Crucial Instances by Edith Wharton
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"Crucial Instances" by Edith Wharton is a collection of short stories written during the late 19th century. The work delves into themes of love, loss, and existential contemplation, often set against the backdrop of the upper-class society that Wharton was known for critiquing. The opening story, "The Duchess at Prayer," introduces us to the tragic and complex figure of Duchess Violante, exploring the intermingling of art, devotion, and the shadows of personal
anguish in her life. The opening of "Crucial Instances" presents a richly descriptive setting within an old Italian villa, where the narrator encounters an elderly guide. As they explore the faded grandeur of the Duchess's apartment, including a chilling statue of the Duchess in prayer, a sense of mystery unfolds. The old man hints at a dark history involving the statue, which once bore a serene visage but has now twisted into a depiction of horror. Through the old man's fragmented memories, we learn of the Duchess's once-vibrant spirit, her isolation, and how she may have succumbed to despair, leading to the statue's chilling transformation. The tone is laced with a sense of foreboding and intrigue, setting the stage for Wharton's exploration of deeper psychological themes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Wharton, Edith, 1862-1937 |
|---|---|
| Title | Crucial Instances |
| Note | Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucial_Instances |
| Contents | The Duchess at prayer -- The angel at the grave -- The recovery -- "Copy": a dialogue -- The Rembrandt -- The moving finger -- The confessional. |
| Credits |
Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Tiffany Vergon, William Flis, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team HTM version by Chuck Greif |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 79.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Short stories, American |
| Subject | American fiction -- 19th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 7516 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-07516-7 |
| Release Date | Feb 1, 2005 |
| Last Update | Feb 1, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 600 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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