Showing results for title "Washington Square", by author "Henry James" in Drama & Plays

Washington Square is a captivating short novel by Henry James, first serialized in 1880 in both Cornhill Magazine and Harpers New Monthly Magazine. This structurally straightforward tragicomedy delves into the poignant conflict between a sweet yet unremarkable daughter and her brilliant, overbearing father. Often likened to the works of Jane Austen for its elegant prose and sharp focus on familial ties, James himself was not a fan of Austen and didnt hold Washington Square in high regard. In fact, during the compilation of his New York Edition of fiction (1907-1909), he struggled to revisit it...

When a handsome young man begins to court Catherine Sloper, she feels she is very lucky. She is a quiet, gentle girl, but neither beautiful nor clever; no one had ever admired her before, or come to the front parlour of her home in Washington Square to whisper soft words of love to her. But in New York in the 1840s young ladies are not free to marry where they please. Catherine must have her father’s permission, and Dr Sloper is a rich man.