Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City to a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits as opposed to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Europeans is the story of a brother and sister duo who are natural born Americans but are brought up in Europe. The two protagonists are Eugenia Munster and Felix Young, Americans who spend their formative years moving around different European capitals. Eugenia's sensibilities are essentially European and has contracted a morganatic marriage with Prince Adolf of Silberstadt-Schreckenstein, the younger brother of the reigning prince. Her husbands family urge him to dissolve the marriage and Eugenia travel to Boston with Felix. They stay with their uncle Wentworth, who has a son Clifford and daughters, Gertrude and Charlotte.
Felix is immediately captivated by the charming quaint Wentworth's and being an artist offers to make a portrait of Gertrude. Gertrude is engaged to marry Brand, a pastor for whom she can never have any feelings. She plans to go through the wedding just to please her father. Gertrude's sister Charlotte loves Brand but hides it for the same reason. This family has friends, the Actons who are the nouveau rich with Robert Acton being the inheritor of the monetary benefits. He has a invalid mother and a simple sister Lizzie. The Wentworth's are strictly puritanical and they spent a lot of time with the Actons.
Eugenia feels bored among these puritanical society, but is drawn out by Robert Acton. Robert starts falling for Eugenia and she tells him about her intentions to divorce the prince. Felix reprimands Gertrude for being puritanical and tells her that he loves her. Mr. Wentworth informs Felix that Clifford has been expelled from Harvard for improper behavior and Felix offers to tie him up with Eugenia. Soon Robert Acton and Clifford come clean of their intentions with Clifford announcing his love for Lizzie. Brand comes to know about Gertrude's love for Felix and offers to marry them both
Soon all the loose ends are tied up. Brand realizes Charlotte's love and marries her and Gertrude ties the knot with Felix. Clifford and Lizzie come together too. Eugenia in turn spurns Robert and sail to Europe leaving Robert heart broken. But he meets somebody nice after a year and starts life anew.
This book reminds me about Jane Austen's tangle of characters. But in a quirky departure, there are no tall dark handsome mysterious stranger's in Henry James's book. Eugenia is the strong lady who is ahead of time's and through her the author deftly denounces the puritan values of America. He presents a lady with a mind of her own with out being a slave to other's and this European Bohemian independence is celebrated.
A good book and a pleasant read.
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