Henry James' International Theme And Its Expression In Daisy Miller

Henry James is a great novelist, dramatist and literary critic in the 19th century, occupying a very important position in both British and American literature. In his long creative career, Henry James originated the novels of "International Theme", which refer to the novels base on the background of the cross-Atlantic cultural and moral confrontation and collision between Europe and America. This thesis through surveying and analyzing Henry James'works of the International Theme, indicate that the focus of the International Theme is dynamic and variable.Daisy Miller is one of Henry James'representative works in the early stage, which belong to the works of the International Theme, and mainly demonstrates the great diversities between European and American cultures and the incompatibility of the cultural conflict.This thesis consists of five chapters.The first chapter gives a brief introduction to Henry James' creative career and his works.The second chapter sorts out and analyzes the researches on Henry James and his works, the International Theme and Daisy Miller respectively, pointing out that most of researchers haven't fully recognize the development of the focus of the International Theme.They just view it as static, discussing it in the works of one stage or even in one work. And most of the studies on Daisy Miller tend to consider the heroin Daisy Miller as a representative of "New Women", criticizing it from the feminine perspective.The third chapter of this thesis emphasizes the development of Henry James' International Theme.The thesis believes that in the early stage of his creative career, Henry James'International Theme tried to show the opposition of the two cultures, and emphasized the great gap between the cultures of the two continents, believing their conflict was incompatible.But in his so-called climax--a Portrait of a Lady, his early concept changed, he no longer stuck to the incompatibility of the two cultures, but began to believe the possibility of the cultural fusion, and tried to explore the way of cultural fusion. Henry James was fond of discussing the problems of human nature, society and morality, Then, through the rich of his experience and the enlargement of his view, The racial divergences of the Europeans and the Americans became trifle and insignificant, but the common nature of human beings beneath these differences drew his strong attention and interest. So in his later works, Henry James was fond of discussing the problems of human nature, society and morality.The fourth of this thesis analyzes three important factors affected Henry James' choice of the International Theme. The first is the Americans'pilgrimage for European culture; the second is Henry James'family education and special experience, the last is the influence of Mathew Arnold. Then, the last chapter is the most important part of this thesis.The thesis finds that the International Theme expressed in Daisy Miller by the form of the cultural conflict. The different sense of hierarchy, and concept for feminine morality as well as different attitude towards cultural cultivation resulted in this cultural conflict in the novella. In the level of cultural psychology, "Ethnocentrism" is the deep cause for the cultural prejudice and cultural conflict.