Lost Edith Wharton Short Story Published After 100 Years
A previously unpublished short story by acclaimed author Edith Wharton has made its public debut, more than a century after its creation. Titled “The Men Who Saved the World,” the work was discovered within Wharton’s extensive archives at Yale University and is featured in the latest issue of the Strand magazine. This publication is known for unearthing lost or unknown pieces by literary giants.
The story is believed to have been written around July 1918, making it a significant find for scholars and enthusiasts of Wharton’s oeuvre. It was found across two corrected yet undated typescripts, described as “incomplete and unpublished” in the Edith Wharton Collection at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
A Glimpse into Post-War Society
Set during a dinner party at a French chateau in the waning days of World War I, the narrative explores the efforts of the nation’s affluent residents to move past the conflict’s trauma. This is juxtaposed against the lingering sounds of distant battles and the proximity of ongoing casualties.
A striking detail within the story is the use of the grand dining room table. Months prior, this very table served as an operating table for amputations when the chateau was repurposed as a field hospital. The narrative highlights this stark contrast, mirroring the societal push to return to pre-war normalcy.
The Character of Milly Arden
A central figure is Milly Arden, a young American nurse. She observes the household’s seamless return to its privileged pre-war existence, while she grapples with the profound horrors and injuries she has witnessed and treated. Arden’s character appears to draw from Wharton’s own experiences.
Wharton, who passed away in 1937 at the age of 75, gained considerable experience in field hospitals during the Great War. She actively contributed to establishing medical care and facilities for affected women and children. Many of her observations from this period were later compiled in “Fighting France,” a series of articles now available in Penn State University’s digital archive.
Contemporary Parallels and Literary Significance
Andrew Gulli, editor-in-chief of the Strand, notes the story’s enduring relevance to contemporary global events. “We live in a time where we’re very far away from a lot of horrific events that are happening around the world, and this story sort of encapsulates that mood,” Gulli stated.
He elaborated on Wharton’s masterful use of contrast: “There’s the table where there were amputations going on, and then it’s serving as a dinner table. And also in a generational way, there’s the older lady trying for business as usual, trying to go back to the prewar era, almost in denial about what is really happening.”
Gulli also pointed to the generational divide represented by Milly and a young soldier. “Then you have Milly, the nurse from the younger generation, who has great knowledge of a lot of the suffering, the fear, the horror of the war; and a young soldier, who I wouldn’t say is shell-shocked, but you can feel beneath the surface his great unease, that he’s seen the trauma and the horrors of war as well.”
Scholarly Context and Future Appeal
To the best of Gulli’s knowledge, “The Men Who Saved the World” has never been published. However, it was analyzed by Professor Isabelle Parsons, a Wharton scholar, in a 2023 article for Johns Hopkins University’s Edith Wharton Review.
Parsons observed that recent years have seen exciting archival discoveries related to Wharton. She highlighted the 2017 unearthing of a 1901 play, “The Shadow of Doubt.” According to Parsons, Wharton’s latest short story “casts a satirical eye over the volunteer efforts of privileged women. Perhaps most remarkably The Men Who Saved the World reads like an experimental attempt – ultimately abandoned by Wharton – at confronting the traumatic effects of warfare through its explicit references to amputation as medical care at the front.””
Gulli expressed hope that the story will resonate with a new audience. “It’s always very exciting when something like this turns up,” he said. “Wharton was a very prolific writer. What struck me about this story was there were two corrected manuscripts, and it just felt very timely.” He added, “For people who are interested in Edith Wharton because of The Age of Innocence and some of her short stories and the generation she managed to capture in her works, they’re going to be very excited by this.””
