The Awkward Age
Encyclopedia
The Awkward Age is a novel by Henry James
, first published as a serial in Harper's Weekly
in 1898-1899 and then as a book later in 1899. Originally conceived as a brief, light story about the complications created in her family's social set by a young girl coming of age, the novel expanded into a general treatment of decadence
and corruption in English fin de siècle
life. James presents the novel almost entirely in dialogue, an experiment that adds to the immediacy of the scenes but also creates serious ambiguities about characters
and their motives.
Mrs. Brook is instead trying to get her daughter married to Mitchy, a very rich but rather naive member of her social circle. But Nanda urges Mitchy to marry Aggie, the supposedly sheltered step-niece of one of Mrs. Brook's friends (the Duchess). Mitchy follows the advice, then watches helplessly as Aggie kicks over the traces and starts playing around on him. Van constantly hesitates about proposing to Nanda. She finally tells him and Mitchy to be kind to her mother, then prepares to stay at Mr. Longdon's country home as a kind of surrogate daughter.
superficial but entertaining novels of social decadence. But the material drew him on, and he wound up with a lengthy book about Nanda's eventual rejection of the often sleazy social circle around her mother. A lot of the characters who drop by Mrs. Brook's house are certainly no saints, and hypocrisy
and deceit seem to be their favorite pastimes.
Mr. Longdon represents an idealized
previous age of better morals and manners. He wants to see Nanda safely married and away from what he views as her mother's corrupting influence. Although the book ends with Nanda preparing to stay at his country house, there are no guarantees as to how her future will play out.
With the novel cast almost entirely in dialogue, it's sometimes difficult for the reader to detect the characters' genuine motives. But there's little doubt James meant the book as an attack on what he saw as the increasing irresponsibility
and immorality of the society around him. James was always careful to sweeten this rather dour message with a lot of witty satire
on the foibles of Mrs. Brook's social circle. He was particularly proud of his treatment of the resourceful if not overly honest
Mrs. Brook herself.
Many critics see the novel as parallel in theme and setting to James's earlier novel What Maisie Knew
, with Nanda as a slightly older version of Maisie.
s have strongly disagreed on the worth of The Awkward Age. F.R. Leavis praised it highly, calling it "one of James' major achievements." Edmund Wilson
, on the other hand, showed little patience with the "gibbering crew" surrounding Nanda with their vaguely corrupt schemes. More recent commentators have expressed similar differences.
Many critics, such as Edward Wagenknecht
, have detected over-treatment in the almost-all-dialogue presentation, which often strings out scenes to great length and complexity. James rejected this criticism emphatically in the New York Edition
preface.
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
, first published as a serial in Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor...
in 1898-1899 and then as a book later in 1899. Originally conceived as a brief, light story about the complications created in her family's social set by a young girl coming of age, the novel expanded into a general treatment of decadence
Decadence
Decadence can refer to a personal trait, or to the state of a society . Used to describe a person's lifestyle. Concise Oxford Dictionary: "a luxurious self-indulgence"...
and corruption in English fin de siècle
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
life. James presents the novel almost entirely in dialogue, an experiment that adds to the immediacy of the scenes but also creates serious ambiguities about characters
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and their motives.
Plot summary
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brookenham host an effete, rather corrupt social circle. They are the parents of worthless Harold and sweet but knowledgeable Nanda (age eighteen). Mr. Longdon attends one of their social functions and is amazed at how much Nanda resembles her grandmother, his long-ago love who married another man. Vanderbank, a young civil servant with little money, admires both Mrs. Brookenham (nicknamed "Mrs. Brook") and Nanda. Mrs. Brook seems to want an affair with "Van" but he appears more interested in Nanda. Mr. Longdon promises him a dowry if he marries Nanda.Mrs. Brook is instead trying to get her daughter married to Mitchy, a very rich but rather naive member of her social circle. But Nanda urges Mitchy to marry Aggie, the supposedly sheltered step-niece of one of Mrs. Brook's friends (the Duchess). Mitchy follows the advice, then watches helplessly as Aggie kicks over the traces and starts playing around on him. Van constantly hesitates about proposing to Nanda. She finally tells him and Mitchy to be kind to her mother, then prepares to stay at Mr. Longdon's country home as a kind of surrogate daughter.
Key themes
James originally wanted this novel to resemble one of Gyp'sSibylle Gabrielle Marie Antoinette Riqueti de Mirabeau
Sibylle Aimée Marie-Antoinette Gabrielle de Riquetti de Mirabeau, Comtesse de Martel de Janville was a French writer who wrote under the pseudonym GYP....
superficial but entertaining novels of social decadence. But the material drew him on, and he wound up with a lengthy book about Nanda's eventual rejection of the often sleazy social circle around her mother. A lot of the characters who drop by Mrs. Brook's house are certainly no saints, and hypocrisy
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
and deceit seem to be their favorite pastimes.
Mr. Longdon represents an idealized
Ideal (ethics)
An ideal is a principle or value that one actively pursues as a goal. Ideals are particularly important in ethics, as the order in which one places them tends to determine the degree to which one reveals them as real and sincere. It is the application, in ethics, of a universal...
previous age of better morals and manners. He wants to see Nanda safely married and away from what he views as her mother's corrupting influence. Although the book ends with Nanda preparing to stay at his country house, there are no guarantees as to how her future will play out.
With the novel cast almost entirely in dialogue, it's sometimes difficult for the reader to detect the characters' genuine motives. But there's little doubt James meant the book as an attack on what he saw as the increasing irresponsibility
Moral responsibility
Moral responsibility usually refers to the idea that a person has moral obligations in certain situations. Disobeying moral obligations, then, becomes grounds for justified punishment. Deciding what justifies punishment, if anything, is a principle concern of ethics.People who have moral...
and immorality of the society around him. James was always careful to sweeten this rather dour message with a lot of witty satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
on the foibles of Mrs. Brook's social circle. He was particularly proud of his treatment of the resourceful if not overly honest
Honesty
Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft....
Mrs. Brook herself.
Many critics see the novel as parallel in theme and setting to James's earlier novel What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in the Chap-Book and in the New Review in 1897 and then as a book later in the same year. The story of the sensitive daughter of divorced and irresponsible parents, What Maisie Knew has great contemporary relevance as an...
, with Nanda as a slightly older version of Maisie.
Critical evaluation
CriticCritic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
s have strongly disagreed on the worth of The Awkward Age. F.R. Leavis praised it highly, calling it "one of James' major achievements." Edmund Wilson
Edmund Wilson
Edmund Wilson was an American writer and literary and social critic and noted man of letters.-Early life:Wilson was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. His father, Edmund Wilson, Sr., was a lawyer and served as New Jersey Attorney General. Wilson attended The Hill School, a college preparatory...
, on the other hand, showed little patience with the "gibbering crew" surrounding Nanda with their vaguely corrupt schemes. More recent commentators have expressed similar differences.
Many critics, such as Edward Wagenknecht
Edward Wagenknecht
Edward Wagenknecht was an American literary critic and teacher, who specialized in 19th century American literature. He wrote and edited many books on literature and movies, and taught for many years at various universities, including the University of Chicago and Boston University...
, have detected over-treatment in the almost-all-dialogue presentation, which often strings out scenes to great length and complexity. James rejected this criticism emphatically in the New York Edition
New York Edition
The New York Edition of Henry James' fiction was a 24-volume collection of the Anglo-American writer's novels, novellas and short stories, originally published in the U.S. and the UK in 1907-1909, with a photogravure frontispiece for each volume by Alvin Langdon Coburn...
preface.
External links
- First book version of The Awkward Age (1899)
- Note on the various texts of The Awkward Age at the Library of AmericaLibrary of AmericaThe Library of America is a nonprofit publisher of classic American literature.- Overview and history :Founded in 1979 with seed money from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation, the LoA has published over 200 volumes by a wide range of authors from Mark Twain to Philip...
web site