The Age of Innocence Characters Analysis
Newland Archer - The protagonist of the novel is the young heir of a wealthy New York family. Newland is tired of cavorting through Europe and sordid love affairs. The novel depicts Newland’s journey as he decides to set off on a settled course of life with the reputable May Welland. His plans are thrown asunder by the arrival of Count Olsenka, and he almost throws away his whole life to be with her.
May Welland - The young and beautiful May Welland is the ideal of womanhood for Old New York Society. Newland often wonders if the studied innocence that May espouse so well is a consequence of her true nature or rather the result of a training cultivated over several generations. By the end of the novel, it is evident that May Welland is by no means truly innocent as she expertly maneuvers Newland and Ellen to keep them apart despite their ardent emotions for one another.
Ellen Olsenka - Countess Ellen Olsenka is May’s cousin, but unlike May, Ellen has spent most of her life in Europe rather than New York. She marries a Polish count and becomes a countess, but she leaves him to return to New York after his adultery becomes evident to her. Upon her return to New York, Ellen is awarded the title of a social pariah due to her unhappy marriage. She receives support from her family as well as Newland, who is just about to marry. Over the course of her time in New York, both Ellen and Newland fall deeply in love with one another. However, Ellen never allows their affair to go further than an expression of her love because she does not wish to bring any more dishonor upon her family.
Catherine Mingot -The powerful matriarch of the Mingot family is severely old but her power over New York comes from her vast fortune. Catherine supports her granddaughter, Ellen, through all the troubles in her life and finally supplies her with the requisite income for a settled life in Paris. Catherine also displays a fondness for Newland, and she often remarks that she would have wished for Newland and Ellen to be married to one another.
