54 pages • 1 hour read
Edith WhartonThe Custom of the Country
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1913A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton follows Undine Spragg, a Midwestern girl who moves to New York City with her family in pursuit of wealth and high society connections. Her engagement and marriage to Ralph Marvell initially grants her access to elite circles, but financial and personal challenges arise, leading Undine to manipulate and pursue multiple marriages to secure her desired lifestyle. The novel includes themes of tragicomedy, greed, ambition, societal progress, and gendered expectations. This novel depicts death by suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Edith Wharton's The Custom of the Country is praised for its incisive social commentary and compelling protagonist, Undine Spragg, whose ambition and moral ambiguity captivate readers. Critics commend Wharton's sharp prose and vivid portrayal of early 20th-century high society. However, some find the characters unsympathetic and the pacing uneven.
Who Should Read The Custom of the Country?
Readers who enjoy social commentary and character-driven narratives, akin to those in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence or F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, will appreciate The Custom of the Country. Fans of literary explorations of American class and relationships will find this novel compelling.