Summary:
Edith Wharton's novel, The House of Mirth, entails a crucial turning point near the end of Book I, in which the protagonist, Lily Bart, presents herself in the Brys fashion show. Lily portrays herself as Reynolds' "Mrs. Lloyd", and her performance in the tableaux vivant scene is breathtaking.
Edith Wharton's novel, The House of Mirth, entails a crucial turning point near the end of Book I, in which the protagonist, Lily Bart, presents herself in the Brys fashion show. Lily portrays herself as Reynolds' "Mrs. Lloyd", and her performance in the tableaux vivant scene is breathtaking. Her intentions in putting her body on public display at the Brys party appear to be purely artificial and materialistic, aiming only to take advantage of an opportunity to flaunt her true beauty and to raise her diminishing social status. However, in the process, Selden views the beautiful Lily and is compelled to profess his love for her in a single kiss, revealing the possibility Lily had a more intimate intention. This intention was, however, mistakenly received also by Gus Trenor who is angered by her toying illusions.
"Here there could be no mistaking the predominance of personality - the unanimous "oh!" of the spectators was a tribute, not to the brush-work of Reynolds' "Mrs. Lloyd" but to the flesh-and-blood loveliness of Lily Bart." Lily's pose in the tableaux vivant is virtually perfect, and, as illustrated, everyone admires her as if she were a beautiful work of art to be studied. Even without the extravagance of the costume involved in her first impulse, to portray Cleopatra, she reveals herself as a truly beautiful person underneath the fine clothing and expensive jewelry. As Reynolds' "Mrs. Lloyd," Lily exemplifies the magic of spectacular illusion, and according to Wharton, Lily selected "a type so like her own that she could embody the person represented without ceasing to be herself. It was as though she had stepped not out of, but into, Reynolds' canvas, banishing the phantom of his dead beauty by the beams of her living grace."
It is at the Brys' party, where Lily's veiled body is on public display, that Selden imagines himself in possession of the "real Lily", and resolves to profess his love and propose marriage. Lily achieved her intention of portraying her unaided natural beauty, for everyone attending the social event was awed by her performance. In effect, this event is the height of Lily's social status, and the peak of her public image. However, Wharton implies Lily had an ulterior motive for posing in the tableaux vivant - Selden. Selden is indeed captivated by Lily's alluring veiled body, and after her performance he lingers before approaching her to "prolong" the "exquisite" moment. When he finally reaches her he finds the "expected look in her eye," confirming his belief in her performance's intimate address and that it was, "for him only that she cared to be beautiful."
Also attending the Brys' party is Mr. Gus Trenor. He too, was stunned by Lily's beauty, and yet later angered by her lack of attention towards him. Lily, who is flushed over Selden's proposal of love, takes no notice to the attempted compliments and small talk of Trenor. The situation later escalates out of hand when Trenor corner's Lily and angrily demands more attention toward him, for he knows his friendship is being played simply so Lily might profit from it. In this respect, Lily does not understand that although the tableaux vivant was her uprising to a higher social status, it also can be cited as her downfall. Because she heeds little attention to Trenor, it is the final straw before he tricks her into meeting alone with him, the very action which compromises Selden's love for her. When Selden sees Lily on Trenor's doorstep, it indicates to him Lily's "promiscuity" and the possibility that she "belongs" to other men as well.
Although the tableaux vivant scene is a great success, it also initiates the long stream of misfortune which befalls upon Lily ultimately resulting in her death. Lily set out to accomplish popularity, admiration, and possibly a little attention on the intimate level as well. As a result of this scene she receives a love confession from Selden, but because of her cowardice and overlying belief that she can do better, Lily falls through in accepting any opportunity he has provided for her future. Selden, sadly, does not fit the designs she has made for herself, and these superficial values doom her to a loveless, unhappy fate. Lily simply does not understand that her final rejection of Selden's love indirectly prevents her from achieving a joyful, rewarding life.
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