Henry James' Daisy Miller

American-born Henry James (1843-1916) was one of the true literary giants.

His 1878 novella Daisy Miller brought him his first taste of commercial success and critical acclaim.

James spent a large part of his life in Europe and in Britain. He was fascinated by the experience of Americans in Europe.

This is the theme of the novella. Daisy Miller is the daughter of a nouveau riche American. Her father has sent her, along with her mother and her kid brother, to Switzerland to absorb some culture and some polish. Daisy is beautiful and charming. Her problem is not that she’s American but that she does not not know any of the rules that govern respectable fashionable society. Even worse, she does not know that she does not know these rules. She has no idea why she is continually snubbed.

She makes the acquaintance of Winterbourne. He is a young American but he has spent most of his life in Europe. He does know the rules. Unfortunately he does not comprehend that he is dealing with a girl who is entirely unaware of her social mistakes. She is entirely unaware that her forwardness will be misinterpreted as an indication of loose morals.

Winterbourne is charmed by her but also shocked.

That’s what will cause the heartache. He is delighted when he first encounters her and is able to engage her in conversation, but shocked that he allows it. It is most improper for a young lady to speak to a young man to whom she has not been formally introduced. He is delighted that she agrees to accompany him to a picturesque nearby chateau but shocked that she does so. Again, it is not proper behaviour for a young lady.

Winterbourne just cannot reconcile his attraction to Daisy’s beauty, vivacity and charm with his growing fear that perhaps she really is not respectable. He is worried about her familiarity with Eugenio the courier. The seeds of mistrust and suspicion have been sown. And Daisy does nothing to allay his concerns because she has no inkling that she has done anything wrong.

Later, in Rome, Daisy’s behaviour becomes increasingly socially reckless but she remains oblivious. She spends a lot of time with an Italian who may be a fortune-hunter. That’s Winterbourne’s assumption. But is Daisy just flirting?

Winterbourne and Daisy just cannot understand each other. It’s not a cultural difference. They’re both Americans. It’s not even quite a class difference. It’s a social difference. The inhabit different mental universes. Daisy does not realise her danger. Winterbourne cannot get through to her.

The communication difficulty has other consequences. Winterbourne genuinely doesn’t know what feelings, if any, Daisy has for him. And increasingly he is unsure about his own feelings.

Daisy is trapped by her inability to comprehend the social rules. Winterbourne is trapped because he understands them too well.

Winterbourne and Daisy are both rather nice young people. We care about them although we share Winterbourne’s exasperation with Daisy and to an extent we share her exasperation with him.

Wonderful book. Read it.

I very much enjoyed Peter Bogdanovich’s film adaptation, Daisy Miller (1974). I recommend it. It follows the novella very closely and I think it captures its spirit.