More Ambassador

Okay, life has gotten in the way of reading but I am still going to read this book no matter what. I currently have hit the preface of the book written by Henry James about his book. I have to admit that I have had to reread certain passages over again. I have two more pages of the preface to read but I have a thought and I hope I am not offending.

It seems to me that James is writing a little about his life, his character seems to be a comment on him and society. Henry James was 60 years old when he wrote this book. In his preface, he comments on page 5 "I rejoiced in the promise of a hero so mature, who would give me thereby the more to bite into-since it's only into thickened motive and accumulated character, I think, that the painter of life bites more than a little." He also mentions that his garden scene comes from a chat with a friend, who tells him the story of being given advice by an older aquintance.

Another hint that this has elements of Henry James, is where he gives his character a "pecular tone"(p.8). This comment about Strether is from the point of view of the young man in the garden in Paris who does not know that Strether is from New England. HEnry JAmes was born in New York but his parents moved around alot and at one point settled in Newport Rhode Island.( x,'The World of Henry James and the Ambassadors')

I could go on about the similarities of the character but these are notes that are in the front of the book taken from the introduction and preface. I have yet to start the story, but when I do I will be able to make more connections for myself. A few more pages of preface and then I can learn about the enlightnment of one character named Strether and his similarities to Henry James.

I mentioned however at the top of this post about offending, when I was in a literature class in college we read a simple story in which my professor inserted insight to a sexual and psychological theme going on inside the story. So in this story we have an older gentleman who does not like the norms that society has placed on the relationships. It could well be and I do not know for certain that Mr. James was not infatuated with woman. As culture dictated at the time and now, even though it occured, that men should marry and not have sexual relations and/or feelings for men. As I have not read personal papers except this preface I can not comment further on his character. I will however look for hints to the sexual character of Mr. Strether.