Female Art and Artisans in Edith Wharton’s

Running Head: ROMAN FEVER BY EDITH WHARTON
ROMAN FEVER BY EDITH WHARTON
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

ROMAN FEVER BY EDITH WHARTON1
Introduction:
This study will be a brief analysis regarding the text “Roman Fever” by
Edith Wharton. The analysis will be followed by a thesis statement which can
make sophisticated, original and arguable claims to form and in order to
support the development of the thesis. The short story is built upon two
wealthy American widows which depicts the time period by those two
characters in order to reveal the aspects of their life and by the incidents
related to them the society and the culture of that time period in American
literature.
Discussion:
The short story, “Roman Fever” is built upon two wealthy American
widows and their perspective of life related to the visit to Rome. The critical
point of view of the ladies’ based on the ruining condition of the ancient city
of Rome critically depicts the point of view of life related to them. The two
women are not alone in the world, both of them had have daughters and the
through them they seek out pleasures and happiness all around the world.
The talks happening in between them is finely crafted in a scene where both
the ladies are sitting casually on the top of a restaurant of Rome having the
pleasure of seeing the afternoon of the city. The chatting has a deep end point
where the story reveals the bitter truth about their relationship being with the

ROMAN FEVER BY EDITH WHARTON2
same man of their choice. One of them is way much luckier to be with the
man of her life and married him, Mrs. Slade thinks in her mind at some point
of time “Would She never cure herself of envying her?”, as she knows the
bitter truth in between them is related to the man of her life and she is well
informed about the envy of Mrs. Ansley holding in heart against her (Ware
and Michele). Thus, in between the conversation she holds her breath and say
“But I oughtn't to begrudge it to you, I suppose. At the end of all these years.
After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty−five years. And you had
nothing but that one letter that he didn't write.” in order to prove that she is
the one who deserves the man between the two of them (Welch and Julia B).
The moment of the conversation took a turn when Mrs. Ansley made a
statement, “I had Barbara”, that depicts a point of time when Mrs. Ansley
and Delphin Slade were in deep loving relationship that made them fall in a
physical love that took place in a night at the Colosseum. By this statement,
Mrs. Ansley made a scandalous information regarding her married life and
relating to the life of Mrs. Slade as well. After all these incidents happening
around Mrs. Ansley, the plot created by Wharton makes clear statement
about the failing love in the relationships in between the woman. At that
point of time when both of them are incapable of having their men back, but
just to ruin their own lives with great sorrow and expectations to make the
other know how lucky she was. It always will be, to me,” assented her friend