Washington square chapters 1 and 2 summary and analysis by henry james start your free trial. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on henry jamess washington square. Wikipedia articles without plot summaries from september 2018 engvarb from. Morris townsend best represents temptation in washington square. Washington square takes place in new york city in the 1840s, a city that was. Henry james s washington square wasnt a particular favorite of its author. Washington square by henry james plot summary litcharts. Honored as one of the greatest artists of the novel, he is also regarded as one of americas most influential critics and literary theorists. Note on the various texts of washington square at the library of america web site. Washington square is one of the few works by henry james that focuses on american characters in an american setting. Washington square study guide literature guide litcharts. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of washington square by henry james.
This study guide consists of approximately 23 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character. During the fifty years of his literary career, which spanned the period from the end of the american civil war to the beginning of world war i, james produced a body. The plot of the novel is based upon a true story told to james by his close friend, british actress fanny kemble. James was already living in london when he wrote the work, but he actually wrote washington square in paris. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Henry james has been called the first of the great psychological realists in our time. A teachers guide to the signet classics edition of henry jamess washington square. Published in 1880, it tells the story of catherine sloper, the daughter of wealthy doctor austin sloper.
By that time, james rarely made trips back to the land of his birth. Washington square, published in 1881, is an unusual novel for henry james in that he located its setting in the united states. The primary themes in henry james washington square are family, home, and betrayal. The novella tells the story of the sloper family from the. Originally published in 1880 as a serial in cornhill magazine and harpers new monthly magazine, it is a structurally simple tragicomedy that recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, unemotional father. James called the short novel poorish and, in a letter to his daunting older brother, william, wrote. The plot of washington square has the simplicity of oldfashioned melodrama. Nearly all of the characters are afraid of being betrayed in one way or another. Washington square study guide contains a biography of henry james, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for. Washington square study guide contains a biography of henry james, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Washington square 1880 was originally published in two different magazines as a serial and henry james himself didnt really think much of it as a small novel, and i would partly agree with that. Get all the key plot points of henry jamess washington square on one page.
Washington square public domain audiobook at librivox. Washington square summary supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The novella tells the story of the sloper family from the washington. Henry jamess washington square wasnt a particular favorite of its author. Henry james, whose mastery of the psychological novel markedly influenced twentiethcentury literature, was born in new york city. Washington square chapters 15 summary and analysis.
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