Henry James And Artistic Identity Of The Novel

Henry James is a distinguished novelist,literary critic and stylist. He was bom in the United States and moved to London in 1876.After that he joined the nationality of the United Kingdom. Under this background, he played an important role in the modem novel writing of Britain and the United States. Among all the novelists writing novels in English, Henry James was the first considering novels as an art. He did a long-term hard work and lots of experiments to prove this. No one before him has ever done this.What did Henry James do to prove that the novel was an art? This article tries to answer the question. It consists of three parts. The first chapter aims to discuss the novel theories before Henry James. Through the systematical review, I try to find what is focused and neglected during the development of novel theories, discovering that they mainly paid attention on the status and function of novels and the characters and plots in novels but rather than the art characteristic of novels. The second chapter is the core of this article. I try to discuss what Henry James did to prove the theory that novel was an art. This chapter also consists of three parts. Section one discusses the common characteristic between novels and other kinds of arts. Novel learns form painting and drama to make itself more artistic. Section two discusses the uniqueness of novels. Section three discusses other expositions of Henry James on the question we are discussing now, excepting the describing perspective and the technique of Drama. Chapter three discusses the Meaning and Significance of Henry James' novel theories from the aspects of novel creation and novel theories. It focuses on James' influence on the Stream of Consciousness Literature,narratology and Joseph·Conrad.Henry James's novels creation fulfills and proves his theories. His writing and theories make an impact on the character's psychology and writing skills, which are the most obvious and most fundamental characteristics of the modem novels. He is one of the founders of the modern fiction theories and deeply influences the development of modem novels. How did Henry change novel into an art? If we can make clear this question, then we can have a better understanding of the development of novels and grasp and elaborate Henry James' theory and practice on novels.