These stories are the perfect examples of why James is known as the master of the short story. Touching on art, innocence, and creativity, they work well as a collection! You get a lot of quintessential James here: US vs Europe, societal norms, female innocence, art and the artist…
Daisy Miller (1878)
Vivacious New York girl, Daisy Miller, travels to Europe and defies social norms by being independent and friendly, particularly with men. The narrator, another American, is fascinated by her, but also very quickly becomes concerned. The gossipy circles in Rome are not impressed with how friendly she is to some local men, and cautionary words just egg Daisy on. A tale of cruel, polite society and its double standards.
The Last of the Valerii (1874)
This story follows an American woman married to an Italian count who lives in an ancient family pile. In a fit of amateur archaeology, a Roman statue of a goddess is unearthed in the garden. The Count becomes strangely obsessed with the statue, neglecting his wife.
The Real Thing (1892)
Impoverished aristos are poor subjects for a painter – their “background“ means they are inflexible models. The artist muses on what makes people good models and subjects. A curio tale of artistic inspiration.
The Lesson of the Master (1888)
A young, successful writer idolises an older master, Henry St. George. They meet at a country house party outside London, and St George is in the company of a young, beautiful woman, despite being married himself. The woman fascinates our young writer, but St George convinces him that love and art don’t mix. A twisty tale.
One word: artistic.
Leave a Comment