When Does "The Age of Innocence" (1920) Take Place?

"The Age of Innocence" is a historical fiction romance novel written by Edith Wharton that released October 25th, 1920. So when is "The Age of Innocence" set? 

It takes place in the years: 

187? AD - 1881? AD 

We know this because the real-world opera singer Christina Nilsson (1843-1921) appears in the very first scene singing in the opera "Faust" (1859). Since "Faust" was first performed on March 19th, 1859 AD, it must be after March of 1859 AD. 

The opening line of the book is: "On a January evening of the early seventies, Christine Nilsson was singing in Faust at the Academy of Music in New York." So it is almost certainly January of whichever calendar year it takes place in. 

[HOWEVER, early on we're told Newland Archer "quickly bent over his book (Swinburne's "Chastelard"—just out) as if he had not seen her." The script of the play "Chastelard" (1865) was first published in the United States of America in 1866 AD. So it would have to be 1866 AD at the beginning. Presumably, this is a production mistake.] 

Later, about halfway through the story the omniscient narrator tells us the a piece of jewelry has been "engraved inside: Newland to May, April —-, 187-" in advance of Newland and May Welland's planned wedding date being set and says, "They were planning to lay out a lawn tennis court on the sands; but no one but Kate and May had racquets, and most of the people had not even heard of the game." The game of tennis was introduced to the US in 1874 AD. It must be during or after 1874 AD at this point. 

More specifically, almost halfway through the tale, the characters attend a performance of "The Shaughraun" (1874), a stageplay first performed on November 14th, 1874 AD. So it must be after November of 1874 AD at this middle point. 

Even further along, the narrator tells us Newland "drew out a note-case and one of the new stylographic pens." The first stylographic pen was patented in the US in 1876 AD confirming it must be just past that point during this part of the narrative. And we know this occurs sometime during the summer because it is later referred to as "the midsummer day". So it is summer of 1876 AD. 

More specifically, at about three-quarters through the book we read the narration, "Four months had passed since the midsummer day that he and Madame Olenska had spent together"..., referring to the episode with "one of the new stylographic pens" so it must be sometime in autumn. This makes it autumn of 1876 AD. 

Then, there is a 1907? AD epilogue in which Newland perceives an event from the very end of the main action as "nearly twenty-six years ago" according to the narrator. That makes it 1881? AD at the end. 

1907? - 26 = 1881?. 

Additionally, during the epilogue Dallas Archer says, "how do you feel about sailing on Wednesday? Mauretania: Yes, next Wednesday". The real-world ocean liner RMS Mauretania first sailed on November 16th, 1907 AD and was decommissioned in September of 1934 AD. So it must be after November of 1907 AD but before September of 1934 AD during the epilogue. 

Also, at this time, Dallas says, he has to get "the score of the last Debussy songs". The real-world musician Claude Debussy died in 1918 AD and his last music was produced in 1917 AD. He might just mean the most recent music but this seems an unusual choice of words verses the simpler choice: newest. The lack of mentions of World War I while the characters are in Europe where the worst of the fighting happened, makes it most likely to be 1919 AD or soon after. 

More specifically, the narrator also states "the spring sunshine held Archer in his open window" so it is the spring of whatever calendar year the epilogue takes place in. 

It was adapted to film in 1924, as a stageplay in 1928, another film in 1934, an audio-drama in 1947, yet another film in 1993, another stageplay in 2018, and finally yet another stageplay in 2024.