Newland Archer is a fictional character from the novel *The Age of Innocence* by Edith Wharton. He is a young lawyer living in New York City during the 1870s, navigating the complexities of high society. Archer is engaged to May Welland, a woman who embodies the traditional values of their social class. As the story unfolds, Archer becomes increasingly disillusioned with the constraints of his life and the expectations placed upon him. His feelings for Countess Ellen Olenska, a relative who challenges societal norms, lead him to question his own desires and the nature of love and duty.