Daisy Miller

The book came in the estimated delivery date. The book was in excellent condition. I really enjoy the story. This edition of the story is just that, there are no footnotes or really any extra details to help the reader. I have seen an edition that had footnotes, and I wished this one did. Either way, it is a great short story and well worth the read.

Isabel Archer, the heroine of Henry James’s “The Portrait of a Lady” (1881), is firmly at the centre of that novel and her character develops in its complexity to the edge of tragedy. In contrast, his other well-known young American woman, Daisy Miller, from a novella published three years earlier, is kept at a distance. Her innocence – much like that of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby – remains enigmatic and yet simple. James’s more subtle coupled alternatives punctuate descriptions of Daisy, and this technique and his treatment of her fate when she, her mother and little brother, continue their European tour to Rome, suggest that his main concern is less Daisy than the young American man who is attracted to and, occasionally, put off by, Daisy. Frederick Winterbourne has, in his own admission “lived too long at Geneva”, historically the source of the Calvinism that so influenced aspects of American character at least to the first decades of the twentieth-century. To Winterbourne’s conservatism is added a degree of Victorian hypocrisy that seeks, at once, to have Daisy and be morally separate from her; though his failings are nothing compared with that of the American expatriates who judge Miss Miller and her Italian companion, Mr Giovanelli, with whom there is, almost certainly, none of the sexual intimacy imaged by the onlookers.

(ALL THE BELOW IS A SPOILER)
In 'Daisy Miller' Henry James contrasts Rousseau's Emile and the idea of Noble savage against the chains of
civilisation. He sets this conflict up but then the main figure representing the Noble Savage dies of malaria? Seems like James didn't know how to finish this, or treats the Noble Savage idea as a fancy that just leads to an early death. James cheated the reader in the end, he did not finish it. Or maybe he did...

If the story is about WInterbourne then I guess it can be said that his hesitation and being a "stiff" led to the downfall. Giovanelli confirms that Daisy is not interested in him (Giovanelli). Winterbourne's wavering to the will of civilisation did him in as far as getting his prize - Daisy. So Winterbourne and civilisation killed her because Winterbourne lost Daisy's confidence because HE was concerned about social conventions too much and if Daisy hadn't distanced herself from him because of this HE may have reasoned with Daisy to not go out late at night and avoid getting malaria... pretty far fetched but I am trying to help the book make sense - Winterbourne himself is the vehicle of civilisation that undoes Daisy - after all he moves to Geneva (the Mecca of "Stiffs") and after all names are important to Henry James and Winterbourne did bear winter - as in the season most closely associated with death.

Giovanelli, at the end, confirms that he was never a serious candidate for Daisy's affections. He also is never rude to Winterbourne, in fact Winterbourne finds him entertaining as well - despite all his prejudical thoughts towards Giovanelli. Giovanelli is just hanging out with her - Que Sera Sera - he does nothing by subterfuge to do anything to Winterbourne or to thwart his efforts for Daisy other than just exist. Winterbourne is a "Stiff" to the freedom loving world of Daisy. Winterbourne is the undoing "civilising" force.

Was the malaria a cheat as far as providing a proper ending? Okay, maybe not. The dialog, however, especially at the start, was not believable nor entertaining or interesting. James seems to have found some footing with making the dialog interesting just before he provided his what to many might be a disappointing ending. Okay, maybe the ending does make sense - but I am still going to give it four stars for the cheesy dialog at the beginning. Okay, what of the chessy dialog. In it we find a calculating heart and mind, a conniver. Contrast that to how Werther operates at the start of "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Maybe WE, today, have so much trouble relating to this book because WE are a bunch of "stiffs" who can't even see what is wrong with Winterbourne. Okay - I changed it to 5 stars.

Is James contrasting/juxtaposing "Daisy Miller" to Goethe's "The Sorrows of Young Werther"?
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." Rousseau.

Rousseau in a nutshell and in his own words:
https://www.the store.com/Creed-Priest-Savoy-Second-Enlarged/dp/B004V72TLG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509809336&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=The+confession+of+a+priest+from+savoy

*Spoilers ahead*

This novella was okay. It's all about the upper middle class and social expectations. The main character, Winterbourne, is smitten with this young american girl named Daisy Miller. Daisy is a bit of a flirt, though, and with her flirty, carefree behavior comes a lot of gossip. She spends a lot of time with this handsome Italian man, which is the talk of the social circle. Winterbourne ignores the gossip but then finally gets frustrated and tells her that he doesn't really care what she does anymore. Being the over-dramatic girl she is, she's like fine, whatever, I'll just go die of fever. And so she does. Winterbourne is then all like "oh no I was too harsh she really was an innocent girl" and he moves on with life. Not the worst thing I've ever read but too loaded with description for my taste.

The plot is simply told: while touring Europe, an eligible young bachelor, Winterbourne, an American who has spent almost his whole life in Geneva, finds himself attracted to the beautiful, nouveau riche American tourist Daisy Miller. Within a few sentences, the conflict emerges: while he is guarded and conservative, she is brash and even coarse. Does she flout social convention because she’s too innocent to recognize it, or simply because she refuses to be bound by it?

James depicts Daisy as a sort of adult child: beautiful, possessing a sophisticated eye for style, but also impetuous, naïve and plain-spoken in the way children are before they are taught by their elders to dissemble. While modern readers may be put off by her coarseness (treating servants as equals, making plans to travel with gentleman sans chaperone, etc.), I believe James means us to admire her self-confidence and courage. Many of his novels pit “brash” Americans against “conventional” European characters in a way that clearly indicates his preference for the former. Daisy’s fatal flaw isn’t that she scorns the rules of society, he seems to say, but that she isn’t aware of them; and that when she is made aware of them, she refuses to acknowledge the validity of being judged by them. As Daisy herself says in one pivotal scene: “If [I] am all improper, [then] you must give me up.”

This being James, you know not to expect a happy ending, nor does James give us one. Winterbourne, bowing to the prejudices of his snobbish aunt (plus a measure of jealousy, James implies), overmasters his affection and convinces himself to give Daisy up as unworthy of his regard. Whereupon Daisy catches “Roman fever,” sickens, and dies. Significantly, her final words are an avowal of her innocence, an avowal which her "scandalous" male companion Giovanni, endearingly resigned to having been “friend-zoned” by the lovely American girl, confirms when he assures Winterbourne, “She was the most innocent.” James at his most manipulative, offering us a final chance to contrast Daisy’s strength – her determination to remain herself to the end - against Winterbourne’s weakness – his decision to shun her. Ultimately, the lesson seems to be that while Daisy is destroyed by her own innocence, Winterbourne’s chance of happiness is destroyed too, by his inability to accept her on her own terms. As Winterbourne sums up in the final pages: “I was booked to make a mistake. I have lived too long in foreign parts.”

If you’ve been hesitant to take on Henry James, this isn’t a bad place to start. Daisy Miller is short (~100 pages, depending on edition), introduces many of the themes that appear in James’ subsequent works, and – perhaps most importantly, provides the new reader a chance to acclimate themselves to what one might call the “classic Jamesian denoument,” in which no one lives happily ever after and the reader resigns themselves to living with ambiguity.

I really don't understand the Establishment's fascination with this author. True, the quality of his writing is extremely high. I don't think anyone ever matched him until maybe John Updike. But, by contrast, James' characters seem terribly thin to me. And the storylines are just so weak. Washington Square, The Bostonians are the same... who cares? I'll give him credit for The American; a pretty good story with a bang-up ending. But Daisy Miller... what's the point? She's such a wisp of a woman. Totally uninteresting. Makes Hester Prynne look like Seka. But we're expected to think of her as this doomed wild-woman because she talks to several men and goes out at night without a sweater. Consider, by contrast Emile Zola's Nana... now THAT is a wild woman!

Young Winterbourne, supposedly a student, is a dude through whose eyes people become familiar with the clash between two cultures: American and European. In the foreground, you get the story of his extraordinarily ambiguous romance with Daisy, a young American girl he meets in Geneva. Winterbourne is both confused and fascinated by her youthful and nonchalant flirtatiousness which ignores all social conventions. We are supposed to try to discover Daisy’s real character beyond the young American’s puzzlement when faced with her easy-going, but also suave nature. This is supposed to be fun.

Winterbourne is initially a bit thrown-off by Daisy’s "shameless" ways and her openness, falling prey to the suspicion of other Americans concerning her behavior. They meet several times, some of them by chance, and, while the man is quite drawn to Daisy, he cannot easily comprehend her personality and her intentions and this prevents their romance from setting off in a concrete and satisfactory form.

Their encounter in Italy is accompanied by rumors of an affair Daisy may have been having with another man, Giovanelli. Winterbourne sees them together at the Colosseum and acts out in a fit of outrage at the danger the two were exposing themselves to (which of course doesn't hide his jealousy and his bewilderment at Daisy’s ways). His worry was well-founded, since that was the place where people most risked catching “the Roman fever”. Daisy defies this danger in her well-known manner, just as she defies social convention: she tell him she doesn’t care. However Daisy falls ill shortly later, leaving Winterbourne more confused than ever regarding her feelings for him as well as the nature of her relationship with the Italian man.

Before dying Daisy sends someone to transmit a message to him: she has never been engaged to Giovanelli. The novella revels in a very intense sense of mystery. However, the ending urges us to suspect that Daisy’s character was far more innocent than she let on and her feelings for Winterbourne a bit stronger.

Behind this short, simple, and ironic romantic story lie far more serious issues: the tension between two cultures that Henry James explores in numerous aspects, from banal stereotypes or differences in social conventions to more complex issues related to imagology (aka the study of a culture’s image of another). This cultural tension is intensified by the conflict between traditional values and unconcerned independence&individualism – of course, the former still rule American society, while the latter are embodied by Daisy’s free-spirited personality.

Definitely one of my favorite books!

"Daisy Miller" is Henry James 1883 best-seller, a short but well-written novelette about the adventures of a young American woman in Europe. Miss Daisy Miller is a free spirit in an age thoroughly bound up in strict manners, at least for the upper class. She comes and goes more or less as she pleases, with whom she pleases. The story is told by a Mr. Winterbourne, a young American ex-patriate who takes an interest in Daisy but finds her behavior confusing and challenging. They meet in a small resort town in Switzerland; Winterbourne will follow her to Rome in hopes of becoming better acquainted. Daisy will on going her own way, a way on which tragedy lies, along with unfulfilled hopes. Recommended to fans of Henry James as a short but fascinating read.

This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon.com. Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

Daisy Miller is a text for my *final* Bachelor of Arts unit, American Literature. As such, I wasn't too excited to read it, but it was necessary. It was a very short read, around an hour (possibly less), so it's an easy investment if you like the Classics.

Henry James is a well-known American writer that all classics readers should know of. He reminds me a bit of Irish literature actually - simply due to the writing style and his name. Oh yes, that would be my brain telling me James Joyce is similar, but of course, the two styles are not identical and they have different focuses.

The characterisation and narration of this novel are what add interest. The whole point of the novel is that the main character, Winterbourne, filters the reader's perception of Daisy Miller. Daisy is an enigma - is she a simple flirt, or is she something else?

Above all, this novel is a tragedy, although the reader does not necessarily feel that way about Daisy entirely. It's whether you feel that she had the end coming to her or not. References to going to and coming from are rife throughout the text.

In the preface/introduction to my version, the editor complains about the changes between the two editions, one which James revised and one which was the original. Interestingly enough, this novel was also adapted as a play, although that was apparently very unsuccessful.

As with any Arts text, it wasn't enthralling. At least this one wasn't too painful though. Let me get back to you on that once I've written the essay...

"Daisy Miller" is Henry James' 1883 best-seller, a short but well-written novelette about the adventures of a young American woman in Europe. Miss Daisy Miller is a free spirit in an age thoroughly bound up in strict manners, at least for upper class females. She comes and goes more or less as she pleases, with whom she pleases. The story is told by a Mr. Winterbourne, a young American ex-patriate who takes an interest in Daisy but finds her behavior confusing and challenging. They meet in a small resort town in Switzerland; Winterbourne will follow her to Rome in hopes of becoming better acquainted. Daisy will insist on going her own way, a way on which tragedy lies, along with unfulfilled hopes. Recommended to fans of Henry James as a short but fascinating read.

"They're very ignorant -- very innocent only, and utterly uncivilized. Depend on it they're not 'bad.'"
"They're hopelessly vulgar," said Mrs. Costello. "Whether being hopelessly vulgar is being 'bad' is a questions for the metaphysicians. They're bad enough to blush for, at any rate; and for this short life that's quite enough."

Winterbourne, the first speaker above, is an American of twenty-seven who has lived most of his life in Europe, specifically in Geneva, where he is either a career student or simply an ornamental male presence, depending on the reporter. If 'earning a living' is of any concern to him, it plays no part in his demeanor in this narrative. Mrs. Costello is his wealthy aunt (a dowager?), who 'commands' his proper familial attentions at various resorts and in Rome several weeks a year. She is the very voice of propriety and discretion -- a snooty old biddy, if you will -- while he is a dilettante, a poseur, a prig, a veritable Henry James in short. "They" are the Millers - mother, daughter, and son - sent to inspect Europe and report back on its cultural progress by their filthy rich pater familias Cyrus Miller, of Schenectady, New York. Winterbourne first meets Daisy Miller while visiting his Aunt at Vevey, in Switzerland. He is entranced both by her beauty and by her bizarre insouciance and ignorance or indifference to the social codes of the Old World. Winterbourne and his Aunt are ludicrous; it's important to grasp that they are objects of satire as thoroughly as the Millers, the prototypical "ugly Americans" of touristic prominence all over Europe then and now. In fact, everyone in this novella, Henry James's first significant success as a writer, comes in for a share of deliciously condescending satire, most perceptively James himself in the guise of Winterbourne. That's one of the redeeming qualities of Henry James, his ability to perceive and portray his own futile uselessness as a mere onlooker at life.

Henry James would possibly be more widely beloved as a writer if all readers were first exposed to him in his shorter works, his novellas and stories. "Daisy Miller" is a gem, an 80-page masterpiece of snarky ambivalence. When I read it first, decades ago, I suspect I was too 'green' myself to recognize just how deeply James's satire bit. I probably took Winterbourne seriously; after all, the tale is told over his shoulder, from his point of view. Taking himself or his fictional avatars seriously was a fault Henry James never committed. A longer exposure to James's self-observation, such as is required in his later novels especially, can challenge a reader's patience; there's only so much and no more in most of us for such meticulous ambiguity. But "Daisy Miller", along with other short works such as "The Turn of the Screw" and "The Spoils of Poynton" are eminently enjoyable.

For a man and writer whose sexuality was so peculiarly repressed, James has made his irrepressible American girl Daisy quite a luscious minx. Poor Winterbourne, stiff and epicene, can't keep his eyes off her. In the end, however, his fascination amounts merely to a kind of emotional voyeurism, and that's the core of the story, a voyeurism which in essence underlies Henry James's literary genius and personal futility. Meanwhile, nevertheless, Daisy is a brilliant 'study' of the American personality that Europeans have, then and now, found utterly appalling and naive ... and insidiously alluring.

Henry James haters, get over it! This is a snappy little story, as funny as Mark Twain, and a subtle social critique of the 'gap' of manners between Europeans and Americans that still bedevils us today.

Written in the same year as An International Episode, in 1878 James was clearly very interested in the interaction of young American girls with the deeply assumed social forms of Europe. Interesting that apparently this story was the one that established his success - so clearly a lot of other people were interested in this too.

Part of his popularity may have been that he leaves room for readers to draw their own moral - a nice selling point in approaching such a divisive issue. I read it as a challenge to tradition (perhaps partly because I saw the unconventional Bessie Alden as the heroine of the recently read `International Episode), but although I'd contest it, I can see why the preface to the edition I read saw `Daisy Miller' as a cautionary tale endorsing conservatism.

Daisy is an interesting study. She constantly breaks all sorts of social rules, particularly in seeing no need for a chaperone - but much as she's a flirt, she's hardly a floosy (indeed, the conclusion of the story carefully stresses her innocence). She blithely ignores earnest remonstration to behave more appropriately, yet can be surprised and hurt by a consequent snub. It's not that she doesn't value friendship, but sees no place for worrying about appearances. I was interested that James didn't paint her as a particularly intelligent girl (unlike Bessie), yet she had the same self-possession, and the same indifference to rules she saw no value in.

The ending took me quite by surprise (spoiler), but, as I said, it lets the readers interpret it to their own preference. In his introduction to my edition Perry Meisel puts a fairy tale simplicity to the plot: "Daisy's flouting of the customs of Rome results in her dying from maleria": ignore the social rules and you'll die! While surprised by the sudden demise of both Daisy and the story, I was more aware of the deliberate irony of how the death highlighted her popularity: for a girl who by rights should have been shunned and disliked because she had no idea how to treat people, at her funeral, "Winterbourne stood there beside [her grave] with a number of other mourners: a number larger than the scandal excited by the young lady's career would have led you to expect."

I see this story as suggesting that in its concern for appearance the European gentry is missing out on the substance of a girl like Daisy Miller. And the very fact that she doesn't care about appearances is what makes her morally superior - more innocent than those who are careful to appear so. As an American Daisy hasn't absorbed all the assumptions of European society - one of which is that this lack of education and breeding is a huge disadvantage. James loves the idea of dropping someone with totally different assumptions into this world, and playing with what this reveals.

It's also interesting that events are largely seen from the view of a young European society man infatuated with Daisy (much as `International Episode' starts from a similar perspective). James is perhaps deliberately making it easier for readers who share his old world assumptions about form to be similarly infatuated, and to journey with him to doubt the validity of old world values which require Daisy Miller's blithe dismissal.

Written in 1878, the attitudes on display in Daisy Miller may now appear to be rather dated in relation to modern social behaviour, but at the same time, Henry James's delightful little novella departs from his earlier conventional depictions of European and American female protagonists, marking a significant change not only in the changing social attitudes, but also in the acuteness of observation that James would innovate particularly in regard to the female psychology.

That wouldn't appear to be the case from the early observations that Frederick Winterbourne, an American travelling in Europe makes about a "completely uncultivated ...but wonderfully pretty" fellow American young lady, the daughter of a rich businessman, that he encounters in Vevey in Switzerland. This hopelessly forward and vulgar young lady, who scandalously admits that she enjoys the society of gentlemen, not only allows Winterbourne, whom she scarcely knows, to take her to see a famous Chateau, but she goes with him alone, unaccompanied and without a chaperone. Despite the warnings of his aunt and other influential members of society, Winterbourne pursues his interest of the fascinating Daisy Miller in Rome, without being quite prepared for what he is letting himself in for, finding her behaviour "an inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence".

It's all doomed to end in tragedy, but despite having all the appearances of a cautionary tale, Henry James makes some fine observations on a new breed of woman and the declining influence that society holds over their thoughts, actions and behaviour that would be expanded through Catherine Sloper in Washington Square (1880) through to some of his most celebrated work in The Portrait of a Lady (1881) and The Bostonians (1886).

Daisy Miller is a free-spirited American girl from a wealthy family who is enjoying her sojourn in Europe, flirting with men (including foreigners!) and attending society functions. She captivates Winterbourne, another expatriate American about whom we learn little but are led to believe that he is a bit of a kept man. With generally sympathetic eyes, he observes how Daisy is ostracized from the "better" social circles due to her fraternization with the Italian Giovanelli.

The greatest achievement of Henry James's novella is the character of Daisy herself, a bright, quick-witted young woman who shows either great foolhardiness or commendable courage (depends on the observer's perspective) in remaining loyal to her foreign friend despite widespread condemnation. James's dialogue sparkles and Daisy is given many delightful lines. The problem comes at the end. Winterbourne's disillusionment is perfectly understandable if unfortunate due to his conformity to the popular mores of his social class, but Daisy's fate puzzles me. James had seemed sympathetic toward her, but the end suggests that she was required to "pay" for her "sins." Nevertheless, this is well worth reading and provides food for thought afterward.

One of Henry James's earliest novellas, Daisy Miller (1878) follows the activities of a wealthy, and brashly confident, young American woman as she audaciously challenges European society in Vevey, Switzerland, and in Rome, having fun, doing what pleases her, leaving staid European society gasping in her wake. Daisy Miller, whose father is in the US and whose mother is her ineffectual "chaperone," is a free spirit in a society bound by unstated but rigid "rules," determined to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants, with whomever she chooses.

Frederick Winterbourne, an expatriate who has spent most of his life in Geneva, is attracted to Daisy, but his bonds with his stuffy aunt, Mrs. Cosgrove, and her friend, Mrs. Walker, both of whom govern expatriate society in Europe, leave him ill-equipped to deal with Daisy's flouting of society's conventions. When she is obviously attracted to Mr. Giovanelli, a singer/musician of no social standing, and when she is seen with him publicly in places that a "nice" girl would not grace at night, her reputation is threatened, and anyone associated with her is tainted. Winterbourne is uncertain how to protect her, while, not incidentally, protecting his own reputation.

Developing his most famous theme, James considers the conflicts between American and European values and the naivete of the Americans and their spontaneity as it contrasts with the old world formality of the Europeans. Daisy, who is often foolishly naïve, is also seen as brash and ego-centric, a young woman whose destiny cannot be avoided (or even predicted) because of the strength of her own, often wrong, willfulness.

James focuses on two characters here--both Daisy and Winterbourne--and though the story is told from Winterbourne's point of view, Daisy is often the more vibrant of the two characters. Though she is shallow and assertive, he is hidebound by convention, leaving both characters with limits in terms of reader identification. When a night-time dalliance leads to serious consequences for Daisy, the reader is neither surprised nor shocked.

Filled with trenchant observations about Americans and their differences from Europeans, the novel incorporates significant symbols--the Coliseum (associated with innocent Christian martyrs), malaria (to which Americans are particularly susceptible), Randolph (Daisy's rude and undisciplined 10-year-old brother, the ugliest of Americans), and Mrs. Cosgrove and Mrs. Walker (converts to the European way of life). Carefully observed and critical of American naivete, Daisy Miller is the "preface" to Portrait of a Lady and many of James's more fully developed novels. Mary Whipple

The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics)
The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Fiction (Bantam Classics)
The Golden Bowl (Oxford World's Classics)
The Wings of the Dove (Penguin Classics)The Ambassadors

One of Henry James's earliest novellas, Daisy Miller (1878) follows the activities of a wealthy, and brashly confident, young American woman as she audaciously challenges European society in Vevey, Switzerland, and in Rome, having fun, doing what pleases her, leaving staid European society gasping in her wake. Daisy Miller, whose father is in the US and whose mother is her ineffectual "chaperone," is a free spirit in a society bound by unstated but rigid "rules," determined to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants, with whomever she chooses.

Frederick Winterbourne, an expatriate who has spent most of his life in Geneva, is attracted to Daisy, but his bonds with his stuffy aunt, Mrs. Cosgrove, and her friend, Mrs. Walker, both of whom govern expatriate society in Europe, leave him ill-equipped to deal with Daisy's flouting of society's conventions. When she is obviously attracted to Mr. Giovanelli, a singer/musician of no social standing, and when she is seen with him publicly in places that a "nice" girl would not grace at night, her reputation is threatened, and anyone associated with her is tainted. Winterbourne is uncertain how to protect her, while, not incidentally, protecting his own reputation.

Developing his most famous theme, James considers the conflicts between American and European values and the naivete of the Americans and their spontaneity as it contrasts with the old world formality of the Europeans. Daisy, who is often foolishly naïve, is also seen as brash and ego-centric, a young woman whose destiny cannot be avoided (or even predicted) because of the strength of her own, often wrong, willfulness.

James focuses on two characters here--both Daisy and Winterbourne--and though the story is told from Winterbourne's point of view, Daisy is often the more vibrant of the two characters. Though she is shallow and assertive, he is hidebound by convention, leaving both characters with limits in terms of reader identification. When a night-time dalliance leads to serious consequences for Daisy, the reader is neither surprised nor shocked.

Filled with trenchant observations about Americans and their differences from Europeans, the novel incorporates significant symbols--the Coliseum (associated with innocent Christian martyrs), malaria (to which Americans are particularly susceptible), Randolph (Daisy's rude and undisciplined 10-year-old brother, the ugliest of Americans), and Mrs. Cosgrove and Mrs. Walker (converts to the European way of life). Carefully observed and critical of American naivete, Daisy Miller is the "preface" to Portrait of a Lady and many of James's more fully developed novels. Mary Whipple

The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics)
The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Fiction (Bantam Classics)
The Golden Bowl (Oxford World's Classics)
The Wings of the Dove (Penguin Classics)The Ambassadors

When Henry James published his novella "Daisy Miler" back in 1878, his story won immediate and popular success despite some criticism that the story was "an outrage on American girlhood." But neither the critics nor Henry James himself could imagine the new life his book and his characters would acquire at the pen of Gabrielle Vigot. And the new kind of outrage it would create, in an exciting way.

In Vigot's version, Daisy Miller is no longer just flirtatious, she is a wild and wanton young woman who is defying the set morals of the late 1800's, the limitations of time and society, and expectations of women. This novella is hot, steamy, and sexy, but what appeals to me the most is the rebellious and feisty nature of Daisy Miller.

An engaging read. You won't be disappointed.

I recently read the Henry James novel, Daisy Miller, as an assigned reading for my high school English class. Although, I tend not to like the classics that much, I would recommend this book, especially to high school students. This book appears to build on the author's interest with psychology. While the theme is pretty obvious, the clash between reality and appearance, it holds the readers attention. In fact, this could be compared to many movie plots or the Real World TV show on MTV. The "ugly" American that travels to Europe. In the process, offending many because of their lack of knowledge of the culture. The Europeans never look beyond the surface. The theme seems like an everyday occurrence.
The story is the difference between appearance and reality. The Europeans, represented by his aunt, only see the superficial and are overly judgmental. They do not see the innocence in Daisy. They regard her as vulgar. Frederick is torn between his friends and relatives who are critical of the apparent loose morals of Daisy. She socializes with men unescorted and stays out very late. She disregards the social mores of the time and the culture she is visiting. Daisy doesn't care about appearances while Frederick cares a great deal about the matter. He has to leave for his home in Geneva, and promises to see Daisy in Rome that winter. In late January, Frederick arrives in Rome to be told by his aunt that Daisy has not changed and is associating with Italian men! Her comments are unflattering towards Daisy. The tone is one of disapproval and suggests immoral behavior.
Isn't this one our main faults of judging people on the appearance? An online reviewer of Daisy Miller commented "...The unreliable narrator is here in his full glory. I say "his" because in Daisy Miller, the masculinist bias of the narrator is the only reason for the story to exist. There is no plot. The standard critical drivel about "American" vs "European" girls is absurd...." Isn't it obvious that this was written in the late 1800's? That was the way of life of that time. However, it still is a tendency of this era only more understated.

American society in the mid 19th century operated under a strict set of moral values which were also scrupulously observed while traveling abroad. Responsible women were cosntantly on the alert to protect young ladies from predatory European males, for it
was a recognized social scam to marry American money. Society dowagers and conscientious mothers artfully contrived to both exhibit their elegible daughters and yet protect them--their reputations being as precious as their persons.
This novella in two parts is narrated by a pleasant and decent American youth who has been living/studying in Switzerland for some years. Instantly charmed by a very pretty American flirt, whose precocious little brother he's just met, the naive progtagonist seeks every legitmate means to make her
acquaintance and enjoy her company, before his schedule removes him from her delightful presence. Miss Daisy Miller certainly turns heads abroad, but she is playful and coy--happily aware of the game of having beaus. The plot progresses as the unnamed hero gradually realizes that his divine Daisy's behavior does not promote a positive reputation. Hostesses both in Switzerland and in Rome begin to shun her--and to warn him. How can he compete with a handsome and indolent Latin lover? Alas, Daisy ignores all well-meaning attempts to moderate the terrible talk behind her back. How can her sincere admirer prevent her from rushing headlong into social ruin? Which leaves readers wondering how naive or stupid or shallow the lady really is. As in James' TURN OF THE SCREW, this heroine projects a conflicting personality, producing two contrasting viewpoints about her attitude. What terrible price will Daisy pay for toying with men's hearts and rejecting her national code of morality?

Daisy Miller by Henry James(complete and unabridged version)

Daisy Miller is meant to be read outside in the summertime amongst the buzzing of bees, twittering of birds, and distant laughter of people enjoying the day. If you happen to be living in Minnesota or any nearby states, I suggest waiting until August when the temperatures have risen to the 90 degree mark and wander out to Lake Calhoun or the Como Conservatory by the lily pad gardens.

American flirts, European monuments, scoundrels, and high society infiltrate the pages of this short book (the copy I have is 83 pages long), but the language is thick with description like a Jane Austin novel. Henry James definitely writes a novel to be lingered over.

"She paused again for an instant; she was looking at Winterbourne with all her prettiness in her lively eyes and in her light, slightly monotonous smile. "I have always had," she said, "a great deal of gentlemen's society." Poor Winterbourne was amused, perplexed, and decidedly charmed.
-page 13

The novel features a well-off young man called Winterbourne and a flirtatious girl called Daisy Miller. Winterbourne is definitely a flirt himself, since he seems to vie for Miss Miller's affection and he wants to rescue her from a life she seems to like just fine. He also is hinted to be having an affair with an older lady.

"He was some seven-and-twenty years of age; when his friends spoke of him, they usually said that he was at Geneva, "studying."... What I should say is, simply, that when certain persons spoke of him they affirmed that the reason of his spending so much time at Geneva was that he was extremely devoted to a lady who lived there - a foreign lady - a person older than himself."
-pages 2-3

In fact, Winterbourne and Miss Miller are both Americans living abroad, but Winterbourne has kept with the rules of society and Miss Miller has not. She is written to be brash, loud, and scandalously American, but she is also accepting of everyone and hurt and confused at high societies harsh judgments of her.

" "You are old enough to be more reasonable. You are old enough, dear Miss Miller, to be talked about." Daisy looked at Mrs. Walker, smiling intensely. "Talked about? What do you mean!" "Come into my carriage and I will tell you." Daisy turned her quickened glance again from one of the gentlemen beside her to the other. ... "I don't think I want to know what you mean," said Daisy presently. "I don't think I should like it." "
-page 55

Daisy Miller is definitely a book to get lost in on a lazy summer day. The end may seem abrupt, and it is, but life is full of the unplanned and unexpected. Daisy Miller makes us long to live our lives just as full; listening to beautiful music, meeting interesting people, strolling the streets of Europe, and even visiting the Colosseum by moonlight.

Reading Daisy Miller, I was struck by two things. First of all, that this was undoubtedly the work of Henry James--one can feel his presence in every line, the same as if one was reading Portrait or the later works. And yes, his characters still prefer conversation to dancing. On the other hand, the style in Daisy Miller was much less demanding of the reader, a trait which has its particular merits. Daisy Miller is a quick, highly-enjoyable and yet still substantial read. James referred to the book as "pure poetry," and while this comment was intended as a dismissal, I can only see it as a compliment. In many ways, it makes me think of Goethe's Werther--a book of "pure poetry" that, despite the lack of support from its own author, ends up enduring the test of time. Easily four stars, and perhaps higher with a second read.

Read heading a collection of James short stories, 'Daisy' is a delight, with a classically clear narrative, beautifully direct prose (especially if you've come from the late novels!), a charming heroine, and a sublime balancing act between unexpected comedy (the great Randolph C. Miller!) and the most horrifying tragedy.
Puffed up as a 'novella', however, with an introduction (Geoffrey Moore) almost as long, and copious notes (Patricia Crick), and the poor girl is left a little exposed. Maybe my feeling of relative disappointment, having fallen in love over ten years ago, was due to this infuriating critical apparatus, the introduction patronising James, the notes condescending to the reader.
What strikes me now as the work's brilliance is not the concise treatment of the America/Europe, man/woman, appearance/reality, Geneva/Rome dialectic that so obsessed James; or even the astonishing achievement of the narration, somehow distancing and conflating the narrator and his silly hero. What is especially striking is the visual quality, the minutely composed tableaux - now Gothic, now impressionistic, now sharply lucid - as an abortive love affair is played out on the placid shores of Lake Geneva, the rondelay of the Pincio Gardens, or the ruins of ancient Rome, malaria poisoning the air on its way to Venice and Thomas Mann.

A few thoughts and considerations on Daisy Miller: A Study.

Though called 'Daisy', her given name is Annie P. Miller in this short novel from 1878.

A fact seldom mentioned is that Daisy Miller was also written as a play, but due to producers in both New York and London rejecting it, it never made it to the stage. Some of Henry James's other writings, however, did get produced as stage plays.

Daisy Miller sold better than Henry James's "previous books". Was fairly well accepted in America but did stir some controversy.

Though Daisy Miller is a novel, the book has its basis in fact: while in Rome in 1877, Henry James heard a story through gossip of an American girl who had "provoked the general disapproval of Anglo-American society in Rome." From this he developed the short novel, Daisy Miller.

Henry James and his brother, William, had visited the Colosseum one night a few years prior to writing Daisy Miller, and Henry. especially struck by the ruins and "sad beauty" of both the Colosseum and Forum, decided to place Daisy in danger within its location.

The fever spoken of in Daisy Miller was "a rather frequent affliction of that time". Years later Henry James's fellow writer and friend, Edith Wharton, wrote a story entitled "Roman Fever". The malaria or 'fever' did actually exist and Americans were very susceptible to its affects.

Much mention of the words "a study" has been written about here. Henry James chose these words to symbolize as in a pencil drawing, or work of art, attempting to offer a portrait of sorts within the written work. Later between 1907 and 1909, when issuing the 24 volume 'New York Edition' revision of The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Henry James removed "A Study" from the reissued Daisy Miller. He felt it no longer held any significant purpose, yet to this date the words "A Study" is to found as part of the title. Rather strange since "the Master" had requested the words "A Study" be removed in 1909!

In a letter, Henry James called Daisy Miller "the little tragedy of light, thin, natural, unsuspecting, creature being sacrificed as it were to a social rumpus that went quite over her head and to which she stood in no measurable relation". In short, she really never got any of it.

As Leon Edel writes of Daisy: "is she a flirt or is she virtuous. Is she innocent or is she hard and cynical?". As Henry James wrote in a later tale concerning another character, "You admire her-you adore her, and secretly you mistrust her."

Finally, William James, Henry's older brother, objected to the ending of Daisy Miller "which seemed to him frivolous." As Henry James had to do with at least one other tale reaching the stage as a play, the ending had to be rewritten as a happy, rather than a sad one. Should Daisy Miller ever reached the stage as James intended, he might have had to rewrite a much different, happier ending to Daisy Miller.

Daisy Miller is not only the shortest of Henry James's works but it probably is the most frequently read and possibly the most popular. It represents a subject close to Henry James's heart as the flood of millions of Americans poured into Europe got on his nerves to such degree that he eventually refused to revisit Italy, and was caused to move from London due noise, crowds, etc., to reside at Lamb House in Rye. So, in Daisy Miller you not only have a tale of moral expression, you also have James's pet peeve dealing with too many people, too much noise, in one place, too close to him.

But the novel has the kaleoscope ability to be many things to many readers and remains very contemporary in its style of writing down to this day. No small accomplishment after passage of approximately 130 years!

Semper Fi.

This was James's first success and it caused quite a bit of controversy in its day as the work that was "an outrage on American girlhood." Sweet and innocent Daisy Miller, from upstate New York, is traveling in Europe with her clueless mother and bratty little brother. She meets Frederick Winterbourne, who is astounded by her innocence and unconcern for European social rules of behavior. Because of her "indiscretions" with the Italian Giovanelli, rumors spread that they are engaged. This is not true, as she tries to explain to Winterbourne. A week later she contracts malaria and dies.

James drew Daisy with such a mixture of characteristics - innocence, sentimentality, straightforwardness, passivity - that it's easy for the reader to sympathize with her. She's the victim here of a cruel and uncompromising code of behavior; it's hard to see how earlier readers could depict her as being "vulgar" or "pathetic." Our hearts really go out to her. One of James's best-known works, it's more a long short story than a novel.

One of Henry James's earliest novellas, Daisy Miller (1878) follows the activities of a wealthy, and brashly confident, young American woman as she audaciously challenges European society in Vevey, Switzerland, and in Rome, having fun, doing what pleases her, leaving staid European society gasping in her wake. Daisy Miller, whose father is in the US and whose mother is her ineffectual "chaperone," is a free spirit in a society bound by unstated but rigid "rules," determined to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants, with whomever she chooses.

Frederick Winterbourne, an expatriate who has spent most of his life in Geneva, is attracted to Daisy, but his bonds with his stuffy aunt, Mrs. Cosgrove, and her friend, Mrs. Walker, both of whom govern expatriate society in Europe, leave him ill-equipped to deal with Daisy's flouting of society's conventions. When she is obviously attracted to Mr. Giovanelli, a singer/musician of no social standing, and when she is seen with him publicly in places that a "nice" girl would not grace at night, her reputation is threatened, and anyone associated with her is tainted. Winterbourne is uncertain how to protect her, while, not incidentally, protecting his own reputation.

Developing his most famous theme, James considers the conflicts between American and European values and the naivete of the Americans and their spontaneity as it contrasts with the old world formality of the Europeans. Daisy, who is often foolishly naïve, is also seen as brash and ego-centric, a young woman whose destiny cannot be avoided (or even predicted) because of the strength of her own, often wrong, willfulness.

James focuses on two characters here--both Daisy and Winterbourne--and though the story is told from Winterbourne's point of view, Daisy is often the more vibrant of the two characters. Though she is shallow and assertive, he is hidebound by convention, leaving both characters with limits in terms of reader identification. When a night-time dalliance leads to serious consequences for Daisy, the reader is neither surprised nor shocked.

Filled with trenchant observations about Americans and their differences from Europeans, the novel incorporates significant symbols--the Coliseum (associated with innocent Christian martyrs), malaria (to which Americans are particularly susceptible), Randolph (Daisy's rude and undisciplined 10-year-old brother, the ugliest of Americans), and Mrs. Cosgrove and Mrs. Walker (converts to the European way of life). Carefully observed and critical of American naivete, Daisy Miller is the "preface" to Portrait of a Lady and many of James's more fully developed novels. Mary Whipple

The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics)
The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Fiction (Bantam Classics)
The Golden Bowl (Oxford World's Classics)
The Wings of the Dove (Penguin Classics)The Ambassadors

James' novella "Daisy Miller" delivers many unique twists from characters received in other more significant works.

A master of the 19th century upper crust dialogue, and more masterfully capable of handling feminine issues of such world, James creates a flirtatious American whose character shocks European sensibilities.

"I am a fearful, frightful flirt! Did you ever hear of a nice girl that was not? But I suppose you will tell me now that I am not a nice girl." But she is. And her suitor, Mr. Winterbourne, responds about her courting a smooth singing Italian hunk (Giovanni), "Though you may be flirting, Mr. Giovanni is not; he means something else."

Societal norms require women to basically become imprisoned in their homes - even if they are the best suites of the best hotels of the best European cities. Friendships are less common among women. "Of course a man may know everyone. Men are welcome to that privilege." Daisy will not tolerate these hindrances.

Daisy is a young, wealthy, American women who is without pretension. She is avarice. She is beautiful. She is the china doll you dare not handle too roughly for fear that it will break. Gallivanting about at late hours without appropriate escort or chaperon, and forever teasing the famous "Italian fever", Daisy sees her late hours watching the moon at Rome's Coliseum or takes boat journeys to isolated castles as she seeks to "live life." She fears being stiff - a term she uses to describe ever-so-British Winterbourne and his elders. In the end her naivete is her demise.

In "Wings of the Dove", another American wealthy beauty meets a similar demise: Milly. But, Milly is debonair, not impetuous. She is classier than her European peers. Daisy is of class, and properly mannered, but she is not classy.

And, unlike many of James' novels, this is a short read, not as tightly sewn, not as thoroughly written. For someone wishing to read one of this great novelists works, but not willing to concentrate as thoroughly as required in The Wings of the Dove or The Bostonians or some of his other classics, give this novella a try. You will not be disappointed.

"Daisy Miller" is one Herny James's biggest successes, and it can be read as a rehearsal for his masterpiece "A Portrait of a Lady" that was the book we published after this one. A little longer than a short story, this book is a quick read and one of the most accessible works from this writer.

One highlight of this book is the descriptions of characters and places. Although "Daisy Miller" is not long, James found a way of thoroughly depict the main characters and the settings. Paragraphs are constructed only to show the reader how Daisy is. Contrary to what one may think, it is not boring -- actually it is very pleasant, since the descriptions are so vivid and organically incorporated to the narrative.

The plot has much in common with "A Portrait of a Lady" and the main theme is James's favorite: the culture clash between Americans and Europeans. Daisy is a free spirited American girl spending some time with his family in Europe, when she meets Winterbourne, a young American `student', in Geneva. The girl's behavior has scandalized local society. And she's been punished for that. As Isabel, the main character of "A Portrait...", Daisy will have to assume the consequences of her acts.

James has created an enchanting character in Daisy Miller. She is a little naïve, a little mischievous but, above all, she wants to follow only her will. And, probably, this is her major sin, in those times when people were forced to follow society's strict rules.

If you enjoy reading classic literature, you might consider giving Daisy Miller a try. James' eloquent writing style and study of cultural ideas make this a very entertaining read. James looks closely at the culture of 19th century Americans on holiday in Europe. The narration makes for a very good window into the attitudes and opinions of the upper class at the time and the perceived differences between those with "old money" and those with "new money."

For the most part, this is a light read. It does contain a few dark moments, and in the end the main character really does not exhibit any real growth. All in all, I found it to be interesting and enjoyed James' humor throughout. He has a very nice way of poking fun at some of the conventions of the time while managing to make these things seem of import to his characters. This infuses the story with the life that it needs to keep the reader interested enough to keep reading.

American Society in the mid 19th century operated under a strict
code of moral values, which were scrupulously observed while traveling abroad. Responsible women were constantly on the alert to protect young ladies from predatory Europeans, for it was a recognized international scam to marry American money. Society dowagers and conscientious mothers artfully contrived to both Exhibit their eligible daughters and yet Protect them--their reputations as well as their persons. (To be culturally honest, there were some American girls who went abroad seeking to marry Titles.)
This novella in two parts is narrated by a pleasant and decent American youth who has been living and stuyding in Siwtzerland for some years. Instantly charmed by a very pretty American flirt, whose precocious little brother he's just met, the naive protagonist seeks every legitimate means to make her acquaintance and enjoy more of her company. Miss Daisy Miller certainly turns heads abroad, but she is playful and coy--enjoying the game of tormenting her beaus.
The plot progresses as the unnamed hero gradually realizes that his divine Daisy does not radiate a positive reputation, for hostesses in Switzerland and later in Rome begin to shun her. Adding insult to inury, they actually warn him about her. How can he compete with her latest conquest, a handsome and indolent Latin Lover? Daisy ignores all sincere attempts to deflect her from her headstrong course of social ruin. Her mother seems utterly indifferent to her daughter's fate--demonstrating ineffective parenting skills with her horrid son as well. All of which leaves readers wondering how naive, stupid or shallow this socialite truly is. Like the governess in James' TURN OF THE SCREW, Daisy projects conflicting opinions about her personality. What terrible price will she pay for toying with men's hearts and flaunting social customs abroad? This comes across as a serious cautionary tale.

Henry James, one of America's foremost authors in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is primarily remembered and respected for his vivid portrayals of Americans abroad and their encounters with the cultural differences that divided the brash, young, immature American continent from the sophisticated, class conscious Old World. This novella, Daisy Miller (1878), was his first literary success.

From the moment we meet Daisy Miller she is enigmatic, either the epitome of incautious innocence or reckless to the extreme. She disregards European customs, quite assured in her own judgment that she is doing no wrong, only flirting with young gentlemen as would any American girl. As the story progresses, aware of building criticism from the expatriate community, Daisy still chooses to ignore advice from well-meaning, socially prominent women.

We need to recognize that we see Daisy not from the perspective of an omniscient author that is privy to Daisy's innermost thoughts, but through the eyes of a third person, a Mr. Winterbourne, an American bachelor living in Geneva. Winterbourne is obviously attracted to and fascinated by this young, confident, perhaps audacious, visitor from America. Winterbourne's assessment of Daisy Miller is more sympathetic, more balanced, and more reliable than that of the snobbish Mrs. Costello in Vevay in Switzerland and Mrs. Walker in Rome. Or, so I thought upon my first reading.

In his first meeting with Daisy in a hotel garden Winterbourne is both charmed and puzzled by her conversation, and reflects to himself: "He felt that he had lived at Geneva so long that he had lost a good deal; he had become dishabituated to the American tone."

In retrospect I have come to realize that Henry James was cautioning his readers that Mr. Winterbourne's observations and assessments may not be entirely reliable and accurate. This theme recurs throughout this short story, often in different forms and in different contexts, and is the source of much of the fascination of this tale.

Daisy Miller's most egregious behavior revolves around a growing friendship with a Mr. Giovanelli, a not too successful Italian lawyer, that is characterized by others as little more than an imitation gentleman. But to Daisy, Mr. Giovanelli is urbane, charming, and sincere in his friendship. However, we see that her continual disregard of social conventions, such as taking walks with Mr. Giovanelli without a chaperone, evens forces Mr. Winterbourne to question whether he himself is too lenient in his attitude toward Daisy.

The abrupt ending leaves the reader with ambiguity. Winterbourne's loss has a vagueness; he never quite understood Daisy. Contrastingly, the reader - with the assistance of the artistry of Henry James - will likely have a better appreciation of Daisy's true qualities and see what Winterbourne failed to recognize.

I persist with Henry James, trying to build up an appreciation for this literary master whose style does not exactly roll out the red carpet for his readers. His early novella "Daisy Miller," however, shows that a kinder, gentler James prevailed before the tyrant of verbosity took over. For those who have not yet experienced James's writing, as a start I recommend "Daisy Miller" for its relative simplicity of plot and prose, as opposed to his monstrously difficult later novels like "The Golden Bowl."

The story is told from the vantage of the frostily-named Frederick Winterbourne, a wealthy and not quite young American man who has lived in Europe for most of his life. He is vacationing in Vevey, Switzerland, visiting his witch of an aunt, Mrs. Costello, when he meets the stunningly pretty Annie "Daisy" Miller, her vapid mother, and her bratty little brother Randolph. The Millers are nouveau riche; Daisy's father, the absent Mr. Miller, is an industrialist in Schenectady, New York, and his family lack sophistication in their speech and manners. Mrs. Costello snobbishly identifies them immediately as "very common...the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not accepting."

Winterbourne travels to Rome to visit his friend Mrs. Walker; the Millers also have come to Rome. Mrs. Walker reveals to Winterbourne that Daisy, whom she has gotten to know, is a slut who cavorts indiscriminately with all kinds of men including a suave but rakish Italian named Giovanelli, and advises him to forget about her. But Daisy is a supreme charmer--it's impossible not to fall in love with her--and Winterbourne likes her despite her frivolousness and silliness. Unfortunately, she considers the sensible Winterbourne too "stiff" to value his opinions about her behavior, and Giovanelli is so desperate to be with her that he is all too willing to take advantage of her ignorance of European customs, an indifference on her part that leads to her ultimate tragedy.

What might have motivated James to write this seemingly simple, even slight, story? He seems to see the rules of society as a game to be played by many different types of personalities, and he enjoys characters, particularly women, who clash with convention, even though what was scandalous in his time raises nary an eyebrow today. In "Daisy Miller" we have an American girl who is too immature to understand or care about the proprieties of high society, a girl who probably in James's opinion would have been better served staying poor and working in a laundry back home in Schenectady than acting like a princess in foreign lands.

Daisy Miller, Henry James's short novel, leaves one with mixed feelings as the range of evaluations demonstrates. That is because the novella is not what it appears to be--a light romantic tale of a young American girl doing what she pleases in Europe. The story is narrated by Winterbourne, an American who appears to be a student visiting his aunt, Mrs. Costello, at a resort in Switzerland. There he meets the Miller family, nine year old Randolph who has a mind of his own (and displays it), his mother and the irrepressible Daisy. She is an unabashed flirt who does what she pleases regardless of what anyone (especially the snobbish Europeans) think. Winterbourne becomes infatuated with her despite his rather stiff demeanor. He asks his aunt to meet her but she refuses, saying Daisy is too "common."

Nevertheless Winterbourne follows Daisy to Rome where she is having an affair with a debonair Italian, Giovanelli. Winterbourne sees him as a fortune seeker (the Miller family is quite wealthy), but is also motivated by his own interest in Daisy.

The novella comes to a sudden, tragic and unexpected ending, given the light-hearted tone of Daisy's behaviors.

I think the book is worth reading as an example of James' comparisons of European and American culture and for the character of Daisy who is one of the most delightful characters in literature. I rate it at four stars, but it could just as easily be three.

"Daisy Miller" was one of Henry James' earliest novels and is considered to be his most popular work. At only sixty-four pages in length, this novella is a quick read that from a surface view, may seem to lack depth. However, in "Daisy Miller" James would explore themes that recurred in his later works, especially the contrast between American and European societal mores.

The action begins in Vevay, Switzerland, where Frederick Winterbourne happens to meet the title character, an American who is travelling with her mother and younger brother. He is immediately swept away by her beauty and is rather blinded to her indiscretions, such as being too friendly with their courier and being openly flirtatious. Winterbourne's aunt will have nothing to do with the family, but that does not stop her nephew from pursuing her. When the action moves to Rome, Winterbourne once again tries to stake a claim upon Daisy's affections, only to discover that she is not welcome in polite society since she has been going around unchaperoned with an Italian man who can only be after her money. Winterbourne, along with others, tries to let Daisy know how wrong her actions are, but she is headstrong and adamant that no harm will befall her.

As with most works by Henry James a tragedy befalls one of the main characters. "Daisy Miller" is a brief, intimate sketch of the ruination of innocence. There is little separation between events, which can quicken the pace of the novella, but also can be a distracting textual feature for readers. The story seems to begin and end in the middle of the action which allows the characters to live on after James has finished relating their story to his readers.

Daisy Miller, Henry James's short novel, leaves one with mixed feelings as the range of evaluations demonstrates. That is because the novella is not what it appears to be--a light romantic tale of a young American girl doing what she pleases in Europe. The story is narrated by Winterbourne, an American who appears to be a student visiting his aunt, Mrs. Costello, at a resort in Switzerland. There he meets the Miller family, nine year old Randolph who has a mind of his own (and displays it), his mother and the irrepressible Daisy. She is an unabashed flirt who does what she pleases regardless of what anyone (especially the snobbish Europeans) think. Winterbourne becomes infatuated with her despite his rather stiff demeanor. He asks his aunt to meet her but she refuses, saying Daisy is too "common."

Nevertheless Winterbourne follows Daisy to Rome where she is having an affair with a debonair Italian, Giovanelli. Winterbourne sees him as a fortune seeker (the Miller family is quite wealthy), but is also motivated by his own interest in Daisy.

The novella comes to a sudden, tragic and unexpected ending, given the light-hearted tone of Daisy's behaviors.

I think the book is worth reading as an example of James' comparisons of European and American culture and for the character of Daisy who is one of the most delightful characters in literature. I rate it at four stars, but it could just as easily be three.

"Daisy Miller" was one of Henry James' earliest novels and is considered to be his most popular work. At only sixty-four pages in length, this novella is a quick read that from a surface view, may seem to lack depth. However, in "Daisy Miller" James would explore themes that recurred in his later works, especially the contrast between American and European societal mores.

The action begins in Vevay, Switzerland, where Frederick Winterbourne happens to meet the title character, an American who is travelling with her mother and younger brother. He is immediately swept away by her beauty and is rather blinded to her indiscretions, such as being too friendly with their courier and being openly flirtatious. Winterbourne's aunt will have nothing to do with the family, but that does not stop her nephew from pursuing her. When the action moves to Rome, Winterbourne once again tries to stake a claim upon Daisy's affections, only to discover that she is not welcome in polite society since she has been going around unchaperoned with an Italian man who can only be after her money. Winterbourne, along with others, tries to let Daisy know how wrong her actions are, but she is headstrong and adamant that no harm will befall her.

As with most works by Henry James a tragedy befalls one of the main characters. "Daisy Miller" is a brief, intimate sketch of the ruination of innocence. There is little separation between events, which can quicken the pace of the novella, but also can be a distracting textual feature for readers. The story seems to begin and end in the middle of the action which allows the characters to live on after James has finished relating their story to his readers.

Brief, but with a great deal of substance. Daisy is a fascinating character. Like Winterborne, I spent most of the story unsure of her motivations only to realize she had none. She wasn't playing some intricate societal game or trying to create controversy, she just wanted to have fun in a society that denigrated women for defining "fun" in the carefree way of Daisy. It's a simple, beautiful, and all together tragic story of an innocent young woman who wished only to do as she pleased, hurting no one except, ultimately, herself.

"Daisy Miller: A Study" by Henry James is a coming of age story of western society. With the characters interacting in various European cities, it depicts the transitional period that delivered the western world's composition from one based in a hierarchical system of order, to one that values equality and liberty above all. By the late 19th century, The United States had already begun dabbling in this new form of social order; however, Europe had maintained its elitist class structure for some time. Winterbourne, not quite European, and still not absolutely American, is himself the picture of the resulting conflict of this transformation.

Daisy Miller represents complete transformation. She freely exposed her dealings with "gentleman's society" and leads Winterbourne to wonder if she is "simply a pretty girl from New York" or if she is "a designing, an audacious, an unscrupulous young person", essentially requiring him to get to know her before he can make a judgment about her personality. Mrs. Costello, on the other hand, represents the admittedly "exclusive" and "hierarchical" European tradition that carries with it preconceived acceptance or denial of character based on social standing. With these two woman representing opposite ends of societal attitude, Winterbourne is placed on the rack of societal torture, dedicating most of his "study" to developing his opinions about which side would eventually win out.

This novella is more than just a pleasurable read, it is a "study" in and of itself. Introspective and entertaining. If for some reason you have been able to avoid it through school, pick it up now. You can't help but enjoy it.

This is quite and interesting take on the original classic. If you love the story of a young woman coming of age, the consider her becoming sexually active also. She is definitely ahead of her time in this regard as "Wild" perfectly describes her lust for life.

You will enjoy how Daisy knows what she wants and doesn't have to go far to get it either. A number of wonderful characters inhabit this book and they help to further the story along to a delightful conclusion.

This short novella is a brief story about a young american woman who travels Europe with her mother and young brother. Thru a chance she meets young British gentleman Winterbourne who is smitten by her beauty, but also amazed by her innocence and lack of restraint. Daisy comes from a rich family and from a world where she is permitted to be herself no matter what the price of her individuality may be. But she is also eager to make company in a new world and gain access to society. She craves entertainment, attention and stimulating company. What she is not realizing is the fact she is going about it the wrong way. Story is set in Europe, small town Vivey in Switzerland and Rome, Italy. As Daisy's young life unfold and ends tragically, one cannot but think that in either case there was no happy ending here. Her behaviour and galant carelessness were ticket to doom. Definitely fine story about class difference, cultural difference and tale that money cannot buy everything. One has to find subtle ways to get what she wants out of life.

I enjoyed most of this novel while I was reading, and I think that the writing is technically proficient. The end was a great disappointment, and left me wondering why I spent the time reading this mercifully short piece. At least I can say that I've read some of Henry James.

My first problem with the book may be the result of not understanding the time period. I am not certain how Americans expected young women to behave, although I understand that their customs were much less restrictive than Europeans. I therefore don't know whether Daisy is rebellious, or reckless, or simply behaving in a manner that she understands to be suitable and many Europeans (or American Euro-wannabees) misinterpret. Is the problem just that Winterbourne and Daisy don't understand each other's cultural assumptions, or that he is really reacting to Daisy's personality? Given the reactions of some of the Europeans, is Winterbourne following their codes of behavior more stringently than they do, perhaps fawning on Europeans by an excessive zeal to prove that he is like them? I am therefore at a loss to understand what point Miller is trying to make. Is the issue really the virtues of one set of social customs over another, or is it just the difficulties that arise from misunderstanding? I give this 3 stars rather than 2 because it might have made sense if I were reading it when it was written.

My other problem may be idiosyncratic: THIS IS A SPOILER. I have little sympathy for anyone foolish enough to "die for love", especially a brief romance. Winterbourne and Daisy obviously aren't suited for each other, and the solution is to move on, not become suicidal. I really don't see their incompatibility as a moral issue on either side. If Winterbourne really can't respect Daisy then he does well not to become seriously involved with her. If he is stuffy and priggish, well, that's how he is and he should choose a compatible wife. When it comes to a serious commitment like marriage, it is necessary to acknowledge how one really is, not delude oneself about how one ought to be.

If James' point, as reviewers seem to indicate, is to expose the difference between European and USA manners, the story is not well-constructed, since Daisy's critics are mostly expat Americans; real Europeans are more tolerant of her. The ending seems a bit bizarre. Such misunderstandings have been the basis of comedies of manners or novels of personal angst, but the ending to this novel is too melodramatic and contrived. In Jane Austen: Women, Politics, and the Novel Claudia Johnson has some acerbic things to say about the tradition of killing off women disappointed in love. Does James mean to criticize Winterbourne? It would have been more satisfying (and reasonable) if Winterbourne later realized what a fool he had been when he meets up with the happily married, brilliant hostess Daisy Marriedname, famous beauty and wit, perhaps married to a real European who finds her refreshing.

For Christmas, I ordered an mp3 player (Library of Classics) that was pre-loaded with 100 works of classic literature in an audio format. Each work is in the public domain and is read by amateurs, so the quality of the presentation is hit or miss. This was the seventh work I’ve completed and, like the first six, the reader did not detract from the experience.

Daisy Miller is the tale of a young American ingénue spending time first in Switzerland, then in Rome with her mother, brother and “courier”. It is told from the point of view of a suitor, American expatriate Frederick Winterbourne. Daisy is a flighty, naïve young lady who enjoys thumbing her nose at cultural convention and societal mores of the era. Winterbourne is at first captivated, but becomes increasingly disturbed as Daisy’s actions become more and more outrageous and she is shunned by polite society.

This is a very short period piece and is perfectly pleasant without being remarkable in any way. It can be easily read in 2-3 hours.

I only recently started reading Henry James. I could not stand him in graduate school, when I was in my 20's, and never finished him when he was assigned, but twenty years on, I find much to enjoy in his work. I suspect he may be someone you have to grow into; I don't think he has much to say to the young; one needs more life experience before he can be appreciated. But why shouldn't living long come with a few rewards?

Daisy Miller may be a good case in point. The main character, Mr. Winterbourne, meets young Miss Miller on one of those protracted vacations wealthy people in 19th century novels so often take. Mr. Winterbourne is at once taken in by Daisy's beauty and by her vivacity; she has a great lust for life and no self-conscienceness to hinder her. Daisy unknowingly breaks all the rules of her society in her search for experience. She does not know what she is doing, but she does not seem to mind.

The two separate and then meet up again in Rome where Mr. Winterbourne finds Daisy engaged in an affair of sorts with a gold-digging Italian man. Daisy has so offended society by this time that none of the other Americans abroad will have anything to do with her or her family. Mr. Winterbourne tries to get her to change her ways, to convince her that she should drop the Italian and rejoin the more proper society of her peers, but she refuses. She will have her way whether or not society approves.

A friend of mine once told me that Henry James ends his stories with an almost throw-away line or two that seems to put everything that went on up to then in a completely new light. That is the case with Daisy Miller, so though I really want to talk about the ending, I won't spoil it. I will say that I think it also supports my belief that one should wait before reading Henry James. Had I read this "throwaway" ending when I was 20, I would have been outraged at the hypocrasy Mr. Winterbourne displays. Now, I understand why he would do what he does, though it goes against what he has said up to then.

My favorite character in Daisy Miller, my favorite in Henry James so far, is Mr. Winterbourne's aunt, Mrs. Costello. Here is her opinion of the Miller family:

"They are hopelessly vulgar," said Mrs. Costello. "Whether or no being hopelessly vulgar is being 'bad' is a question for the metaphysicians. They are bad enough to dislike, at any rate; and for this short life that is quite enough."

I think if I had read a line like that when I was 20 I would have come to at least dislike Mrs. Costello and possibly Henry James. Now, even though I realize she would certainly have nothing to do with me, I find her very funny. I've certainly moved away from Daisy's age towards Mrs. Costello's age and that has added to my understanding and appreciation of Henry James. Though I spend much of my time reading Young Adult fiction, I'm pleased to find something written with an older audience in mind. If you are under 35 and haven't read Henry James yet, I recommend waiting. Save a few treats for yourself later in life. You won't regret it. It's nice to discover something new, especially when it is also something old.

As I read Henry James' novella "Daisy Miller," I found myself reminded of Anthony Minghella's film "The Talented Mr. Ripley," starring Matt Damon. Both the novella and the film tell the stories of Americans living luxurious lives in Europe. Both stories also deal with the issue of social unacceptability, and are haunted by the aura of sexual transgression.
James' novella was first published in 1878, making it an early work in the author's illustrious literary career. "Daisy" opens in Switzerland, where Winterbourne, a young American man, meets the title character. An American girl who is described as "an extraordinary mixture of innocence and crudity," Daisy becomes a troublesome figure for the snobby community of Americans abroad.
Some of James' social satire strikes me as rather dated, and I found the conclusion of the tale somewhat unsatisfying. Still, "Daisy" is a well-written tale that, on the whole, remains a good read today. And Daisy herself is a curiously compelling character whose story invites both a serious feminist analysis, as well as an analysis based in economic and class issues. Recommended as a companion text: "Strange Pilgrims," Gabriel Garcia Marquez' collection of stories about Latin Americans in Europe for various reasons.

I have both positive and negative feelings towards this book. Although I appreciated reading a book where the girl stuck to her own wants through the entire book and didn't give into anyones ideals, I had expected to read an exciting book about an adventurous, independent girl. I was disappointed after reading this book and realizing that while she was defying society's standard, she was always with a boy and never did things on her own. I loved the way Henry James was so clear with his ideas and made it easy to read, but was a little let down by the excitement I expected when choosing to read Daisy Miller.

Fortunately this was short because I may not have finished it. I found Daisy's behavior to be very immature and annoying. Regardless of the time of the story, early with prim values or later and looser, Daisy's mother was completely inept as a parent. Nothing good can come of her daughter's running around at all hours with a foreign man in a foreign country, unsupervised. Reputation aside, it's common sense not to be too permissive. And the miscommunication between Winterbourne and Daisy was frustrating. All the guys were attracted to her because of her beauty, but in the end, no one could figure out how to get her.

My favorite of James' shorter works. It's sunlight and innocence and young laughter. I thought all characters rang perfectly true. For years, I got this title mixed up with "Wings of a Dove" because that's how I thought of Daisy. She was all sunshine and certainty and credulity. I loved her. I disagree it was "America vs. Europe." Wherever Daisy grew, I believe she was destined for difficulties. Her optimism, her lack of parental guidance, and her tolerance would have done her in wherever she was. This was a singularly oppresive era, it could be that if Daisy existed today, she might have lasted longer, but not appreciably. Daisy is timeless because she is unforgettable.

When one thinks of The Glass Menagerie, the first characters that solidify in one's mind tend to be either Tom or Laura Wingfield. If, however, the reader takes a pause, a moment to glance back upon the entire play as a whole, the most realistic of all three characters is not Tom, Laura, Amanda, nor even Mr. Wingfield, but Jim. Jim, the charming young man whose life has flown by him, and who at first seems to live in a world of dreams, shadows, and the past, is in fact, the most "lifelike" of all of the characters in the play.
Jim's life is much like reality at times. His life shows that the only way to go once "at the top" is all the way back down again. It's a combination of Newton's Law and Murphy's Law. He was the hero in his age, but his age is past-like dinosaurs, dodo birds, and thousands of other things, time has washed him away. He is no longer significant, but merely one of five billion people living, breathing, dying on earth. At his high school, yes, he was the hero. In comparison to the rest of the world though, he is only one person, nothing more. Such is Reality. It's just that people rarely realize this. Instead, humans have a tendency to focus everything upon themselves-it's natural to be somewhat egocentric-it's actually survival.
The second way that Jim is very "real", is that he is the only one who is blunt. He tells what is real, and tells it "straight-out". He is rather sincere about what he does and says. He doesn't lie, whereas all of the other characters have either hidden things or lied about them. Tom hides things from his mother and sister, and hid his pain from himself for so long that it built up to the point of an explosion. That is why there is an argument between Tom and his mother; Tom's finally snapped. If he had been honest with himself, he would have realized he hated his job much earlier, and tried to quit much earlier instead of now, when half his youth has been wasted. Amanda exists in a world of lies. She dreams of the past, and lives in it-it's dream she can't wake up from, a dream which she keeps repeating. She will probably live and die in the "past". Not only does she live like that, but she also tries to hide her age, and hide the fact that she Laura's mother by calling Laura her "sister". Laura, who is an introvert, hides from the entire world. She lives like her unicorn-in a glass menagerie, where the slightest disturbance would shatter her mind. She does not fit in, nor does she try, because she is afraid of getting hurt. She shies away from the world not merely because she is crippled, but because she is both a bit agoraphobic and xenophobic. She lies to herself and to others by over-exaggerating her slight handicap to a kind of crippling disease, which eats away at her self-confidence and the sanity of those around her. Jim however, tells Laura that he is to be married, even though he realizes that this may hurt Laura's feelings.
The way that Jim turned out, too, is very realistic-what seems "too good to be true", usually isn't. Jim seemed to be a "Prince Charming", a "Knight in Shining Armor", come to save Laura from the glass castle that imprisoned her mind, body, and soul. It wasn't so much that Jim lied to everyone, but rather that some things are not what they appear to be.
Jim is not innocent, fragile, or sweet like Laura, nor as enduring and selfless as Tom, but he is the one who is the most realistic, and whose actions and words are true. Tom lives a lie-he gives up himself and tries to convince himself that he is "happy." He tries to believe that what he is doing will do some good, but in reality, his sister is as useless as the glass unicorn-a lovely ornament, delicate, exquisite, but useless, nevertheless. Tom, not seeing this at first, sacrifices everything for his sister Laura. Jim, being more realistic, realizes this, and sacrificed Laura's feelings for his own life, his own world, his own "everything." In this way too, Jim is the most real and realistic of all of them-he may not be the most loving character, nor the one which the reader sympathizes with the most, but he is definitely the most "practical", shrewd, realistic, and real of all four of the characters.

This book is a masterpiece. Every sentence is rich, deep and wonderful. It bears a lifetime of repeated reading, and every reading reveals new insights.

It is a sad, short, tale of a love that should have been. James's heroines are underestimated and misjudged, and Daisy is perhaps the clearest example; she is blatantly misunderstood by everyone else in the story, including the narrator, Winterbourne, her non-suitor. Not that she is easy to understand - she is a subtly crafted feminine enigma, full of contradictions and surprises. All of proper society judges her at face value to be airheaded and crass, and she gives them plenty of ammunition. Her tragedy is that all but Winterbourne miss her depth and her insight, and yet Winterbourne can never bring himself to commit to the relationship they should have had.

Originally published in book form in 1879, "Daisy Miller" brought Henry James his first widespread commercial and critical success. The young Daisy Miller, an American on holiday with her mother in Europe, is one of James' most vivid and tragic characters. Daisy's friendship with an American gentleman, Mr Winterbourne, and her subsequent infatuation with a passionate but impoverished Italian, bring to life the great Jamesian themes of Americans abroad, innocence versus experience, and the grip of fate.
This story emphasizes an upper-class expatriate's efforts to understand and deal with a charming, independent but uninformed heroine who posses a strong challenge to conservative manners. In the end the story's emphasis is not so much on social portraiture as on the tragic effects of class distinction. When Winterbourne learns that Daisy was after all completely "innocent", he understands his serious mistake in going along with the other Americans who blackball her. Like the ancient Roman spectators in the Colosseum, Winterbourne has participated in a human sacrifice. While Winterbourne worries over the morality of the young American woman, it is his own behaviour that constitutes immorality. He is committing an unpardonable sin in his overly intellectualized searching out of the moral fault of another.
As in other tales, James makes direct contact with the mythic materials of Judeo-Christian culture equally to gloss his sense of evil and measure its fate in the modern world. The narrative in "Daisy" can be understood as a commentary on a culture in which gossip has replaced the gospel. In a remarkable scene set in St Peter's, as scandalizing chatter ignores and disturbs the lovely music of Spirit, Winterbourne hears from a friend that Daisy and Giovanelli have been sighted viewing the portrait by Velazquez of Pope Innocent X, a rendering that reveals the ill-named Pope as a worldly cynic. By means of this juxtaposition, James extends the evil from Winterbourne to the gossipy Americans and then to the history of European religions.
The narrator is not an "unnamed hero", but has an eloquent name. Not only do Winterbourne's fate - utter stasis - and name link him to the wintry Satan of Dante; they become allegorically appropriate to his status, and emblematic of his punishment: the endless repetition, fixed in loneliness, of his self-love, which is encompassed -"bourne" - as it is "born" by winter. The only motion available to Winterbourne is the futile beating of wings that immures him and the more fixedly in an ice that represents his fear and hatred of others. The role of Evil in this tale is less that of pointing out at narcissism (though it is also clearly about that), and more about the terms for living in a modern world where all comforting authority has been lost. The freedom in this tale is a terror rather than a liberation for the characters who confront it, and leads them to an attempt to impose meaning on a recalcitrant world that leads in turn to the violation of others. Because Winterbourne will not live with the challenge of self-awareness required in a world where we are alone, he loses respect for Daisy and he learns nothing. His confusion between his parenting and courting roles, and his panic of the social "other", make him lose trust in her individual strengths. This story defines an evil fit for the century of Henry James and for our own. James' later story "The Beast in the Jungle" is a reworking of the same theme.

I recommend Daisy Miller for anyone who's grown tired of American arrogance and exceptionalism, particularly for Americans who have lost sight of what's reasonably lovable in our own culture. This brash and irreverent naif, vacationing in Europe, and her affair with the stodgy and non-committal Winterbourne embodies the best of American innocence and idealism. Daisy remains James' best-loved character, perhaps because we need her so much, to remind us that our uninhibited lack of sophistication is at the heart of our American identity.