The Complete Essays of Charles Dudley Warner

"The Complete Essays of Charles Dudley Warner" by Charles Dudley Warner is a compilation of late 1800s essays that investigate society, culture, fashion, and how people act, all viewed through Warner’s funny and thoughtful way of writing. These writings cover subjects from how customs affect personal identity, to complicated modern life, and the position of women. The first essay, "Rose and Chrysanthemum," presents Warner's reflective and often mocking look at life during his time, comparing the traditional symbolism of the rose to the modern love for the showy chrysanthemum, which suggests that society now favors outward flashiness rather than simple beauty. Through this comparison, Warner questions the trivial nature of trends and what real beauty and individualism truly mean, while showing how appearances can shape who people are and the rules of society, hinting at the bigger critiques and thoughts that will come later in the collection.