“The Moving Finger” is an example of Edith Wharton’s many short stories that were written around the turn of the 20th century—most of which could be classified as works of Realism or, in some cases, works of late Romanticism. Within the genre of short stories, Wharton’s writing reflects many key elements of the romantic genre. Romanticism emphasized the subjective, individual experience and a character’s emotions, often employing some supernatural or otherworldly elements.
Specifically, “The Moving Finger” represents the sub-genre of Dark Romanticism, which focuses on tragic themes and could feature ghosts to add to the portrayal of complex human emotions. Primarily, Dark Romanticism was interested in exploring how humans respond to melancholy and tragedy. In addition, examples of the genre often analyzed the psychological effects of guilt and grief, as is evident in “The Moving Finger” as Mr. Grancy grapples with the grief of his wife’s death. While Edgar Allen Poe is the most famous Dark Romantic writer, many of Edith Wharton’s books and short stories arguably fall into this genre. Significantly, Wharton was writing in a society in which women were considered inferior to men and were discouraged from writing. However, likely with the help of her wealthy background, Wharton was able to intellectually flourish and uniquely contribute a feminist angle to the literary movement of Romanticism in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Using a macabre theme such as Mrs. Grancy’s portrait with life-like and changing qualities, Wharton exposes the horrors of how men seek to possess and objectify women in “The Moving Finger.”
