The American

Description

The American novel was published as a series in the Atlantic Monthly in 1876 – 1877 and then published as a book in 1877. This novel is a combined romantic, comedy, and melodramatic which includes the adventures and misfortunes of Christopher Newman, an innocent and naïve American who has a business in California, to what he calls the Old World and is determined to learn everything he can.

He has good intentions though awkward on his first trip to Europe. Particularly in Paris, he meets an old friend, Tom Tristram. Newman wants to explore other places different from the hostile and harsh 19th-century America. Tom Tristram shows him around Paris. He observes and sees the fun, beauty, and the unsightly side of Europe and either of those should be treasured. Newman’s friend introduces him to Claire de Cintre, a young and pretty widow whose family does not easily believe and trust in Americans. Nevertheless, Claire and Christopher both fell in love and both agreed to get married. The novel focuses more on Newman’s romantic relationship with a young widow from an aristocratic Parisian family. Newman is challenged and confused as he is forced to unravel secrets and unforeseen and some unanticipated questions about the society in its entirety.

As always longing for success in the theatre, James made The American into a play in the early 1890’s. The original novel was different from the play as it was altered but the audience were still enchanted and very much entertained. The play was produced in London and in other cities and gained success. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) produced a television remake of The American in 1998 with Paul Unwin as the director, starring Matthew Modine as Christopher Newman and Diana Rigg as Madame de Bellegarde, the scriptwriter was Michael Hastings.
[amz_corss_sell asin=”1776668324″]