Essay on The Immortal Villain of Washington Square

The Immortal Villain of Washington Square In Washington Square, Henry James confronts us with an exceptionally hopeless kind of tragedy. The oppressive circumstances of protagonists usually arise from failures of individual or social enlightenment. Such stories are optimistic to the extent that they suggest that progress might eventually lift mankind beyond the scope of the type of situations depicted. In Washington Square, however, truth itself is the oppressor -- a universal truth of human nature which, a century after publication, we are still loath to recognize. Catherines tragedy is our universal susceptibility to the superficial: the chasm between the qualities that our reflective sensibilities recognize as good and†¦show more content†¦In The House of Mirth, Lily Bart, following a role comparable to Morris Townsends, has been conditioned since infancy in a way that has left her incapable of unlocking from a track that leads only to deplorable destinations. (At the same time, this genius of sympathetic percept ion remains insensible to Seldens potentially redeeming love.) Catherine Slopers timeless plight is of a more dismal tincture. She is, in her fathers words, absolutely unattractive (p. 35). She is twenty(1), yet has never before, as the doctor points out to Mrs. Almond, received suitors in the house. Mrs. Almonds protestations that Catherine is not unappealing are little more than a matter of form: Is he in earnest about Catherine, then? [Dr. Sloper asked.] I dont see why you should be incredulous, said Mrs. Almond. It seems to me that you have never done Catherine justice. You must remember that she has the prospect of thirty thousand a year. The Doctor looked at his sister a moment, and then, with the slightest touch of bitterness: -- You at least appreciate her, he said. Mrs. Almond blushed. (P. 34) Mrs. Penniman, for her part, readily perceives that without Catherines full inheritance, Morris would have nothing to enjoy (p. 126), while for Morris himself, CatherinesShow MoreRelatedEssay on Early American History and Traditions of Excellence2607 Words   |  11 Pagescolonists, as they did not have any representation in the British parliament. America declared themselves free in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Revolutionary War officially broke out in 1779. The war lasted until 1784 when George Washington led his troops to victory at the Battle of Yorktown. Upon entering the world as a young country, America encountered both changes and challenges. Following the war, America inflicted its citizens with taxes. As a result of theses taxes, manyRead MoreFounding Brothers9626 Words   |  39 Pagesconvention: interest of small v. large states, federal v. state jurisdiction, and sectional slavery. Nevertheless, still a work-in-progress in 1789, the US had several things going for it. It was youthful, expansive, and the first President, George Washington, was unanimously chosen. The next decade would be the most important in the countrys history. There are two ways to view events in this stage of history. The pure-Republicanism interpretation, or the Jeffersonian interpretation