Edith Wharton, born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862, in New York City, was a prominent American novelist, short story writer, and designer. She hailed from a wealthy and socially prominent family, which greatly influenced her literary career. Wharton passed away on August 11, 1937, in France, leaving behind an indelible mark on American literature.

Wharton's early life was marked by privilege and education, as she was exposed to the upper echelons of New York society. She was educated by private tutors and traveled extensively throughout Europe, experiences that enriched her worldview and later informed her writing. The complexities of social class and the intricacies of human relationships became central themes in her work, reflecting the society in which she was raised.

Her literary career began in earnest in the 1900s, with her first major novel, "The Valley of Decision," published in 1902. Wharton achieved significant acclaim with subsequent works, including "The House of Mirth" (1905), "Ethan Frome" (1911), and "The Age of Innocence" (1920), which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making her the first woman to receive this honor. Wharton's writing is characterized by her keen social observation, psychological depth, and exploration of moral dilemmas.

In her personal life, Wharton experienced both privilege and struggle. She married Edward Wharton in 1885, but the marriage was tumultuous, leading to their divorce in 1913. Following her divorce, she lived primarily in France, where she continued to write and became involved in humanitarian efforts during World War I. Wharton's contributions to literature and society remain influential, as she deftly captured the complexities of human experience and the constraints of societal norms.