Edith Wharton was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862, into a wealthy New York family. She was a prolific writer, known for her insightful and critical portrayal of the American upper class. Her most famous works include "The Age of Innocence," "Ethan Frome," and "The House of Mirth." Wharton was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921. She was also a keen designer, a traveller, and a dedicated supporter of French efforts during World War I, for which she was awarded the French Legion of Honour.

The Story and Its Context: "The House of the Dead Hand" was published in 1904, at a time when Wharton was beginning to establish herself as a serious writer. This was a period of significant personal and social change for Wharton. She was beginning to question the constraints of her privileged New York society, and these themes of societal constraints and personal freedom are evident in the story. The story also reflects Wharton's love for Italy and her deep knowledge of art and culture.

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