbands. Wharton vividly portrays that women mean nothing as social members without their husbands. “In living up to such a husband all her faculties had been engaged; now she had only her daughter to live up to” (Wharton). In reality, both women find themselves defeated by the social norms they have. Wharton unveils that their society had been solid and secure up to the moment their husbands were alive. To some extent, this short story shows a parody of the happy ending when women are faced with the realities of life after the death of their husbands.
The main difference is found in appearance and moral values possessed by Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade. Mrs. Ansley is more attractive and cleverer than Mrs. Slade. When they were young ladies, they fell in love with the same man, Delphin. Many years ago Mrs. Slade betrayed her to secure her marriage which meant a high social position. Mrs. Slade recollects: “And I remember laughing to myself all that evening at the idea that you were waiting around there in the dark” (Wharton). Wharton criticizes that only marriage can preserve the vital social values of stability, continuity, and propriety. Through the character of Mrs. Slade, Wharton depicts that a high social position and a famous husband cannot guarantee high moral standards and self-respect, because the woman becomes obsessed with a fear of loose everything she has. The low morals of Mrs. Slade are a direct result of her social role which is limited by motherhood and domesticity. Mrs. Slade is depicted as a selfish and dishonorable woman who betrayed her best friend. It is possible to say that passion and romance, heated by envy, forced Mrs. Slade to betray her friend to gain a high social position. “After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty-five years. And you had nothing but that one letter that he didn’t write” (Wharton). In contrast, Mrs. Ansley has a romantic nature described as an honorable and moral person. Mrs. Slade did not expect that her friend would answer the letter: “Oh, God—you answered! I never thought of your answering….” (Wharton). At the end of the story, Wharton depicts that Mrs. Slade is hurt even more than Mrs. Ansley she is afraid of because Mrs. Ansley had Barbara, the most precious gift in her life. For Mrs. Ansley, love means pure relations free from selfishness and social statuses. But her friend can be characterized as a greedy person who does not know what friendship is, rating only money and social status.
Wharton creates vivid and impressive women prototypes depicting the social life of her epoch. The author criticizes values and traditions preached by society. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have different values and morals but both of them are limited by social roles and traditions. These limits are put by the institution of marriage and the importance of social status in society as the main markers of happiness and respect.
Works Cited
Wharton, E. Roman Fever. N.d. Web.