The Blond Beast by Edith Wharton

The story revolves around a wealthy and influential family's dark secrets and scandals. The protagonist, a young woman, becomes engaged to the family's son, but soon discovers their corrupt and immoral nature. As she delves deeper into their lives, she uncovers a web of deceit, adultery, and murder, forcing her to reevaluate her values and relationships.

By Edith Wharton · First published 1910 · Genre: Fiction, Drama, Romance · 5 chapters · 13,982 words

First lines

IT had been almost too easy -- that was young Millner's first feeling, as he stood again on the Spence door-step, the great moment of his interview behind him, and Fifth Avenue rolling its grimy Pactolus at his feet.

Halting there in the winter light, with the clang of the ponderous vestibule doors in his ears, and his eyes carried down the perspective of the packed interminable thoroughfare, he even dared to remember Rastignac's apostrophe to Paris, and to hazard recklessly under his small fair moustache: "Who knows?"

What this Textopian page supports

The Blond Beast is listed on Textopian as a novella by Edith Wharton, dated 1910 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novella
• Author: Edith Wharton
• Date: 1910 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Fiction, Drama, Romance, Historical Fiction, Social Critique
• Length: 13,982 words
• Structure: 5 chapters, 191 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Blond Beast by Edith Wharton
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering The Blond Beast?
• How does this novella by Edith Wharton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

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• The Pelican by Edith Wharton
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• The Woman And Her Bonds by Edwin Lefevre
• Full Circle by Edith Wharton
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Genres

• Fiction — The narrative is a created story, not based on true events.
• Drama — The narrative contains conflict and emotional tension.
• Romance — The narrative includes elements of love and relationships.
• Historical Fiction — The narrative is set in a historical period.

Tags

Psychological Fiction · Social Commentary · Marriage · Infidelity · Adultery · Upper Class · Society · Gilded Age · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Romance · Tragedy

Contents

• CHAPTER I
• CHAPTER II
• CHAPTER III
• CHAPTER IV
• CHAPTER V

More by Edith Wharton

• Atrophy (1937)
• A Bottle of Perrier (1924)
• Mr. Jones (1924)
• After Holbein (1924)
• Dieu D'Amour (1924)
• The Refugees (1924)
• The Spark (1924)
• The Old Maid (1924)
• All works by Edith Wharton