Daisy Miller is representative of the works of the Realism movement in literature. Realism deals with showing things as they are, objectivity, social structures, and the physical reality of a work.
In class, we attempted to determine if Daisy Miller is a tragedy. We decided that the work is in fact a tragedy because it begins good and ends badly. We asked the question, "Does Daisy deserve what she gets?" We decided that, although she was reckless and naive, she does not deserve to die for her mistakes. Daisy's character is representative of a naive American girl, nonchalant towards of the social standards of her day. Today's society would not fault her for the amount of time that she spent with men, however, the Europeans that she encounters are shocked at her behavior. Daisy rebels against these social norms, finding them too restrictive for her ambitions. Winterbourne has never encountered a young woman like Daisy and is baffled when he attempts to discern her character.
Passages:
p. 9-10
"He felt that he had lived at Geneva for so long tht he had lost a good deal; He had become dishabituated to the American tone...She was a pretty American flirt. Winterbourne was almost grateful for having found the formula that applied to Miss Daisy Miller"
This passage showcases the concept of Realism through the voice of Winterbourne. He is trying to stay objective in his analysis of Daisy Miller. However, Henry James also uses Winterbourne as a voice for the ex-patriot American society in Europe and their disdain for Daisy Miller's social graces. Here we see Winterbourne reach a conclusion that she is neither a whore nor a woman of high graces, but in fact something else due to her innocence and upbringing.
p.37
"It was impossible to regard her as a perfectly well-conducted young lady;...it would therefor simplify matters greatly to be able to treat her as the object of one of those sentiments which are called by romancers 'lawless passions.'...but Daisy, on this occasion, continued to present herself as an inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence."
This passage has Winterbourne struggling to define Daisy in one of two categories that pertain to woman of the era. Here, it is made clear that attempting to apply european graces to an American girl is like comparing apples to oranges. In a way, Winterbourne's slightly more lenient attitude toward Daisy and the nobility of his objectiveness, help open the door for women's rights.
Terms:
Realism - a writing style that attempts to show things as they are
Romanticism- Stories told from a highly subjective view point
Comments (1)
Brian Croxall said
at 5:48 pm on Nov 11, 2009
I've just looked at your notes again. Meaghan has done some work in beginning a summary and adding a definition. Your summary could be improved by adding more about realism, as that is obviously--even more so after our first day on Hedda Gabler--something that matters at the moment. I'm not sure that I would commit to saying that Daisy Miller *is* a tragedy. It all depends on whether or not we decide that Daisy is or is not what she appears to be. That question, as Meaghan starts to point out, is the central one of the text and related to realism in ways.
However, these notes are still not complete.
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