The Marriages by Henry James (1914)

Name: The Marriages
Author: Henry James

The novel revolves around the complex relationships between two couples: the American Milly Theale and her fiancé Gilbert Osmond, and his daughter Pansy, who is engaged to a man named Amerigo. Milly's health begins to decline due to a mysterious illness, which leads to a series of events that expose the true nature of the relationships between the characters. The novel explores themes of love, morality, class, and identity as it delves into the inner lives of its characters.

By Henry James · First published 1914 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary · 4 chapters · 18,014 words

First lines

"WON'T you stay a little longer? " the hostess asked while she held the girl's hand and smiled. "It's too early for every one to go-it's too absurd. " Mrs. Churchley inclined her head to one side and looked gracious; she flourished about her face, in a vaguely protecting sheltering way, an enormous fan of red feathers. Everything in her composition, for Adela Chart, was enormous. She had big eyes, big teeth, big shoulders, big hands, big rings and bracelets, big jewels of every sort and many of them. The train of her crimson dress was longer than any other; her house was huge; her drawing-room, especially now that the company had left it, looked vast, and it offered to the girl's eyes a collection of the largest sofas and chairs, pictures, mirrors, clocks, that she had ever beheld. Was Mrs. Churchley's fortune also large, to account for so many immensities? Of this Adela could know nothing, but it struck her, while she smiled sweetly back at their entertainer, that she had better try to find out. Mrs. Churchley had at least a high-hung carriage drawn by the tallest horses, and in the Row she was to be seen perched on a mighty hunter. She was high and extensive herself, though not exactly fat; her bones were big, her limbs were long, and her loud hurrying voice resembled the bell of a steamboat. While she spoke to his daughter she had the air of hiding from Colonel Chart, a little shyly, behind the wide ostrich fan. But Colonel Chart was not a man to be either ignored or eluded.

What this Textopian page supports

The Marriages is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry James, dated 1914 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Henry James
Date: 1914 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama
Length: 18,014 words
Structure: 4 chapters, 203 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The narrative focuses on character development and explores complex social and psychological themes.
Psychological Fiction — The story delves into the inner thoughts and motivations of the characters, emphasizing their psychological depth.
Social Commentary — The plot examines societal norms and relationships, offering insights into the social dynamics of the time.
Drama — The narrative involves intense character interactions and emotional conflicts, typical of dramatic storytelling.