Introduction
Henry James is known not only as a novelist but also for his work as literary critic. In his famous essay “The Art of Fiction” (1884), he reacted on a pamphlet that the British author Walter Besant had published under the same title earlier that year. In fact, a discussion and controversy on the novel had already been started in 1882 with Howells' “Henry James Jr.” and Stevenson's “A Gossip of Romance”. James used the opportunity to present his ideas on the novel of fiction: “A novel is in its broadest definition a personal, a direct impression of life” 1. It is very important for him to stress that life is personally -and therefore subjectively- received by an author who than tries to represent life in his2 work. James offers in his essay various new aspects that a novelist should be aware of and make use of if he wants to write a realistic and true novel.
This essay deals with the novel What Maisie knew (first published in 1897) which is one of the less known and less studied novels written by Henry James. Critics see it as a work in which James has left the `mainstream literature´ that the literary market asked for and has realised some of his ideas he had coped with in theory already in the 1880’s when he wrote “The Art of Fiction”. Most of these critics have studied the morality in What Maisie knew and the innovation to present the story from a child’s consciousness. This essay is not interested in the moral aspect of the novel but raises the question if Henry James put into practise his own theory when he wrote Maisie more than ten years after his “Art of Fiction”. After presenting the main arguments of James’ theory, I will scrutinise whether James really has put his theory into practice. Most attention will be turned to his ideas of a realistic writing, looking not only at the aspect of how to write a realistic novel but also of how to create a realistic atmosphere. This essay will try to prove that Henry James did practise his own preaching at least to a certain degree in What Maisie knew and show where James' realistic fiction might reach its limits.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- I. The Art of Fiction
- I.1 The representation of life
- I.2 Freedom of form
- I.3 The subject of the novel
- I.4 Psychology in the novel
- I.5 Morality and the novel
- I.6 Subjectivity
- I.7 Conclusions
- II What Maisie knew and James' theory on the novel
- II.1 Incidents and their different functions in the novel What Maisie knew
- II.2 Maisie as a centre of consciousness
- II.3 Maisie's learning and development
- II.4 Maisie as an object of study
- II.5 What Maisie knew
- Conclusions
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay examines Henry James' novel What Maisie Knew (1897) in relation to his earlier essay "The Art of Fiction" (1884). The primary objective is to analyze whether James' theoretical pronouncements on the novel's realistic representation of life and freedom of form were put into practice in his later work. The essay focuses on the practical application of James' ideas, rather than a moral evaluation of the novel.
- Realistic representation of life in fiction
- The author's freedom of form and content
- Subjectivity and multiple points of view in narrative
- The relationship between the novel and the reader
- The role of experience in shaping both the author and the reader's understanding of life as presented in the novel
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section sets the stage by highlighting Henry James' dual identity as both a novelist and literary critic. It introduces "The Art of Fiction" (1884) and its context within ongoing debates about the novel. The introduction also establishes the essay's central question: Does What Maisie Knew reflect the principles articulated in "The Art of Fiction"? The focus is established on examining James's theory of realistic writing and its manifestation in What Maisie Knew, avoiding moral interpretations of the novel's content.
I. The Art of Fiction: This chapter delves into James's response to Walter Besant's views on fiction as a fine art. James refutes Besant's restrictive ideas, advocating for greater authorial freedom in both form and content. A key theme is James's assertion that a novel's primary purpose is to represent life authentically, acknowledging the inherent subjectivity involved in this representation. He emphasizes the novel's interactive nature, highlighting its capacity to engage the reader and foster a connection between the work and the reader's experience. James stresses that a successful novel does not merely present a pretty picture, but instead offers a compelling representation of life’s nuances.
I.1 The representation of life: This section centers on James's argument against the pressure on authors to justify their use of realism. He firmly declares that a novel's essential purpose is to authentically represent life, dismissing the notion that realism requires explanation or apology. He draws parallels between painting and writing, arguing that just as painting depicts reality, the novel is a form of historical representation. James critiques authors who apologize for their realistic approach, framing this apology as a significant artistic error. Furthermore, this section tackles the question of what constitutes a "good" novel. James argues that good novels are interesting, possessing a strong sense of reality or an "odor of reality," appealing to readers' life experiences to recognize authentic representations.
Keywords
Henry James, What Maisie Knew, "The Art of Fiction," realism, novel, authorial freedom, subjectivity, narrative perspective, representation of life, reader engagement, literary criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Henry James' *What Maisie Knew*
What is the purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive language preview of an essay analyzing Henry James' novel *What Maisie Knew* (1897) in relation to his essay "The Art of Fiction" (1884). It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords, facilitating a structured and professional analysis of the themes explored.
What are the main themes explored in the essay?
The essay's central theme is the analysis of whether James's theoretical pronouncements on the novel's realistic representation of life and freedom of form, as expressed in "The Art of Fiction," are reflected in his later work, *What Maisie Knew*. Key themes also include realistic representation of life in fiction, authorial freedom of form and content, subjectivity and multiple points of view in narrative, the relationship between the novel and the reader, and the role of experience in shaping both the author and the reader's understanding of life as presented in the novel.
What is the structure of the essay preview?
The preview is structured to provide a clear overview of the essay's content. It begins with a table of contents outlining the key sections. Following this, it details the objectives and key themes of the essay, providing a concise summary of the core arguments. Subsequently, chapter summaries offer a more in-depth look at the content of each section, clarifying the main points discussed. Finally, keywords are provided for easy referencing and search.
What are the key takeaways from "The Art of Fiction" as discussed in the preview?
The preview highlights James's rejection of restrictive views on fiction, advocating for greater authorial freedom in form and content. A central argument is the novel's primary purpose: the authentic representation of life, acknowledging inherent subjectivity. The preview emphasizes the interactive nature of the novel, its capacity to engage the reader, and the connection between the work and the reader's experience. Finally, it stresses that a successful novel offers a compelling representation of life's nuances, not merely a pretty picture.
How does the essay analyze *What Maisie Knew*?
The essay analyzes *What Maisie Knew* by examining how James's theoretical ideas on realism and authorial freedom are put into practice. The focus is on the practical application of James's ideas, rather than a moral evaluation of the novel's content. Specific aspects examined include incidents and their functions, Maisie as a center of consciousness, her learning and development, and her role as an object of study within the narrative.
What is the significance of Maisie's role in the novel?
The preview suggests that Maisie's role is crucial to the analysis. She serves as a center of consciousness, allowing the reader to experience the narrative through her perspective. Her learning and development are key to understanding the novel's themes, and her position as an "object of study" indicates the novel's focus on the complexities of subjective experience and the representation of life.
What keywords are associated with this essay?
Keywords include Henry James, What Maisie Knew, "The Art of Fiction," realism, novel, authorial freedom, subjectivity, narrative perspective, representation of life, reader engagement, and literary criticism.
- Citar trabajo
- Sebastian Frese (Autor), 2007, Henry James' "The Art of Fiction" and the application of his theory in "What Maisie knew", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/114978
