Washington Square
by Henry James
'Washington Square' Summary
The novel is told in the first person omniscient point of view, and the narrator often offers comments directly to the reader ("though it is an awkward confession to make about one's heroine, I must add she was something of a glutton", Chapter II).
The novel begins at a distance from the characters, describing the background of the Sloper family. It then recounts in detail the story of Catherine's romance with Morris Townsend. When Morris jilts her, the focus shifts back to a long view. As the narrator puts it: "Our story has hitherto moved with very short steps, but as it approaches its termination it must take a long stride." The final few chapters are taken once more in short steps, ending with the striking vignette of Catherine's rejection of Morris.
The bitterest irony in the story is that Dr. Sloper, a brilliant and successful doctor, is exactly right about Morris Townsend, and yet he is cruel to his defenseless and loving daughter. If the doctor had been incorrect in his appraisal of the worthless Townsend, he would be only a stock villain. As it is, the doctor's head functions perfectly but his heart has grown cold after the death of his beautiful and gifted wife.
Catherine gradually grows throughout the story, ultimately gaining the ability to judge her situation accurately. As James puts it: "From her point of view the great facts of her career were that Morris Townsend had trifled with her affection, and that her father had broken its spring. Nothing could ever alter these facts; they were always there, like her name, her age, her plain face. Nothing could ever undo the wrong or cure the pain that Morris had inflicted on her, and nothing could ever make her feel towards her father as she felt in her younger years." Catherine will never be brilliant, but she learns to be clear-sighted.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1880Author
Henry James
America, Britain
Henry James was born in New York City on April 15, 1843, into a wealthy and intellectually stimulating family. His father, Henry James Sr., was a Swedenborgian philosopher and his mother, Mary Roberts...
More on Henry JamesDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Old Mortality by Sir Walter Scott
It is a conflict between the Covenanters, a group of Presbyterians who opposed the rule of Charles II, and the Royalists, who supported the monarchy....
The Duchess of Langeais by Honoré de Balzac
It is a captivating novel that takes readers into the intricate world of 19th-century French society. This book explores themes of love, desire, and t...
A Romance of the Moors by Mona Caird
It is a powerful portrayal of love, passion, and societal constraints in Victorian England. The story revolves around a young woman named Amory Dunsta...
The Outdoor Girls on Pine Island by Laura Lee Hope
It follows the story of a group of friends - Betty, Mollie, Amy, and Grace - as they embark on a journey to Pine Island, a secluded and mysterious isl...
The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy
The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters is a novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1876. It was written, in serial form, for the Cornhill Magazine,...
Villette by Charlotte Brontë
Villette is an 1853 novel written by English author Charlotte Brontë. After an unspecified family disaster, the protagonist Lucy Snowe travels from he...
The Blue Behemoth by Leigh Brackett
The novel is set in a distant future, in which humanity has colonized the stars and formed a vast interstellar empire. The story follows the adventure...
Jennie Gerhardt by Theodore Dreiser
Jennie Gerhardt is a 1911 novel by Theodore Dreiser.
Summer by Edith Wharton
Summer is a novel by Edith Wharton, which was published in 1917 by Charles Scribner's Sons. While most novels by Edith Wharton dealt with New York's u...
Silver Pitchers: and Independence, A Centennial Love Story by Louisa May Alcott
The picturesque landscape of Harmony, where the year is 1876, and the nation is celebrating its centennial anniversary. Louisa May Alcott weaves a mes...
Reviews for Washington Square
No reviews posted or approved, yet...