Henry James' Background
Henry James: A Man of Many Regrets
Henry James, born in 1843, alternated between Europe and America for most of his life (The American Novel). During this time, James observed how Europeans and Americans related to and viewed one another. These experiences prompted him to write several novels and short stories. Daisy Miller, one of his more popular books, could possibly be a rendition of his own life experiences growing up and what he observed.
In these stories, James uses a main character, in this case, Winterbourne, to explore the issues related to consciousness and perception. However, I do believe James used Winterbourne to possibly play the role of himself. Winterbourne is described as a man, “Who seems at first to be merely an observer, an objective viewpoint, who reveals himself in thecourse of the tale as a fully realized character of a definite type. Though he is a creature of great sensitivity and a man with many friends, his life feels empty” (Grischy). Once I found this information, I definitely decided Winterbourne is a mini James. James and Winterbourne both grew up in Europe and America, and they both know how each resident is viewed in the other country. “Henry is never said to have a significant other, or been married, however, his words to his aunt near the conclusion seem to indicate, indirectly, that he has missed out on love, and hence on real life” (Grischy). I believe James created Winterbourne from his own personality, but in the end, that is not what he wanted his life to be like; he missed out on something in his life, somewhere, sometime.
Through this novella, even though it is primarily about the man he is and maybe the man he wanted to be, James still addresses the idea of prejudice from one nation to another. He was said to write in the modernist time period. What his writings accomplished is amazing, “To look at the very considerable work of Henry James, one can explore his influence upon the shaping of the modern novel as an instrument of consciousness" (Thompson). The Modernist period was very influential to readers, because “In broad terms, the period was marked by sudden and unexpected breaks with traditional ways of viewing and interacting with the world” (Modernism). This quote sums up Daisy Miller. James used this viewpoint to compose something that was familiar to him, yet raised controversy, displaying that what is custom in one country, is not in another.
Contributing to James’ writing in the modernist period, “Henry James heard a piece of gossip from a friend in Rome about a young American girl traveling with her wealthy but unsophisticated mother in Europe. The girl had met a handsome Italian of “vague identity” and no particular social standing and attempted to introduce him into the exclusive society of expatriate Americans in Rome. The incident had ended in a snub of some sort, a “small social check . . . of no great gravity,” the exact nature of which James promptly forgot. Nevertheless, in the margin of the notebook where he recorded the anecdote, he wrote “Dramatise, dramatise!” (Daisy Miller) What exactly does James mean by “dramatise, dramatise? Well, he realized he could write a rendition of this story that would contemplate what his own imagination could show of ignorance of one people to another. James knew he could dramatize it in a way that was true, having his own life experiences, yet, out there, because he wanted to make a statement like all modernists did.
One important theme I took note of in Daisy Miller that corresponds to James’ own life is the phenomenon of the life unlived. After Daisy has flitzed about all of Europe, she dies of Malaria. She was merely a young girl, who knew nothing yet of what it meant to embrace life. There could only be one reason James included this and that is that he did not live a full life himself. Just like Winterbourne, James was a by stander. Winterbourne longingly watched Daisy day after day, never approached, and fell in love with her. Causing him to live a life of regrets. He wanted people to know that it is important to make the most of each and every moment you are living, in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, the main character Emily says, “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute” (Lombardi, Wilder’s Quote). James regretted this himself and he included information he wanted other people to know, a common trait among many modernist writers.
Daisy Miller, a tale of love and international relationships resembles James’ life in many, complex, yet sometimes invisible ways. In the time period he wrote, James used his background knowledge of assumptions of other countries made by one another to publish a piece that showed contradictory sides. Winterbourne is a mirror image of James, a man wanting more out of life, but never being able to obtain it-Daisy. James, himself, never married and in theory, maybe he had his own “Daisy” in his life. Once again, proving he is Winterbourne. And lastly, by incorporating the theme of living life to the fullest and making himself Winterbourne, James expresses a very important theme that ties to the regrets of his own life.
Henry James, born in 1843, alternated between Europe and America for most of his life (The American Novel). During this time, James observed how Europeans and Americans related to and viewed one another. These experiences prompted him to write several novels and short stories. Daisy Miller, one of his more popular books, could possibly be a rendition of his own life experiences growing up and what he observed.
In these stories, James uses a main character, in this case, Winterbourne, to explore the issues related to consciousness and perception. However, I do believe James used Winterbourne to possibly play the role of himself. Winterbourne is described as a man, “Who seems at first to be merely an observer, an objective viewpoint, who reveals himself in thecourse of the tale as a fully realized character of a definite type. Though he is a creature of great sensitivity and a man with many friends, his life feels empty” (Grischy). Once I found this information, I definitely decided Winterbourne is a mini James. James and Winterbourne both grew up in Europe and America, and they both know how each resident is viewed in the other country. “Henry is never said to have a significant other, or been married, however, his words to his aunt near the conclusion seem to indicate, indirectly, that he has missed out on love, and hence on real life” (Grischy). I believe James created Winterbourne from his own personality, but in the end, that is not what he wanted his life to be like; he missed out on something in his life, somewhere, sometime.
Through this novella, even though it is primarily about the man he is and maybe the man he wanted to be, James still addresses the idea of prejudice from one nation to another. He was said to write in the modernist time period. What his writings accomplished is amazing, “To look at the very considerable work of Henry James, one can explore his influence upon the shaping of the modern novel as an instrument of consciousness" (Thompson). The Modernist period was very influential to readers, because “In broad terms, the period was marked by sudden and unexpected breaks with traditional ways of viewing and interacting with the world” (Modernism). This quote sums up Daisy Miller. James used this viewpoint to compose something that was familiar to him, yet raised controversy, displaying that what is custom in one country, is not in another.
Contributing to James’ writing in the modernist period, “Henry James heard a piece of gossip from a friend in Rome about a young American girl traveling with her wealthy but unsophisticated mother in Europe. The girl had met a handsome Italian of “vague identity” and no particular social standing and attempted to introduce him into the exclusive society of expatriate Americans in Rome. The incident had ended in a snub of some sort, a “small social check . . . of no great gravity,” the exact nature of which James promptly forgot. Nevertheless, in the margin of the notebook where he recorded the anecdote, he wrote “Dramatise, dramatise!” (Daisy Miller) What exactly does James mean by “dramatise, dramatise? Well, he realized he could write a rendition of this story that would contemplate what his own imagination could show of ignorance of one people to another. James knew he could dramatize it in a way that was true, having his own life experiences, yet, out there, because he wanted to make a statement like all modernists did.
One important theme I took note of in Daisy Miller that corresponds to James’ own life is the phenomenon of the life unlived. After Daisy has flitzed about all of Europe, she dies of Malaria. She was merely a young girl, who knew nothing yet of what it meant to embrace life. There could only be one reason James included this and that is that he did not live a full life himself. Just like Winterbourne, James was a by stander. Winterbourne longingly watched Daisy day after day, never approached, and fell in love with her. Causing him to live a life of regrets. He wanted people to know that it is important to make the most of each and every moment you are living, in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, the main character Emily says, “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute” (Lombardi, Wilder’s Quote). James regretted this himself and he included information he wanted other people to know, a common trait among many modernist writers.
Daisy Miller, a tale of love and international relationships resembles James’ life in many, complex, yet sometimes invisible ways. In the time period he wrote, James used his background knowledge of assumptions of other countries made by one another to publish a piece that showed contradictory sides. Winterbourne is a mirror image of James, a man wanting more out of life, but never being able to obtain it-Daisy. James, himself, never married and in theory, maybe he had his own “Daisy” in his life. Once again, proving he is Winterbourne. And lastly, by incorporating the theme of living life to the fullest and making himself Winterbourne, James expresses a very important theme that ties to the regrets of his own life.