Henry James Research Paper

A. Biography

Henry James, one of the most well-known and influential American writers of the 19th century, was born on April 15, 1843, in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr., was an extremely eccentric philosopher, lecturer, and social theorist who became highly influenced and interested in the ideologies of Swedenborg, a Swedish scientist and philosopher. James Sr. believed that "the curse of mankind, that which keeps our manhood so little and so depraved, is its sense of selfhood, and the absurd abominable opinionativeness it engenders.” Bringing these ideas home with him, his lectures were constantly engraved into the adolescent mind of Henry James. James’ mother, Mary Walsh, came from a wealthy family background. Her sister, Katherine, lived with the family for some time. Similar to his prominent father, James was the younger brother of William James, a pragmatist

philosopher. Behind his socially active older brother, James spent his childhood being a “bookworm”, engulfed in the world of literature.

As a boy, James constantly congregated from the United States to Europe, and vice versa.

Living in places like London, Paris, Geneva, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Rhode Island, James’ childhood education was very chaotic and unconventional; studying under different tutors and shortly went to several schools whenever his family dwelled in Europe.

In 1864, his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts to be closer to his brother, William, who was attending Harvard at the time. James attended Harvard Law School shortly after, but left after realizing that law was not his passion. Instead, he pursued literature at Boston and Cambridge, becoming acquainted with other public figures who would become his lifelong friends.

Over the course of several years, James’ work became published, including a review of a stage performance “Miss Maggie Mitchell in Fanchon the Cricket” in 1863, his first short story A Tragedy of Error a year later, and his first novel, Watch and Ward. In between these successes, James wrote for several papers including the North American View, The Nation, and Atlantic

Monthly.

In the middle years of his life, James moved all about Europe, creating several works inspired by his surroundings and experiences of interacting with both European and American citizens.
In 1905, he came back to America, publishing The American Scene in 1906-1910 and editing the “New York Edition” simultaneously. The “New York Edition” was a twenty-four volume collection of all of his works. William James, his brother, died in 1910. By 1913, he began to write his autobiographies entitled Notes of a Son and Brother, and A Small Boy and Others. In 1916, he was awarded the Order of Merit, passing away later that February in Chelsea, London.

B. Influences

Growing up in a highly unconventional household, James attributes many of his works to the knowledge and experience he gained from his early childhood. Not only was James the son of an eccentric social theorist who whole-heartedly followed the philosophy of a Swedish scientist, he was the younger brother of a pragmatist philosopher. Absorbing the opinions and philosophies lectured by those closest to him, James developed an early sense of the world around him.

Not only this, James’ family was constantly commuting from the United States to Europe (and vice versa). Due to the constant change in residency, James was under the educational supervision of several tutors and attended multiple schools. His tutors constantly provided him with new books and experiences, which enhanced his love for literature and dubbed him as a “bookworm” in his early adolescence.

In 1855, the James family took a three year-long trip to London, Paris, and Geneva. During this time, James fell in love with the world he had visited. This trip provided young James with an experience that heavily influenced his adult decision of wanting to write his works in Europe rather than in his native home in America. Many of his works include the style of “literary realism”, a genre that regards James as being a highly influential founder of in the 19th century.

C. Themes

Due to James’ background of constantly dwelling in both the United States and Europe, it is no surprise that the themes of his works highly reflect his experiences. A clash or encounter between the New World (United States) and the Old World (Europe) is constantly portrayed in his works. His works constantly juxtapose characters that belong in the Old World, with alluring, yet often crooked, settings that clearly exemplify the New World (United States). These characters of the Old World come across characters that are often open and assertive as they embody the ideals of the new American society. These characters will usually possess a brash personality and act as a manifestation of freedom and moral character.

For some time, his characters were often young, American women who were facing abuse or possibly oppression. His stories constantly refer to the excellent, or sometimes poor, balance of power between clashing characters who come from different backgrounds. Once again, the theme of old versus new world is distinguished.

However, in his later works, James heavily focuses on the consciousness of his major characters, often foreshadowing the development of fiction in the 20th century fiction. This stylistic theme has been said to have influenced several highly lauded fictional writers in later years. Not only this, James heavily relied on allowing himself to utilize the “outsider” or third person perspective. The settings of his works range from working class characters to rich aristocrats, allowing at least one of his works to apply to all of his readers.

D. Famous Works

Throughout his lifetime, Henry James wrote a multitude of works that were very popular in the nineteenth century and continue to carry value today. His works vary from novels, short stories, reviews, and articles.

• Washington Square (1880), a short novel about a young girl whose life is being restricted by her very authoritative, yet witty, father.
• The Aspern Papers (1888), a psychological drama about a man’s struggle to receive a correspondence from a great writer.
• The Spoils of Poynton (1896), a short story about a feud over the inheritance of the contents within a small country home.
• Daisy Miller (1879), a story of an American woman who travels to Europe with her wealthy mother. This story is highly important in understanding James’ overall style.
• The Bostonians (1886), a novel regarding the earliest feminist movement.
• What Maise Knew (1897), the story of a young girl who is in the midst of her parents’ argumentative marriage as they struggle for a divorce.
• The Ambassadors (1903)
• The Golden Bowl (1904)