Daisy Miller: A Study in Two Parts

Description

When a wealthy, uninhibited young American woman arrives in places like Rome and Switzerland, the rigid, unspoken rules of society seem to crumble as soon as they come in contact with her spontaneous nature. Written in 1878, Daisy Miller is one of Henry James’ most successful, most entertaining, as well as earliest written works – a novella with a powerful message about the challenges posed by the societal differences of the time.

Daisy Miller is used to having an exciting time, and doesn’t pay much attention to the subtle rules of European society. With her father in America and her mother not really putting much effort into keeping her daughter’s rebellious and carefree nature in check, Daisy seems to step on each and every one of the unspoken rules of etiquette in the places she visits, shocking much of the European high society she encounters.

When Frederick Winterbourne, an expatriate who lived much of his life in sheltered Switzerland, shows interest in her, an interesting struggle ensues, as Daisy’s already tainted reputation begins to slowly drag Friedrick’s down as well. Will the two be able to maintain any kinds of relations without society frowning at them, and are their personalities even capable of maintaining an effective match? You may be surprised of the answer when you read Daisy Miller: A Study in Two Parts.

The author, having spent much of his youth in Europe, is well aware of the differences between the two societies – that were, and in some ways still are, completely separate worlds in their own rights – and has managed to shape this intriguing book quite masterfully around the key issues and challenges that the wealthy and influential Europeans and Americans used to face when clashing their views on etiquette and societal norms.


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