The House of Mirth Summary

Lily Bart, an unmarried woman of 29 with significant social and familial connections, resides with her aunt, Mrs. Peniston, following the demise of her mother. Frequently, she finds herself at the Bellomont, a lavish estate owned by the affluent Gus and Judy Trenor, where grand soirees dominate the social calendar of the New York elite. These events often involve high-stakes card games, a setting that exacerbates Lily's debilitating gambling problem, sending her spiraling into financial ruin.

Lily's chief ambitions are marriage and affluence, hoping to wed a wealthy man to cement her societal status. Despite numerous opportunities, she consistently holds out, convinced she can attain more. Lawrence Selden, her one true love, is economically inadequate for her marital aspirations. Lily develops an interest in the stock market during her time at the Bellomont. Gus Trenor, who harbors a secret fondness for Lily, agrees to invest on her behalf. As the investments succeed, Lily begins to live a life of opulence. However, she soon discovers a shocking truth: Trenor has been using his own funds, expecting her companionship as repayment. Mortified, Lily vows to settle her debts, though she is uncertain of how she will accomplish it.

Lily embarks on an unplanned Mediterranean trip with George and Bertha Dorset, along with young Ned Silverton, only to discover she is merely a diversion for George while Bertha carries on an affair with Ned. As Lily mingles with European elites, a jealous Bertha ousts her, starting a scandalous rumor about Lily and George, leading to Lily's social ostracization. On her return to America, Lily learns of her aunt's death and a meager inheritance of $10,000, enough to clear her debts to Trenor, but inaccessible for a year. Lily struggles to restore her tarnished reputation and takes up humble jobs to survive. She moves into a boarding house and starts using sleeping pills to escape her desolation. Once her inheritance arrives, she settles all her debts, and later, she overdoses on her sleeping pills, possibly deliberately. Lawrence Selden visits her apartment intending to propose, only to find her lifeless, her debts cleared.