The Death of the Lion by Henry James

The story revolves around a wealthy and influential man who has died, leaving behind a large estate and a complex web of relationships among his acquaintances. The narrative explores the social dynamics and power struggles that emerge in the aftermath of his death, particularly between those who stood to gain from his wealth and those who were affected by his passing.

By Henry James · First published 1894 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Satire, Drama · 10 chapters · 17,193 words

First lines

I had simply, I suppose, a change of heart, and it must have begun when I received my manuscript back from Mr. Pinhorn. Mr. Pinhorn was my "chief," as he was called in the office: he had the high mission of bringing the paper up. This was a weekly periodical, which had been supposed to be almost past redemption when he took hold of it. It was Mr. Deedy who had let the thing down so dreadfully: he was never mentioned in the office now save in connexion with that misdemeanour. Young as I was I had been in a manner taken over from Mr. Deedy, who had been owner as well as editor; forming part of a promiscuous lot, mainly plant and office-furniture, which poor Mrs. Deedy, in her bereavement and depression, parted with at a rough valuation. I could account for my continuity but on the supposition that I had been cheap.

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What this Textopian page supports

The Death of the Lion is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry James, dated 1894 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Henry James
• Date: 1894 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Literary Fiction, Satire, Drama, Psychological Fiction
• Length: 17,193 words
• Structure: 10 chapters, 202 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Death of the Lion by Henry James
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

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Genres

• Literary Fiction — The narrative style and focus on character development and social commentary align with literary fiction.
• Satire — The work critiques and humorously examines the literary world and its values.
• Drama — The plot involves intense character interactions and emotional conflicts.
• Psychological Fiction — The story delves into the inner thoughts and motivations of its characters.

Tags

Literary Fiction · Short Story · Psychological Insight · Social Commentary · Class Structure · English Society · Victorian Era · Coming of Age · Identity Crisis · Moral Ambiguity · Family Dynamics · Parent-Child Relationships

Contents

• CHAPTER I
• CHAPTER II
• CHAPTER III
• CHAPTER IV
• CHAPTER V
• CHAPTER VI
• CHAPTER VII
• CHAPTER VIII
• CHAPTER IX
• CHAPTER X

More by Henry James

• The Beldonald Holbein (1916)
• Four Meetings (1885)
• Roderick Hudson (1875)
• The American (1877)
• Confidence (1903)
• The Europeans (1878)
• Daisy Miller (1878)
• An International Episode (1867)
• All works by Henry James