The Quicksand

by Edith Wharton

""The Quicksand"" is a novella written by Edith Wharton, an American author known for her insightful and realistic portrayals of upper-class society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The story follows the life of a young woman named Heloise, who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a wealthy but cruel man named Arnold. Heloise longs for freedom and escape from her unhappy life, but finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into a metaphorical quicksand of despair and hopelessness. As she struggles to find a way out, she is forced to confront the harsh realities of her situation and the limitations of her own power. With its vivid descriptions of New York City's high society and its exploration of themes such as love, marriage, and personal agency, ""The Quicksand"" is a poignant and thought-provoking work of fiction.On the Fenno threshold a sudden sense of the futility of the attempt had almost driven Mrs. Quentin back to her carriage; but the door was already opening, and a parlor-maid who believed that Miss Fenno was in led the way to the depressing drawing-room. It was the kind of room in which no member of the family is likely to be found except after dinner or after death.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Fiction, Female Authors

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

Edith Wharton emerged as one of America’s most insightful novelists, deftly exposing the tensions between societal expectation and personal desire through her vivid portrayals of upper-class life. Drawing from her deep familiarity with New York’s privileged “aristocracy,” she offered readers a keenly observed and piercingly honest vision of Gilded Age society.

Her work reached a milestone when she became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for The Age of Innocence. This novel highlights the constraining rituals of 1870s New York society and remains a defining portrait of elegance laced with regret.

Wharton’s literary achievements span a wide canvas. The House of Mirth presents a tragic, vividly drawn character study of Lily Bart, navigating social expectations and the perils of genteel poverty in 1890s New York. In Ethan Frome, she explores rural hardship and emotional repression, contrasting sharply with her urban social dramas.

Her novella collection Old New York revisits the moral terrain of upper-class society, spanning decades and combining character studies with social commentary. Through these stories, she inevitably points back to themes and settings familiar from The Age of Innocence. Continuing her exploration of class and desire, The Glimpses of the Moon addresses marriage and social mobility in early 20th-century America. And in Summer, Wharton challenges societal norms with its rural setting and themes of sexual awakening and social inequality.

Beyond fiction, Wharton contributed compelling nonfiction and travel writing. The Decoration of Houses reflects her eye for design and architecture; Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort presents a compelling account of her wartime observations. As editor of The Book of the Homeless, she curated a moving, international collaboration in support of war refugees.

Wharton’s influence extended beyond writing. She designed her own country estate, The Mount, a testament to her architectural sensibility and aesthetic vision. The Mount now stands as an educational museum celebrating her legacy.

Throughout her career, Wharton maintained friendships and artistic exchanges with luminaries such as Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, Jean Cocteau, André Gide, and Theodore Roosevelt—reflecting her status as a respected and connected cultural figure.
Her literary legacy also includes multiple Nobel Prize nominations, underscoring her international recognition. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once.

In sum, Edith Wharton remains celebrated for her unflinching, elegant prose, her psychological acuity, and her capacity to illuminate the unspoken constraints of society—from the glittering ballrooms of New York to quieter, more remote settings. Her wide-ranging work—novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, travel writing, essays—offers cultural insight, enduring emotional depth, and a piercing critique of the customs she both inhabited and dissected.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

She sat gazing rigidly forward, her eyes on the pictures, speaking in the low precipitate tone of one who tries to press the meaning of a lifetime into a few breathless sentences.

In true Wharton fashion, this is a tale of emotional insight laced with humor and pathos. Told impressively in a circular pattern, it demonstrates the circularity that occurs in families and in life. Just beautiful.

[John Hatley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the short but complex story of a mother and member of Manhattan's "high society" a century ago, who goes to great lengths to guarantee a good life for her son, and is now faced with some difficult decisions what to advise the young woman her son wishes to marry -- and in the process to confront her own past.

[Ray LaManna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad tale by Edith Wharton

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

En novell som överraskade!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. Quicksand was an entirely apt name when when one analyses how one step on unsteady, immoral ground can lead to another until you barely recognize the person you’ve become from the choices you’ve made.

[Anetq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wharton is sharp as a knife!

[Night veil · Rating 4 out of 5]

She ignored her own conscience-until she saw it in another.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

As she navigates the constraints of marriage, social expectation, and fleeting passions, Wharton exposes the quiet tragedies that emerge from indecision and longing. 𖣂

⭑.ᐟ The story’s tension lies not in dramatic events, but in the slow, inevitable suffocation of a life unmoored, drawing the reader into a narrative as inescapable as the title itself.

[UselessArt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful short story about the keeping of ideals and ethics and the compromises women have to make along the way and opens up the question whether they should. The Quicksand is truly an apt name to describe it.

[Yinzadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Included in The Wharton Gothics: Stories of the Unnatural and the Supernatural

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

En stark 3:a till den här berättelsen, som i dialogen har lite klumpigt språk (på svenska), men en intressant twist mot slutet.

[Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adding zombies to this one would be redundant.

[Sylve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fly free, little one.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Ella]

Rip Edith du hade älskat barbiefilmen

[Emma Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming, emotive, astute and thought provoking.
Loved it. Will definitely be seeking out her other works ☺️

[Solveig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story about a mother and her love for her son.

[James Biser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story gives insightful ideas about what a relationship and life of a committed couple means particularly to a woman, as well as to a man, as seen by a woman. These views are shared in the conver-sations of a mother and the hopeful partner of her son. This story gives necessary lessons that should be read. To men it opens a new world of meaning to what the woman sees, hopes for, expects, and believes. Women can more clearly see and analyze their own feelings and motives.
It is fascinating to shed light on that elaborate fantasy we call love.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free download available at Gutenberg Project.