Whashington Square

WHASHINGTON SQUARE BY HENRY JAMES

Henry James (New York 1843/London 1916) was born in New York city into a Wealthy family. His father was a clergyman an his brother a philosopher and psychologist. James was one of the best-known intellectuals in mid-nineteenth Century America.
James spent the last 53 years of his life in England, becoming a British subject in 1915, one year before his death.His method of writing from the point of view of a character within a tale allows him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception.

During most of his life was an expratriate in Europe. The feeling of being an American in Europe is a recurring theme in his books, which constrasted American innocence with European sophistication.

James did not get too much money from his books,however, was hobnobbing with the wealthy classes. Although it was not really one of them, James was raised in a wealthy family and Could watch them closely and understand their problems.
Once said that some of the best ideas for his stories got gossip in such meetings.

His sexuality was indefinite and his tastes an interests were, according to the prevailing levels of Victorian society partlyfemale.
It has been argued that being a subject foreign to the society they lived helped him in the detailed psychological análisis of situations, one of the highlights of his literary work. He was never a full member of any group

The analytic tendecy in his works is very marked. It is possible to interpret many of his stories a psychological experiments.
The novel Turn of the screw is a ghoststory that délas with the psychological impacto n a young governess single (and possibly sexually repressed) who stumbles upon a current affair complicated by the fact that the lovers are dead.
The story originally was interpretated as a simple ghost story, but reading between the lines offers a Freudian interpretation or at least psychologically narration.

James died in February 28, 1916after suffering a stroke in December of 1915.

WASHINGTON SQUARE

1) The novel is told from a third person omnisciente point of view, but the author takes part in the story with his comments. Provide 3 examples of his comments and explain them.

1) But she has not emancipated herself morally quite so far, “I trust, as to choose a husband without consulting me. I have left her at liberty, but Ihave not been in the least indifferent”

Here, Mr. Morris and Dr. Sloper have a talk about Mr. Morris´Catherine interest where Dr. Sloper lets Mr. Morris knows that he is not agree with their relationship.
Apart from that Dr. Sloper claims Mr.Morris that he had to had spoken first with him or at least he had to be present when he spoke with Catherine and, if he thinks that he left her daughtermuch liberty, perhaps it is true, but he deals with the issue and it is not indifferent for him.

2) “Did you really expect I would say I was delighted, and throw my daughter into your arms?”

Dr. Sloper shows his disagreement about Mr. Morris and his daughter relationship.

3) “As certain as that I sit here!”

Dr. Sloper talks with Mrs. Montgomery about his fortune and the money thatCatherine will inherit in case she does not get married with Mr. Morris. If she does it Dr. Sloper prefers to leave the money to a public institutions.

2) Define Irony. Provide 5 examples by quoting from the novel. Explain them.

IRONY: it is a form of humour in which you use words to Express the oposite of waht the words really mean.

1) “Oh, his name is Morris Townsend, is it? And did hecome here to propose to you”?
When Dr. Slopers arrives home Mrs. Penniman tells him about Mr. Morris visit. Dr. Sloper seems to be indifferent and after asking who Mr. Morris was, the first thing that asks his daughter is if he proposed him.
I think he is very ironic because deeply in his thoughts he knew that it would never happen.

2) “Well, my dear, did he propose to you today?”...