BIOGRAPHY

Biography.com described Henry James as "An American novelist and naturalized Englishman... an important figure in transatlantic literary culture of the day" (para. 1). Henry James was born in 1843. He belonged to a wealthy Manhattan family. In his adolescent years, he relocated to Europe. He had two siblings, a brother and a sister. His sister was named Alice and she was a perceptive diarist. His brother, William, was a psychologist and philosopher. His privilege involved studying in Europe and the remarkable career of his brother. Rye House became the name of his home in England. In 1876, he chose to settle permanently in England.

Quick Facts

He was named for his father, who was a social theorist and lecturer
Born in New York City on April 15, 1843
His brother, William, was America’s first notable psychologist
He passed away February 28, 1916
His place of death was London, England

His Education:

As he was younger, he was taken abroad by his parents. Tutors and other governess schooled him. His pre-adolescent years were spent in Manhattan. As he entered his adolescence, he returned to Geneva, Paris, and London to study. His father wanted Henry as well as his siblings to have a “rich, sensuous education” (Norton Anthology, p. 417) They visited libraries, galleries, museums, and theaters while in England, Switzerland, and France. He acquired the languages of Europe. At 19 years old, he chose to enroll in Harvard Law School. Instead of studying law, he chose to spend his time reading. He later dropped out to become a writer. James mastered French, and began to study it’s literature. "His whole "education" and upbringing were calculated to give him a multiple and international perspective on various cultures, and ensured that he would not, or could not, be contained within the orthodoxies of any one school of thought or theory of fiction, American, English, or European.” (Leon, para. 4).

His Work:

The novels of James express the relationship among Americans and Europeans. He was one of his generation’s most well known writers. By the age of 21, he had begun preforming reviews and publishing them in journals. These journals included: Atlantic Monthly, North American Review, Galaxy, and Nation. His first work was A Tragedy of Error. Johnson (2018) summarized it as "a story of an adulterous woman who is prepared to have her husband murdered" (para. 4). He expressed themes in his works regarding international travel, especially Americans in Europe. He also explored trouble with children who are oppressed in What Maisie Knew. He returned to international topic as he wrote The Golden Bowl in 1904.

His Legacy:

Henry James’s career stretched for a long period of time and was very influential. His writing career lasted a total of 51 years. He wrote 20 novels, 112 tales, 12 plays, several volumes of travel and criticism, and a great deal of literary journalism (Britannica, para. 3) In his work, James recognized the myths associated with American aboard. In many of his works, he possessed the theme of an innocent American facing the culture of Europe, which was corrupt. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, James work began to be translated in many countries. “James attracted, in his own lifetime, a select company of admirers and made a good living from his publications” (Norton Anthology, p.417)