美国文学之马克吐温亨利詹姆士MarkTwainandHenryJames课件

ITOPIC:MarkTwainandHenryJamesIIOBJECTIVESA)AmericanrealismB)IntroductiontoMarkTwainC)IntroductiontoHenryJamesD)Thedifferencesbetweenthem

Topic1―AmericanRealism

1.DefinitionofRealism◆

Termappliedtoliterarycompositionthataimstoaninterpretationoftheactualitiesofanyaspectsoflife,freefromsubjectiveprejudice,idealism,orromanticcolor.◆Inartandliterature,Realismreferstoanattempttodescribehumanbehaviorandsurroundingsortorepresentfiguresexactlyastheyactorappearinlife.RealismemergedasaliterarymovementinEuropeinthe1850s.InreactiontoRomanticism,realisticwritersshouldsetdowntheirobservationsimpartiallyandobjectively.Theyinsistedonaccuratedocumentation,sociologicalinsight,andavoidanceofpoeticdictionandidealization.Thesubjectsweretobetakenfromeverydaylife,preferablyfromlower-classlife.RealismenteredAmericanliteratureaftertheCivilWar.

2.TheAgeofRealism

InAmericanliterature,theCivilWarbroughttheRomanticPeriodtoanend.TheAgeofRealismcameintoexistence.Itcameasareactionagainstthelieofromanticismandsentimentalism.Realismturnedfromanemphasisonthestrangetowardafaithfulrenderingoftheordinary,asliceoflifeasitisreallylived.Itexpressestheconcernforcommonplaceandthelow,anditoffersanobjectiveratherthananidealisticviewofhumannatureandhumanexperience.Theperiodrangingfrom1865tol914hasbeenreferredtoastheAgeofRealisminthe1iteraryhistoryoftheUnitedStates,whichisactuallyamovementortendencythatdominatedthespiritofAmericanliterature,especia1lyAmericanfiction,fromthe1850sonwards.RealismwasareactionagainstRomanticismoramoveawayfromthebiastowardsromanceandself-creatingfictions,anditpavedthewaytoModernism.Insteadofthinkingabouttheirrational,theimaginative,realiststoucheduponsocialandpoliticalrealitiesandpressuresinthepost-Civilwarsociety.

3.Thehistoricalandsocio-culturalbackgroundof

AmericanRealism

Thisperiodischaracterizedwithchanges,inrelationtoeveryaspectofAmericanlife,politically,economically,culturally,andreligiously.Firstofall,politically,theCivilWaraffectedboththesocialandthevaluesystemofthecountry.Americahadtransformeditse1fintoanindustria1izedandcommercializedsociety.Theindustrializationandtheurbanizationwereaccompaniedbytheincalculablesufferingsofthelaboringpeople.Therefore,polarizationofthewellbeingbetweenthepoorandtherichstartedtoshowup.Thirdly,asfarastheideologywasconcerned,peoplebecamedubiousaboutthehumannatureandthebenevo1enceofGod,whichtheTranscendentalistscaredmost.TheliterarysceneaftertheCivi1Warprovedtobequitedifferentapicture.Theharshrea1itiesoflifeaswellasthe

disillusionofheroismresultingfromthedarkmemoriesoftheCivilWarhadsetthenationagainsttheromance.TheAmericansbegantobetiredofthesentimentalfeelingsofRomanticism.

4.TheliterarycharacteristicsoftheRealisticPeriodinAmericanliterature

Intheirworks,insteadofwritingaboutthepolite,well-dressed,grammatica1lycorrectmiddle-classyoungpeoplewhomovedinexoticplacesandremotetimes,theyintroducedindustrialworkersandfarmers,ambitiousbusinessmenandvagrants,prostitutesandunheroicsoldiersasmajorcharactersinfiction.Theyapproachedtheharshrealitiesandpressuresinthepost-CivilWarsocietyeitherbyacomprehensivepictureofmodernlifeinitsvariousoccupations,c1assstratificationsandmanners,orbyapsychologicalexplorationofman'ssubconsciousness.ThethreedominantfiguresoftheperiodareWilliamDeanHowells,MarkTwain,andHenryJames.Togethertheybroughttofulfillmentnativetrendsintherealisticportrayalofthe1andscapeandsocialsurfaces,broughttoperfectionthevernacularstyle,andexploredandexploitedtheliterarypossibilitiesoftheinteriorlife.

5.DefinitionofAmericanrealismAmericanrealismreferstoaliterarymovementthatsprangupinthelatterhalfofthe19thcenturyintheUnitedStates.Itisconsideredasareactionagainsttheromanticideaabouttherealityandhumannature,andananswertothegloomypictureofAmericanlifeaftertheCivilWar.AmericanliteraryrealismaimsattheinterpretationoftheactualitiesofanyaspectofAmericanlife,freefromsubjectiveprejudice,idealism,orromanticcolor.Realisticwritersaremoreconcernedwiththemoralandsocialeffectsoftheirwritingsthanthetranscendentalsymbolicimplicationsoftheirart.Insteadofthinkingaboutthemysteriesoflifeanddeathandheroicindividualism,theirfocusofattentionisnowdirectedtotheinterestingfeaturesofeverydayexistence,towhatisbrutalorsordid,andtotheopenportrayalofclassstruggle.ThethreedominantfiguresoftheperiodareWilliamDeanHowells,MarkTwain,andHenryJames.

6.ThethreedominantfiguresoftheRealisticperioddifferedintheirunderstandingofthe“truth”.

(1)WhileMarkTwainandHowellspaidmoreattentiontothe"life"oftheAmericans,HenryJameslaidagreateremphasisonthe"innerworld"ofman.Hecametobelievethattheliteraryartistshouldnotsimplyholdamirrortothesurfaceofsociallifeinparticulartimesandplaces.Inaddition,thewritershoulduselanguagetoprobethedeepestreachesofthepsychologicalandmoralnatureofhumanbeings.Heisarealistoftheinnerlife.(2)ThoughTwainandHowellsbothsharedthesameconcerninpresentingthetruthoftheAmericansociety,theyhadeachofthemdifferentemphasis.Howellsfocusedhisdiscussionontherisingmiddleclassandthewaytheylived,whileTwainpreferredtohavehisownregionandpeopleattheforefrontofhisstories,whichisknownas“localcolorism”,auniquevariationofAmericanliteraryrealism.

7.WhatisLocalColorism?Post-CivilWarAmericawaslargeanddiverseenoughtosenseitsownlocaldifferences.Regionalvoiceshademerged.“Localcolorism”isauniquevariationofAmericanliteraryrealism.Generally,theworksbylocalcoloristsareconcernedwiththelifeofasmall,well-definedregionorprovince.Thiskindoffictiondepictsthecharactersfromaspecificsettingorofanera,whicharemarkedbyitscustoms,dialects,costumes,landscape,orotherpeculiaritiesthathaveescapedstandardizingculturalinfluence.Yetforalltheirsentimentality,theydedicatedthemselvestominutelyaccuratedescriptionsofthelifeoftheirregions.Theyworkedfrompersonalexperience;theyrecordedthefactsofauniqueenvironmentandsuggestedthatthenativelifewasshapedbythecuriousconditionsoftheloca1e.Theirmaterialswerenecessarilylimitedandtopicsdisparate,yettheyhadcertaincommonartisticconcerns.WriterswhoseworksarecharacterizedwithlocalcolorsareMarkTwain,SarahOrneJewett,JosephKirklandandHamlinGarland.

8.ThedistinctionbetweenRealismandNaturalism

Naturalismisevolvedfromrealismwhentheauthor'stoneinwritingbecomeslessseriousandlesssympatheticbutmoredetached,ironicandmorepessimistic.Itisnomorethanadifferentphilosophicalapproachtoreality,ortohumanexistence.Thedistinctionlies,firstofall,inthefactthatRealismisconcerneddirectlywithwhatisabsorbedbythesenses;Naturalism,atermmoreproperlyappliedtoliterature,attemptstoapplyscientifictheoriestoart.Second,NaturalismdiffersfromRealisminaddinganamoralattitudetotheobjectivepresentationoflife.Naturalisticwriters,adoptingDarwin’sbiologicaldeterminismandMarx’seconomicdeterminism,regardhumanbehaviorascontrolledbyinstinct,emotion,orsocialandeconomicconditions,andrejectfreewill.Third,NaturalismhadanoutlookoftenbleakerthanthatofRealism,anditaddedadimensionofpredeterminedfatethatrenderedhumanwillultimatelypowerless.

Topic1―IntroductiontoMarkTwain

Topic2―IntroductiontoMarkTwain

1.Guidelines

◆TheresultofMarkTwain’sEuropeantripwasseriesofnewspaperarticles,laterpublishedasabookcalledTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn.Thethemeofthenovelmaybebestsummedinaword“freedom”:HuckwantstoescapefromthebondofcivilizationandJimwantstoescapefromtheyokeofslavery.MarkTwainusestheraft'sjourneydowntheMississippiRivertoexpresshisthematiccontrastsbetweeninnocenceandexperience,natureandculture,wildernessandcivilization.◆HemingwayoncedescribedMarkTwain’snovelTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinntheonebookfromwhich“allmodernAmericanliteraturecomes.”◆MarkTwainemployedanunpretentiousstyleofAfro-Americaninhisnovelswhichisbestdescribedas“vernacular”.

◆AsasequeltoTheAdventuresofTomSawyer,TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn

markstheclimaxofMarkTwain'sliteraryactivity.

◆Allhisnovelsrevealthat,astimewenton,MarkTwainbecameincreasinglypessimistic.◆AfterTheAdventuresofTomSawyer,TwaingivesaliteraryindependencetoTom'sbuddyHuckinabookentitledTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn.◆TheAdventuresofTomSawyerandTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnprovedthemselvestobethemilestoneinAmericanliterature,andfirmlyestablishedTwain’spositionintheliteraryworld.

◆TheAdventuresofTomSawyerisusuallyregardedasaclassicbookwrittenforboysabout

theirparticularhorrorsandjoys,whileTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,beingaboysbookspeciallywrittenfortheadults,isTwain’smostrepresentativework,describingajourneydowntheMississippiundertakenbytwofugitives,HuckandJim.◆WithHowells,JamesandMarkTwainactiveontheliteraryscene,realismbecamethemajortrendinAmericanliteratureintheseventiesandeightiesofthe19th-century.◆H.L.MenckenconsideredMarkTwain“thetruefatherofournationalliterature.”WithworkslikeAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1884)andLifeontheMississippi(1883)Twainshapedtheworld’sviewofAmericaandmadeamoreextensivecombinationofAmericanfolkhumorandseriousliteraturethanpreviouswritershadeverdone.

◆WhatmakesMarkTwain'sTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnmorethanachild'sadventurestory?BrieflydiscussthequestionfromTHREEofthefollowingaspects:thesetting,thelanguage,thecharacter(s),thethemeandthestyle.A.Setting:InthenovelMarkTwainrecreatesasmall-townworldofAmericaandpresentsthelocalcolor.B.Language:Heusessimple,directlanguagefaithfultothecolloquialspeech,thevernacularlanguageofthelocalpeople.C.Character(s):Theauthorrecreatestworebelsandfugitivesrunningawayfromcivilization,especiallyHuckleberryFinn,aninnocentboywhorefusestoaccepttheconventionalvillagemorality.D.Theme:Thenovelisacriticismofsocialinjustice,hypocrisy,conservativenessandnarrow-mindednessoftheAmericansmalltownsociety.E.Style:Thenovelemploysahumorousstyleofnarrationandisalsohighlysymbolicwiththecentralsymbol.

◆WhatisspecialaboutMarkTwain’srealism?MarkTwain’scontributiontothedevelopmentofrealismandtoAmericanliteratureasawholewaspartlythroughhistheoriesoflocalcolorinAmericanfiction,andpartlythroughhiscolloquialstyle.MarkTwaindrewheavilyfromhisownrichfundofknowledgeofpeopleandplaces.Heconfinedhimselftothelifewithwhichhewasfamiliar.Byquotingfromhisownexperience,hemanagedtotransformintoartthefreedomandhumor,inshort,thefinestelementsofwesternculture.

2.Lifeexperience

MarkTwain,pennameof

SamuelLanghorneClemens,wasbornonNovember30,1835,Missouri,andgrewupintherivertownofHannibal.Afterhisfatherdiedhebegantoseekhisownfortuneattheageof12.Twainwasrestlesswhenwasyoung,hemovedalot,firsteastwardasajourneymanprinter,upanddowntheMississippiasasteamboatpilot,andthenfartherwestintothegoldandsilversettlementsofNavada.Thenhebegantoworkasanewspapercolumnistandasadeadpanlecturer.Twain’swritingtooktheformofhumorousjournalismofthetime,anditenabledhimtomasterthetechniqueofnarration.In1865,hepublishedhisfrontiertale“TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty,”whichbroughthimrecognitionfromawiderpublic.Buthisfullliterarycareerbegantoblossomin1869withatravelbookInnocentsAbroad,anaccountofAmericantouristsinEuropewhichpokesfunatthepretentious,decadentandundemocraticOldWorldinasatiricaltone.

3.Pointsofview

(1)Optimistandmisanthrope

MarkTwainwaslivinginaperiodwhentheAmericanWestwasstillwideopen.Therefore,anationwidewestwardmovementwasinbloom.

YoungMarkTwainwasamongtheflow；hewasdelightedwiththefreshlandandinvigoratedbypioneeringspirit.Lifewasbrightforhim,filledwithitsmysteries,alarmedbyitsterrors,andamusedbyitscontrasts.Thus,hewasabletolaughwithlightnessasthegreatesthumoristinthePacificSlope.However,laughterandhumordidn’tlastlong.Theywereslowlybeingreplacedbybittersneerandsatire.Consequently,Twainchangedfromanoptimisttoamisanthrope.Hewasdoubtfulofmankindandhumanity.Somecriticslinkthischangewiththetragiceventsofhislaterlife,butthebasicreasonisthattheolderTwainnolongertakesthingsattheirfacevalue;aftermanyyearsoftravelingheencountersmoreoftenthannotthedarksideofsociallifeandthewickedcornersofhumannature.

3.Pointsofview

(2)Moraloutlook

Thoughbasicallyagreathumorist,Twainwasbynomeansshalloworfrivolous.Heoncesaidthathewasaseriouswriter,andwasactivelyconcernedwithmoralideasinonewayoranother.Love,humanity,fidelity,loyalty,duty,courage,andhardworkarehighvirtuesinhismoralcode.Notonlydoeshewriteaboutthem,heevenchoosesthecrucialmomentofmoralconflictstotesthischaracters.HuckFinnisatypicalexample.TwainputsHuckinamoraldilemma:toinformMissWatsonaboutherrunawayslave,thusreturningJimtoslaveryortostaywithhimandhelphimtofreedom.ActuallyHuck’schoiceisalsoTwain’s;byportrayingawhiteboywithasoundheartbutadeformedconsciencewhodoesthingsfromhisnature,Twainisfavoringthemoralityofnatureoverthatofman.Thisiseasytobeunderstoodbecauseinthissophisticatedandcomplexworld,onlythosewhoneverbetraytheirnaturecanachievemoralgreatness.

3.Pointsofview

(3)Politicalattitude

Twain’stimesawagreatchangeineconomicdevelopment.TheCivilWarthatbrokeoutin1861withthefinalvictoryoftheNorthsolidifiedonceagainitsimportanceinthenation’spoliticalandeconomiclives.ThegloryoftheSouthbasedonslaverywasgonewiththewind.LotsofSouthernpoorwhitesandnewlyfreedslavesrushedtotheadvancedNortherncitiestoseekjobsandmakefortunes.YoungTwainhadthesameexperience;hewenttotheWesttorealizehisdream.HeoncebelievedtheideaofdevelopmentandindustrializationsinceitcouldmodernizetheyoungcountryandencouragetheenterprisingspiritoftheAmericanswhohadlongbeenfamousforit.However,insteadofimprovingman’smorality,materialwealthbroughtoutcorruptionandinjustices.Thus,Twainbecamedoubtfulabouttheideaofdevelopmentandskepticalofthegoodnessofhumannature.

3.Pointsofview

(4)Racialconcern

InAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,Twainusedtheword“nigger”morethan200times;hence,theargumentoverthebook’sandtheauthor’sracismbecomestheconcernofthecritics.Actuallyasarealisticwriter,Twainneverimaginedhewouldbelabeledasaracist.Hepresentstruepicturesofthesociallifeathistime;andanyonewhoisfamiliarwiththeslavehistoryknowsthattheword“nigger”wasbeingfrequentlyusedinthedailylife.

Twainonlymirrorsthesocialreality.Moreover,inthenovelTwainevaluatesmannotaswhitesorblacksbutasequalsonearth.Inthissense,Twainisnotaracistatall,butahumanist.

3.Pointsofview

(5)Artisticview

Generallyspeaking,Twain’sliteraryviewshasbeentiedtorealismbecausetheyseemtobebasedonhostilitytowardromanticliterature,towardartorwritingderivedfromoutworntraditionandclichératherthanobservationandexperience.Forexample,inoneofhisarticleshewascallingforbelievable,interestingactionandcharacter,fordialogueresemblingspeechandconsistentlyappropriatetothecharacterthatspeaksit.

Twainalsodetestspsychologicalanalysis;hewantscomiceffectsandfun.However,Twaindislikesanalysisnotbecauseitisunrealisticbutbecauseitisboringandlackseconomy.Inallofhisnovels,Twainisalwaysclosetothelifehepicturedandusesthelanguagefolksreallyspoke.Itishewhomakesthecolloquialspeechanacceptedliterarymediumandhisconcisestyleanexampletolaterwriters.

4.Majorworksandspecialfeatures

The

InnocentsAbroad(1869)TheGildedAge(1873)TheAdventuresofTomSawyer(1876)TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1884)LifeontheMississippi(1883)AConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur'sCourt(1889)TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1884)

4.Majorworks

(1)TheInnocentsAbroad(1869)IttellsAmericantouristsinEuropewhichpokesfunatthepretentious,decadentandundemocraticOldWorldinasatiricaltone.(2)TheGildedAge(1873)ItreferstotheperiodofgrossmaterialismandblatantpoliticalcorruptionintheU.S.historyduringthe1870sthatgaverisetoimportantnovelsofsocialandpoliticalcriticism.Theperiodtakesitsnamefromtheearliestofthese,TheGildedAge,writtenbyMarkTwainincollaborationwithCharlesDudleyWarner.ThenovelgivesavividandaccuratedescriptionofWashingtonD.C.,andispeopledwithcaricaturesofmanyleadingfiguresoftheday,includinggreedyindustrialistsandcorruptpoliticians.ThepoliticalnovelofTheGildedAgerepresentthebeginningsofanewstrainintheAmericanliterature.

(3)TheAdventuresofTomSawyer(1876)

Beinggenerallyregardedasaboy’sstory,thebookisallaboutTomandhisgang.WhilespendingasummerwithAuntPollyinadrowsyMississippiRivertown,TomandhisbuddiesHuckandJoetakeaseriesofadventuresthere.TheywitnessahorriblemurderdonebyInjunJoe.TwainhadmadeTomtheheroofAmericanBoyhood,andthebookhadbecometheclassicreadinschoolsasistheDeclarationofIndependence.Toalargerextent,bytellingthisstory,Twainfulfillshisandotheradults’dreamofidealboyhood.Allthecrueltiesandfears,wondersandjoysofchildhoodarebroughtintovividness.

(4)TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1884)

MarkTwain'snovelTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnisaSequatoTheAdventuresofTomSawyer.TheStorytakesplacealongtheMississippiRiverbeforetheCivilWarintheUnitedStates,around1850.Alongtheriver,floatsasmallraft,withtwopeopleonit;Oneisanignorant,uneducatedblackslavenamedJimandtheotherislittleuneducatedoutcastwhiteboyabouttheageofthirteen,calledHuckleberryFinnorHuckFinn.ThenovelrelatesthestoryoftheescapeofJimfromslaveryand,moreimportant,howHuckFinn,floatingalongwithJimandhelpinghimasbesthecould,changeshismind,hisprejudice,aboutBlackpeople,andcomestoacceptJimasamanandasaclosefriendsaswell.Duringtheirjourney,theyexperienceaseriesofadventures:comingacrosstwofrauds,the“Duke”andthe“King”,witnessingthelynchingandmurderofaharmlessdrunkard,beinglostinafogandfinallyTom'scomingtorescue.Thethemeofthenovelmaybebestsummedinaword“freedom”:HuckwantstoescapefromthebondofcivilizationandJimwantstoescapefromtheyokeofslavery.MarkTwainusestheraft'sjourneydowntheMississippiRivertoexpresshisthematiccontrastsbetweeninnocenceandexperience,natureandculture,wildernessandcivilization.(5)LifeontheMississippi(1883)AtoncearomantichistoryofthemightyMississippiRiver,anautobiographicalaccountofTwain'searlysteamboatdays,andastorehouseofanecdotesandsketches,thisstirringaccountofAmerica'svanishedpastistherawmaterialfromwhichTwainwrotehisfinestnovel―“TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn”.

(6)AConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur’sCourt(1889)ThisbookisaburlesquewithTwain’shumorandsatire.TwainintentionallyputsHankinKingArthur’scourttocommentonAmericansociety,themechanicalageandhumannatureingeneral.HeseverelyattackstherigidsystemofintellectualcontrolasreflectedbytheChurchandtheundemocraticsystemofinheritednobilityasrepresentedbytheCourt.ItseemsthatinthisbookTwaindoesnotlooseanychancetodramatizetheabsurdityofhumanhistory,inwhichmenaregovernedbyheredityandenvironment,andtheconceptsoffree-willandprogressareillusions.

5.Specialfeaturesofhisworks

(1)ComicnarratorSometimesTwain’snarratorishimself,sometimesitisamischievousboyoranaïvetourist,andsometimesitisawisemanthatnarrateshispastexperience.Inaword,hisnarratorisascolorfulashisvarietiesoflaughter.Yet,whoevertheyare,theyareallofcomicnature.AcomicnarratorisessentialtohisworknotonlybecauseitisTwain’suniquewayoflookingattheworld.(2)Localcolorism

AsavariationofAmericanrealism,localcolorismisnotsolelyTwain’strademark.Yet,itisundeniablethatTwainhasbroughtittoworldfame.He,asalocalcolorist,presentstothefrontlocalcharactersandscenery,whichheknowsverywellfromhischildhood.WhoeverreadsTwainwillnotforgetthebeautifulscenesalongtheMississippiRiver,andpeoplewholiveinthosenearbytowns.Itishewhogivesliterarylifetothemotherriverandtruthfullydepictsthecolorsofthelocallife.

(3)Humor

Twainisagreathumorist.

Hishumoroftenappearsasamockseriousexpressionofinnocenceinaslowcarefuldrawl.Hecanmakeyoulaughyourheadoffwhilehehimselfremainsseriousatthesametime.Whatismore,heeventriesmanywaystoachievethehumoristiceffect,suchas:parodyandburlesque,talltalesandanticlimax,etc.(4)languageHedecidedtodosomethingforthelanguageindependenceoftheNewWorld.Hestrippedawayoutwornresponsesandreplacedthemwithafresh,vigorouslanguage.Hewasavanguardinpurifyingthe

dialectofthetribeandmadevernacularanacceptedliterarymeansinAmericanliterature.Mostofhisgreatbooksareheavilytaintedwithlocaldialects,colloquialism,evenBlackEnglish,clippedstructureandungrammaticalsentences.Strangely，itisnotdifficulttounderstandthem.Onthecontrary，wefeelTwain’sgeniusincreatinghischaractersthatusealanguagesuitabletotheirsocialpositions.Topic3―IntroductiontoHenryJames

thefounderofPsychologicalrealism

1.Comment

◆HenryJamesisconsideredthefounderofPsychologicalrealism.Hebelievedthatrealityliesintheimpressionsmadebylifeonthespectator.◆James’sinnovationintraditionandinfluenceonlatergenerationsliedinhisprobeintothecharacter’spsychologyandhispursuitoftheartisticform,whichwerejustthetwoessentialfeaturesofthemodernistnovel.◆HenryJamesgreatestinfluencewasexertednotonhisownagebutontheonethatfollowed.◆T.S.EliottermedJames“themostintelligentmanofhisgeneration”.

1.Comment

◆PhilipRahvcalledhim“theAmerica’sgreatestnovelist’’.◆YvorWintersproclaimedhim“thegreatestnovelistinEnglish”.◆TheBritishcriticF.R.Leavisrhetoricallydemanded:“Whatachievementintheartoffiction…canwepointtoinEnglishassurpassinghis?”◆HenryJameswasthefirstAmericanwritertoconceivehiscareerininternationalterms.TodaywiththedevelopmentofthemodernnovelandthecommonacceptanceoftheFreudianapproach,hisimportance,aswellashiswideinfluenceasanovelistandcritic,hasbeenallthemoreconspicuous.

2.Guidelines

◆HenryJamesprobedintotheindividualpsychologyofhischaractersbywritinginarichandintricatestyle.◆Inhisrealisticfiction,HenryJames’sprimaryconcernistopresenttheinnerlifeofhumanbeings.◆HenryJamesisgenerallyregardedastheforerunnerofthe20th-century“stream-of-consciousness”novelsandthefounderofpsychologicalrealism.◆James’smostfamousthemeisinternationaltheme.◆Stylistically,HenryJames'fictionischaracterizedbyhighlyrefinedlanguage.

3.Lifeexperience

HenryJameswasborninNewYorkCity.Hisfatherwasatheologicalwriterandhiselderbrotherwasthedistinguishedphilosopherandpsycho1ogistWil1iamJames,whomadeagreatcontributiontothetheoryofthestream-of-consciousnesstechnique.JameswasoneofthefewauthorsintheAmericanliteraryhistorywhowasnotob1igedtoworkforaliving.Heexposedearlytoaninternationalsociety.In1862,heenteredHarvardLawSchool

wherehedevelopedalifelongfriendshipwithWilliamDeanHo