Analysis of Daisy Miller
Analysis of Daisy Miller
Henry James was one of the British and American literary realism literature masters in nineteenth century. In 1879, the publication of the Daisy Miller brought him his first international fame. And the theme of the novel is the collision between Europe culture and America culture (the new world and the old world).
Literally, Daisy miller means daisies, such characters naming ingenuity. Daisy, who also is simple, naive, and lower educated. Even if it is her first on stage, also through his brother with a call: "My elder sister is coming!" Along with the development of the plots, we may guess: her family is a U.S. industrial new rich (her brother Randolph says: "My father is very rich."), but the tunnel vision, ignorance of the Winterburn introduced the European history, she has no interest in culture. His brother even suspected that Europe does not have candy. As a European descent offspring, they are almost blank to their own cultural origin understanding. So that she always frustrated in communicating with Europe and the European and American nationals of stubborn brings (Such as Winterburn and his aunt Tele). And on the other hand, from the new world Daisy likes pure water. She despised the grading system, laughed at Europe land around her which suffocating old behaviors, and even boldly to abolish the inhuman system. Daisy wanted to make friend with Mrs.Tele, but she refused, although Daisy knew some reasons. Daisy also reflects a kind of innate of American individualism spirit: respecting other's privacy and self-esteem, not liking Rome women who like to manufacture gossip. However, Daisy's these personalities are not come from everywhere, neither omnipotent third person statements, nor its monologue, but from the impression and evaluation given by the people around her. To be specific, to the centre of consciousness (Daisy) focus is accomplished by Winterburn in shaping Daisy's character through the process. He likes a lamp that bright "the lamp". In order to let the Daisy image more plump, vivid, the European and Roman European beauty for the main overseas and the other characters from the perspective of the other participate also join in shaping .Daisy's brother Randolph
control by the author, up to lift line the role of characters to fill the context of the text lack of information.
Henry James grown in the United States, and deeply influenced by the American capitalist democracy idea, he advocated freedom and equality. His idea about the equality of human rights is reflected in the novel Daisy Miller. The heroine Daisy equals to everybody and makes all equal level. For Eugene, hired by spending money to travel, her family are all treated him equally. But in the European view, paid after is equivalent to an inferior to people, it is not the same to employers. The conflict on rank idea made her not accepted for those Europeans, and so buried the foreshadowing in their disdain for her later tragedy. Daisy is a typical image which James has shaped.
If grade concept makes Daisy not accepted by the European people, so the European and American women in moral differences allows the Daisy misunderstood step by step, that she did is regarded as "frivolous”. So that she lost the human dignity. Daisy always went to the party alone, she claims she has a lot of community in the United States, and there are a lot of male friends. The differences between men and women in human rights, and differences between women morality lead to the misunderstanding of Winterburn to Daisy, he thought she is qualitative for "the coquette", and it was this qualitative make Winterburn decided to give up on her pursuit. The misunderstanding of Winterburn enough to destroy Daisy's confidence and self-esteem, this is why Daisy disregard for malaria, determined to go to the Roman arena. Anyone can read the Daisy's anger and resentment, as a woman, its dignity by insult to them in terms of their destruction. And Winterburn doesn’t know the practices of Daisy in the United States need not make a fuss over it.
The differences in concept of level makes Daisy excluded from the upper-class European, moral differences makes Daisy became a so-called "to show off amorous feelings of the girl", and culture differences makes Daisy classed as "inscience". Daisy, as a representative of the American people has been despised by the Europeans. In their eyes, Daisy is not a good girl; the good things on her are considered to show off amorous feelings of the woman idiosyncratic. Thus, we can explain why the fiction
often displaying the Americans lacking of knowledge or experience. In the original, the words by Daisy have many modifiers such as "perfectly, tremendous, lovely", and these exaggerated the image of the American characters of simple and na?ve. "Judgment" and the lack of experience in reading between the lines. In addition, wherever she goes, Daisy especially likes to go to visit the scenic spots and historical sites such as the ancient castle, museums, Caesars palace, and arena. In Rome, in some places of interests her historical allusion almost nothing about there. It is not difficult to see the author made the Americans in the culture of Europe on worship and yearning, reflects the American society "shallow".
In a sense, the poor Daisy is the victim of the new and old values conflict. Of course, maybe someone will say, Daisy for conflict always learning after doing, herself also is responsible for —— in overseas, but she won't do in Rome as Rome does. But I think, the two views both have certain truth, also have something to convince.