Both of these stories contain strong overtones of both the Victorian notions of class and
also of a conflicted, but mostly negative, attitude towards women. In Henry James’ story,
“Daisy Miller: A Case Study,” Daisy is constantly portrayed as an “American flirt” who is
“uncultivated” by Winterbourne’s aunt’s assertion (512). Similarly, Waythorn finds that he
“hated the womanish sensibility which made him suffer so acutely from the grotesque chances of
life” (1032). This observation is presented in the context of discovering that his wife Alice had
been less than candid about her first husband, or so Waythorn assumes after a brief discourse of a
few minutes. Alice is also presented as a bit of a social climber with an agenda, as Haskett’s
habits are presented as that of the lower class, such as buying elastic neckties and partaking in
what are being presented as pedestrian tastes in books and entertainment.
Prevalent in both stories is the idea that womanhood is both a commodity and a liability
that can spoil like a carton of milk. Wharton’s Alice is described thusly: “she was ‘easy as an
old shoe’-a shoe that too many feet had worn” (1036). In neither story does an omnipotent
narrator step in to reveal the thoughts, motivations, or reactions of either Alice or Daisy, and we
are left wondering if their interior landscapes matter at all to the readership. In “Daisy Miller: A
Study” Daisy is excommunicated from polite society because she chooses to “go round” with
Mr. Giovanelli, an unmarried bachelor.
One glaring point from both stories is that the men can traffic in behavior that would
leave a woman scandalized, and this is often explained as the man being a victim. We are
subtlety encouraged to view Winterbourne as being manipulated by Daisy, even though he
indulges in the same behavior she does, namely running off unescorted on whim on the pretext
of visiting a place of historic interest. Also, it is fine when Daisy decides to run around with
also of a conflicted, but mostly negative, attitude towards women. In Henry James’ story,
“Daisy Miller: A Case Study,” Daisy is constantly portrayed as an “American flirt” who is
“uncultivated” by Winterbourne’s aunt’s assertion (512). Similarly, Waythorn finds that he
“hated the womanish sensibility which made him suffer so acutely from the grotesque chances of
life” (1032). This observation is presented in the context of discovering that his wife Alice had
been less than candid about her first husband, or so Waythorn assumes after a brief discourse of a
few minutes. Alice is also presented as a bit of a social climber with an agenda, as Haskett’s
habits are presented as that of the lower class, such as buying elastic neckties and partaking in
what are being presented as pedestrian tastes in books and entertainment.
Prevalent in both stories is the idea that womanhood is both a commodity and a liability
that can spoil like a carton of milk. Wharton’s Alice is described thusly: “she was ‘easy as an
old shoe’-a shoe that too many feet had worn” (1036). In neither story does an omnipotent
narrator step in to reveal the thoughts, motivations, or reactions of either Alice or Daisy, and we
are left wondering if their interior landscapes matter at all to the readership. In “Daisy Miller: A
Study” Daisy is excommunicated from polite society because she chooses to “go round” with
Mr. Giovanelli, an unmarried bachelor.
One glaring point from both stories is that the men can traffic in behavior that would
leave a woman scandalized, and this is often explained as the man being a victim. We are
subtlety encouraged to view Winterbourne as being manipulated by Daisy, even though he
indulges in the same behavior she does, namely running off unescorted on whim on the pretext
of visiting a place of historic interest. Also, it is fine when Daisy decides to run around with
