"The Europeans" by Henry James: To what extent is "The Europeans" an expression of James's quest for a synthesis of the two qualities, the 'good' (Americans) and the 'beautiful' (Europeans)?

In The Europeans, the Americans (symbolized by the Wendeucerths) be puritans who abide by harsh Puritan rules, which promote the Puritan behavior of life. The Europeans, on the otherwise bridge player (symbolized by Eugenia and Felix), are not Puritans nevertheless are sophisticated, opportunistic, and sometimes lax in their way of life. This sometimes causes muddiness and conflict when their lives are enmeshed. But it similarly sometimes brings close an understanding, respect, tolerance and appreciation of one anothers beliefs, values, cultures and opinions. In the American culture, James comprehended the good, which we associate with the clean excitement of the Puritans; in the older European culture he prize the life lived, not in equipment casualty of moral ideas, but of aristocratic style. The most consequential theme of his myth, called The International piece emerges in a passage of the relationship or face-off betwixt these two cultures. James was fire in the moral perceptions of the characters - perceptions which emerged as a result of carry to soak upher the two cultures, the one with its apparent naivety or cultural innocence, the other, with its wider sleep with and ordinariness that verged on decadence. The author is not severely criticising European values, or American values. James is not taking sides. The author is adapted to direct gentle satire at European sophistication as well at the stiffness of the Americans.

The European characters Eugenia and Felix follow a highly refined lay down of opportunism. They constrain involved with a group of Amer icans who embody the to a great extent cons! ervative quality of field of view. The opposition amid opportunism and discipline is a central idea that gives the novel its dramatic unity. The terms of this opposition are presented in a conversation between Felix and Gertrude (James, 1995:67). Mr Wentworth confides in Felix telling him about his son being hang up for drinking (James, 1995:... If you want to get a full essay, format it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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