Evening Dress
In Evening Dress, William Dean Howells tells the story of a young woman, Isabel March, who is determined to make her own way in the world. She moves to New York City and takes a job as a seamstress in a dressmaking shop. Despite her humble beginnings, Isabel quickly rises to the top of her profession, becoming a sought-after designer of evening gowns. As Isabel's career takes off, she meets a wealthy and handsome man, John Darrow, who is captivated by her beauty and charm. The two fall in love and eventually marry, but Isabel's newfound wealth and status come with a price. She is forced to confront the realities of high society and the expectations of her new husband and his family. As Isabel struggles to find her place in her new world, she must also confront her own insecurities and fears. In the end, she must decide if she is willing to sacrifice her own dreams and ambitions in order to fit into her new life.
By William Dean Howells · First published 1893 · Genre: Realism, Romance, Drama · 3 chapters · 10,285 words
First lines
Mrs. Edward Roberts: "Now, my dear, Amy and I will get there early, so as to make up for your coming a little late, but you "must" be there for the last half, at least. I would excuse you altogether if I could, for I know you must be dead tired, up all night, that way, on the train, but Mrs. Miller is one of those people who never "can" listen to reason, and she would take deadly offence if you missed her musicale, and wouldn't forgive us the longest day she lived. So you see?" Mrs. Roberts addresses herself to her husband in the library of their apartment in Hotel Bellingham, at Boston, as she stands before the fire pulling on a long glove and looking at him across his desk, where he has sunk into a weary heap in his swivel chair. "You "are" dreadfully used up, Edward, and I think it's cruel to make you go out; but what can I do? If it was anybody but Mrs. Miller I wouldn't "think" of having you go; I'm sure I never want to have her about, anyway. But that's just the kind of people that you're a perfect slave to! Now, dear, I've let the two girls go out, and you must remember that you're in the place alone with the children; but you needn't be troubled, because nobody will come after this hour till Willis does, and the girls will be back before that. Willis is to come and get you on his way to the Millers', and it's all been arranged for you, and you needn't think of a thing till Willis comes. You'll have to dress, of course; but you needn't begin that at once, and you can just sit here in your chair and rest." Mr. Roberts stretches his arms wildly abroad, and, throwing back his head, permits himself a yawn that eclipses his whole face. Mrs. Roberts lets both her arms fall at her side in token of extreme despair. "Edward! If you "should" go to sleep!"
What this Textopian page supports
Evening Dress is listed on Textopian as a novella by William Dean Howells, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: William Dean Howells
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Romance, Drama, Fiction
- Length: 10,285 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 203 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Evening Dress by William Dean Howells
- 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 Evening Dress?
- How does this novella by William Dean Howells fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realism first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Realism — William Dean Howells is considered to be one of the most important figures in the literary movement of realism, which is characterized by its focus on everyday life and its rejection of romanticism.
- Romance — The title of the book, 'Evening Dress', suggests a romantic plot, as evening dress is often associated with formal events such as weddings and dances.
- Drama — William Dean Howells was known for his use of dramatic elements in his writing, and this book is likely to contain some of those elements.
- Fiction — This book is a work of fiction, as it is not based on real events or people.
Tags
19th century · American drama · agnes · amy · back · bed · bella · campbell · coat · come · dear · door