Edith Wharton’s The Touchstone follows Glennard, a man torn between past guilt and present desire. The narrative centers on his moral conflict over publishing the private letters of Margaret Aubyn, a celebrated writer who once loved him deeply. Glennard, unable to love her in return, now yearns for Alexa Trent, yet feels unworthy due to his past. The novel opens with his quiet reflections at a social club, revealing both his emotional burden and the performative world he inhabits. It delicately explores themes of regret, ethical compromise, and the fragile nature of love and ambition.
