Edith Wharton writes a short tale called “Souls Belated”, where a Lydia gives up her husband in order to marry Gannett. This leaves Lydia with no respectability or social standing within upper class society. Lydia finds out that her needs and happiness are different from the norms of society. This short story reveals many things about marriages. What society thinks it needs and what couples do to uphold that idea. Wharton presents a lot in “Souls Belated,” a short story that reveals societal expectations and what people do to maintain them.
It is apparent very quickly in “Souls Belated”, that Lydia has left Tillotson to work for Gannett. The story may seem to begin with a woman coping with divorce, but it gradually reveals itself as the conflict between social expectations and personal dreams. Lydia is a character who rejects upper-class lifestyles and lives. This leads her to leave her husband. In her desire to be free of the monotonous lifestyle that she had been living in her marriage, Lydia found in Gannett the realization that the things she was forced to do by her community were not her own. Many people would say that this realization would lead Lydia to finally find happiness by leaving her husband and marrying Gannett. Lydia’s happiness is not what it seems. Gannett finally gets them to talk after they were uncomfortable with the silence. Lydia asks, “Why don’t we live wherever, like we do?” after discussing briefly the house they should live in. The fact that Lydia is so free-spirited shows just how independent she really is. She would rather travel the world than be held down by anything for even a moment. This is scandalous in society. Wharton includes this to show that Lydia is not going to allow anything to hold her down, even the society. Her desire for travel goes directly against the expectations of married couples.
Lydia’s refusal to marry Gannett immediately causes more conflict as the story continues. Wharton revealed her views on marriage when Lydia said, “We are both aware that there is no need for a ceremony to confirm our love. What purpose could we possibly serve by marrying if not to fear the other’s escape? Or to strive to earn back the respect of people whose traditional morality we have vilified and despised?”
Wharton’s text portrays a very negative view of marriage. She suggests that society views marriage as a means to gain a false feeling of security. It is also a way for people to show their love by blindly accepting what they believe is right. Wharton introduces Lydia and Gannett into a situation that is similar to the society Lydia and Gannett left behind for their own desires and needs.
