New Perspectives on "Americans"

Author: Banta Ed.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The Americans (1877) was written in the year that Henry James began to gain acclaim as a writer outside the United States. Thus, the novel became a microcosm of James's support and opposition to his American compatriots. This book includes a set of original essays that offer fresh perspectives on this characteristic and other significant aspects of the novel; the influence of French literature on James, who hovered between Romantic and Realist fiction, the multi-layered French political landscape integrated into the novel by the author, the complex gender roles of the novel's characters, and the profound impact of capitalism on the characters. The editor of this book describes the writing process of The Americans and the different criticisms and praises it received in Europe and the United States in the introduction.