Teaching The House of Mirth

Instructions for You

Objective: Don't you just hate when someone judges you before they even know you? Yeah, we do too. We're looking at a pretty sticky subject here: anti-Semitism. At Shmoop, we don't approve of hating on Jewish people, or anyone for that matter, but it was really prevalent back in the day in New York City. It's hard to fathom that at one time, our hub of fashion and forward thinking was actually a cesspool of racist thought, but it was. Guess who just happens to give that attitude a nod in her book, The House of Mirth? Yup, you guessed it: Edith Wharton. As a rich girl, she had firsthand experience with the lifestyle about which she was writing and observed the not-so-pretty way people treated each other in her own life.

Here's the lowdown: we'll start discussing this issue of race by reading an analysis of anti-Semitism in Mirth from Amanda Renslow. This is a great place for students to see lit crit at work. Then, we'll take a peek at Ms. Ida Van Etten's response to all the hate floating about in the late 1800s and consider what she would have to say to Miss Bart and her prejudiced ways. Donning the "Ida Van Etten" cap, students will finish out this activity by composing a letter from Ida to Lily, giving her the 411 on Jewish men and setting the record straight.

The readings and response should only take about 60 minutes to complete.

Materials Needed: Copies of or access to PB Works' analysis of anti-Semitism in The House of Mirth and this letter excerpt from Ida Van Etten, pens and paper, and sheer teenage imagination

Step 1: Let's get right to it and open by discussing anti-Semitism:

• What is it?
• Who participated in it during the 1800s? (Hint: rich, white people)
• How might it be important in this Mirth?
• Why would rich people be resentful of Jewish folk?

If you need some background, the New York State Archives is where it's at. This site will give you a quick rundown of this somewhat uncomfortable topic and will touch on what sparked anti-Semitism as well.

Step 2: Once the kids have some background under their belts, let's bridge on over to our friends at Mirth. Have your students read Amanda Renslow's "Analysis of Anti-Semitism in The House of Mirth" to themselves, taking notes or annotating anything that catches their eyes.

Step 3: QuickWrite time: Taking Renslow's analysis into consideration, are Edith Wharton's characters expressing anti-Semitic views, or just a general snobbery toward Rosedale? Students should write a quick, one-paragraph response, telling us if they think Renslow's right or not, so let 'em get all judgmental. Be sure, though, that students use examples from her work as evidence or as examples to refute.

Step 4: What would Ida say, though? We're going to add one more voice to the conversation by having your students read Ida Van Etten's letter excerpt about the character of Russian Jewish immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the late 1800s. Briefly discuss what she was trying to get across here and how it relates to what we've been talking about today.

Step 5: Now the fun part. Have your kids pretend they're Ida Van Etten, and ask them to write Lily Bart a letter encouraging her to marry Rosedale. They should consider the following questions as they write their letters:

• What would Ida say in Rosedale's defense?
• What would she have to say about the anti-Semitism floating around in Lily's social circle?
• What arguments could she foresee Lily presenting, and how would she answer them?

Instructions for Your Students

Objective: Don't you just hate when someone judges you before they even know you? Yeah, we do too. We're looking at a pretty sticky subject here: anti-Semitism. At Shmoop, we don't approve of hating on Jewish people, or anyone for that matter, but it was really prevalent back in the day in New York City. It's hard to fathom that at one time, our hub of fashion and forward thinking was actually a cesspool of racist thought, but it was. Guess who just happens to give that attitude a nod in her book, The House of Mirth? Yup, you guessed it: Edith Wharton. As a rich girl, she had firsthand experience with the lifestyle about which she was writing and observed the not-so-pretty way people treated each other in her own life.

Here's the lowdown: we'll start discussing this issue of race by reading an analysis on anti-Semitism in Mirth from Amanda Renslow. Then, we'll take a peek at Ms. Ida Van Etten's response to all the hate floating about in the late 1800s and consider what she would have to say to Miss Bart and her prejudiced ways. Donning your "Ida Van Etten" caps, you'll finish out this activity by composing a letter from Ida to Lily, giving her the 411 on Jewish men and setting the record straight.

Step 1: Let's get right to it and open by discussing anti-Semitism:

• What is it?
• Who participated in it during the 1800s?
• How might it be important in this Mirth?
• Why would rich people be resentful of Jewish folk?

If you need a bit of help, the New York State Archives is where it's at. This site will give you a quick rundown of this somewhat uncomfortable topic and will touch on what sparked anti-Semitism as well.

Step 2: Once you have some background under your belt, let's bridge on over to our friends at Mirth. Read Amanda Renslow's "Analysis of Anti-Semitism in The House of Mirth" to yourself, taking notes or annotating anything that catches your eye.

Step 3: QuickWrite time: Taking Renslow's analysis into consideration, are Edith Wharton's characters expressing anti-Semitic views, or just a general snobbery toward Rosedale? Write a quick, one-paragraph response, telling us if they think Renslow's right or not—and feel free to get all judgmental. Be sure, though, to use examples from her work as evidence or as examples to refute.

Step 4: What would Ida say? We're going to add one more voice to the conversation by reading Ida Van Etten's letter excerpt about the character of Russian Jewish immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the late 1800s. Together, we'll briefly discuss what she was trying to get across here and how it relates to what we've been talking about today.

Step 5: Now the fun part. Pretend you're Ida Van Etten, and write Lily Bart a letter encouraging her to marry Rosedale. Consider the following questions as you write your letter:

• What would Ida say in Rosedale's defense?
• What would she have to say about the anti-Semitism floating around in Lily's social circle?
• What arguments could she foresee Lily presenting, and how would she answer them?