From the time of America's inception as a country until the Gilded Age, much of the most memorable literature that survives bear the name of male authors -- many of whom have rightfully earned their place in those annals of memory and history. However, during this time period, women with literary aspirations were largely discouraged from writing, with the science of the time arguing that publishing, let alone reading literature, would drove the feminine psyche insane. As patriarchal as this era was, especially in the upper echelons of New York Society, the presence of strict social norms that denied those of the female gender any legitimate avenue of an agency, let alone the right to vote, failed to the deter the aspirations of Edith Wharton.

Publishing her first novel "The Valley of Decision" in 1902, Wharton broke into the highest circles of the literary scene three years with her critically acclaimed "The House of Mirth".

Going on to lead an illustrious career that spanned almost four decades, her renowned works including "Ethan Frome" and "The Custom of the Country" served as an inspiration for many younger writers at the time whose legacy continues to leave as deep an impact in the canon of American Literature as Wharton left herself. Writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Sinclair Lewis (a friend of Wharton's). However, in 1921, in the midst of alcohol-induced hysteria of The Jazz Age, Wharton not only surmounted the height of her literary tenure, but ascended into the halls of the timeless in history, becoming the first women to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for a work that has become synonymous with her name -- "The Age of Innocence". A lasting role model for writers even today, especially for those of the feminine mold, here are five of the most memorable quotes from Edith Wharton:

Edith Wharton may be gone, but her example lives on. Through her words. Her books. Her voice. The first to echo for many that were silenced. And into the silence, were emptied many echoes. Voices. Filling books of their own with words unspoken until now. And now heard, as of today.