Wings of the Dove, The: Week 6 - Book Tenth

[Lily]

Adelle -- thx for your highlights out of that piece; I did read it, but would have needed to revisit to remember what impressions of WotD that have stayed with me arose from it.

I received two more books on James last week. (I think that means I intend to keep on reading his work.) This is from the Cambridge Companion, which actually has pointers to the Norton edition in some of its articles: (view spoiler)[

"...The Wings of the Dove is a contradictory text. It tells the rather sordid, arguably banal, definitely melodramatic story of a well-connected but penniless young Englishwoman, Kate Croy, who encourages her secret fiance, Merton Densher, to pretend to fall in love with a wealthy, morally stricken American heiress, Milly Theale, perhaps even to marry her, but in any case to put himself in a position to inherit, on her inevitable demise, some portion of her fabulous riches. Or rather, it tells some of the story. The young man's most important interviews with the two young women take place between chapters; the crucial communication from the dying American is thrown into the fire before anyone finds out what it says; the novel ends before its story is concluded. Despite its melodramatic plot, furthermore, the book's language is notoriously difficult, sometimes even undecidably obscure: sentences wind interminably on, pronouns lack definite antecedents, characters use words like 'everything' and 'nothing' and phrases like 'Well, there you are,' which simultaneously suggest and obscure meanings and conclusions that they may or may not have reached." (hide spoiler)]

"Bold" is used to suggest personal reactions that it feels good to have confirmed by another reader! :-D (From an article by William Stowe.)

[Lily]

Finished reading the section on WotD in Meaning in Henry James by Millicent Bell this afternoon.

To anyone still playing around with WotD and with access to the book or this section of it, I highly recommend it. It was like having a one-sided conversation with Ms. Bell about this novel into which some of us have poured a few hours of our time. I particularly enjoyed her comments and comparisons on character development. She describes both some of the genesis and the evolution of the characters, as well as compares them with characters in other James's novels. She talks of their symbolism in an increasingly industrial and commercial world, as well as the spiritual aspects explored. She touches on their origins as individuals -- both overt and implied, as well as on some of the cultural and sociological baggage they may bring to the story.

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.), Founder]

Lily wrote: "Finished reading the section on WotD in Meaning in Henry James by Millicent Bell this afternoon.

To anyone still playing around with WotD and with access to the book or this section of it, I highl..."

Lily, thanks ever so much for providing this reference. I've embarked on a summer (and likely, fall) project to read (reread) much of James's oeuvre in chronological order. 'Tis off to Amazon I go! Cheers!

[Bonnie]

Lily wrote: "I think it is frequently difficult for many of us to stay within the strict parameters of the reading schedules in online groups. I'd like to figure out more ways that discussions might be likely to dribble on for several weeks, perhaps even a couple of months, after an online group's concentrated effort..."

Or years!
😲😅

[Bonnie]

Adelle wrote: "I have no doubt she took the money. Her heart was broken...she had so loved Densher. But she took the money. Her goal was to have both. Densher won't allow her that option.
....
James leaves so much unknown. "

He certainly does.

I have a much more negative view of Kate. I didn't think we were shown that she really did love Densher that much, despite a few lines early in the book. So I didn't see her with a broken heart.

I found her cold and deceitful even if she maneuvered to keep from telling outright lies. And towards a supposed friend! Speaking of friend, why didn't Kate write to Milly when she was in Venice? Or stay longer? Well she left town to give Densher time to seduce/make Milly fall in love with him. Then why not write letters to her? Or go visit her in December? It didn't look like to me that she cared, even minimally about a "friend" who was dying.

[Bonnie]

Also. A couple people said above that Kate received an inheritance at the end of the book and can become independent. But how? Money was left (supposedly --we never see what was actually in the two letters--) to Densher. If he didn't accept it and they didn't get married, how would Kate get any?

It could be an O. Henry-type tragic ending.
Kate and Densher started out poor, but they were 25 and still had hope. They end the book just as poor, plus dis-illusioned, disappointed with themselves, disappointed by the other, and no longer with the comfort of loving one another.