On Henry James's Women In His Three Novels

Henry James is a dedicated, prolific writer who deals profoundly with a great variety of themes. There are various types of characters in James's fictional society, but women dominate the fictional scene in Henry James. This thesis is an attempt to take a comprehensive look into the female characters-the American girls-in Henry James's three main novels, and the historical, cultural and biographical elements that help forge their depiction as well as their influences on the male protagonists for the purpose of understanding Henry James's views of women and his sense of love.The whole thesis mainly consists of three chapters. Chapter one concentrates on the historical and cultural background which affects Henry James's writing and his ideas on gender issues. More attention will be paid to the four important persons who exert profound influences upon Henry James's views of women and sense of love. Chapter two is devoted to taking a comprehensive look into Henry James's American girls-Isabel Archer, Milly Theale and Maggie Verver-in his three main novels: The Portrait of a Lady, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl. The different life experiences of the three American girls reflect Henry James's views of women and sense of love. Chapter three focuses on my ideas resulted from the preceding two chapters. Henry James is an author with feminine perspective and sensibility. The life's journey of Henry James's American girls from the innocent Isabel to the generous Milly, and finally to the triumphant Maggie is just the journey of James's lifelong pursuit of love.