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The Ambassadors
Context
Henry James was born in New York City into an intellectually
gifted and financially securefamily on April 15, 1843. His father,
Henry James, Sr., was a well-known theologian andthinker, and his
mother, Mary Robertson Walsh, was the daughter of a wealthy Albany
cottonmerchant and a devout Presbyterian. Henry was the second of
five children born to the couple.His siblings include the
distinguished philosopher and psychologist William James and
thenoted diarist Alice James. The family spent Henrys early years
traveling back and forth acrossthe Atlantic, and he was
subsequently educated in Geneva, Paris, London, and Bonn. At 19,
hespent a year at Harvard Law School but did not find inspiration
or contentment in the study oflaw. Two years later, he published
his first short story, A Tragedy of Errors (1864), anddecided to
dedicate himself entirely to writing literature. Soon after, James
became a frequentcontributor to the Nation and Atlantic Monthly
magazines, where he published short fiction,essays, and other types
of writing for the next six years.
In 1876, after a short sojourn to Paris as a contributor to the
New York Tribune, James settledin England, where he would reside
for the remainder of his life. As an American in England,James
found not only the environment that best suited his personal
comfort but also one thatfascinated him enough to drive his
greatest literary works. The publication of Daisy Miller(1878), the
story of a nave American girl attempting to navigate the complex
corridors ofEuropean high society, established James as a writer of
international success and set forth whatwould become one of Jamess
most reoccurring topical concerns: the American abroad.
ThepostCivil War economic upswing had made many wealthy Americans
eager to visit the OldWorld. The refined cultural trappings of
European culture, however, often left brusqueAmericans feeling
alienated and unsure. This common occurrence gave Jamess interest
in theculture clash a potent currency and a contemporary relevance,
and it helped foster hissubsequent popularityone that extends to
The Ambassadors, a work that deals thematicallywith many different
American reactions to European culture.
Of the 20 novels, 112 stories and 12 plays he published in his
lifetime, James considered TheAmbassadors to be his most perfect
work of art. The novel was first published serially in 1903in the
North American Review, and it was published two more timesin
altered American andBritish editionslater that same year. The
Ambassadors is in many ways a typical Jamesiannovel in that it
deals with the psychological interior of a character obsessed with
self-refectionand preoccupied with regret. American novelist
Nathaniel Hawthorne and French novelistHonor de Balzac were among
the writers who most influenced James and helped inspireJamess
unique approach to novel writing. In Hawthornes writing, James
found a frankdiscussion of human psychological complexity; in
Balzacs, James found elegant details ofrealist descriptionboth of
which he would incorporate into his own work. Jamess other
latenovels resemble The Ambassadors stylistically and structurally.
Together, these three novelsThe Wings of The Dove (1902), The
Ambassadors (1903) and The Golden Bowl (1904)areoften read as a
cohesive trilogy. Many critics see them as one masterpiece in three
parts.
Throughout his life, James kept up voluminous correspondence
with many of the greatest
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thinkers and writers of the turn of the century, including
Joseph Conrad and H. G. Wells.Nowhere in the letters is there
evidence that James ever had a romantic relationship or aconsummate
sexual experience, and nowhere in this large body of written work
is there anyclear explanation as to why. Some biographers speculate
that James was a closetedhomosexual, others point to a traumatic
childhood incident that left him with an obscure hurt,and still
others hypothesize that the early death of his beloved cousin Mary
Minnie Templewho became the template for many of his early female
charactersleft him romanticallycynical. Whatever the truth may have
been, James often used his fiction to explore the terrainof the
life unlived. This topic, along with his interest in insular
psychological narrative andNew World/Old World conflict, is the
most common theme James explores.
Besides short visits, and one extended stay from 1904 to 1905,
James never lived in Americaafter his youth, but he continued to be
an American in spirit and on paper. Nevertheless, he wasdistressed
by the outbreak of World War I and the United Statess initial
refusal to enter thewar. Consequently, in 1915, he became a British
citizen as a sign of appreciation to his adoptedcountry and as a
protest against the country of his birth. While in London on
December 2, 1915,James suffered a severe stroke and was put in the
hospital. He died three months later onFebruary 28, 1916, at age
seventy-three, with two unfinished novels in his desk. These
novels,The Sense of the Past (1917) and The Ivory Tower (1917), as
well as an earlier memoir, TheMiddle Years (1917), were published
posthumously. Henry James was the twentieth centurysfirst truly
international writer and one of modern literatures most astute
stylists. Today, hisimpact can be felt in the work of such
contemporary writers as Kazuo Ishiguro and IanMcEwan.
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Plot Overview
Lambert Strether, an American from Woollett, Massachusetts,
arrives in Chester, England. Atthe hotel desk, he learns that his
old friend Waymarsh has not arrived. Instead, Strether meets ayoung
American lady named Maria Gostrey who claims to know Waymarsh.
Quickly becomingfriends, Strether explains to Miss Gostrey that he
has been sent to Europe by his fiance, Mrs.Newsome, to fetch her
son, Chad. In Woollett, everyone believes that Chad has
becomeromantically involved with an inappropriate woman and refuses
to come home so that theyremain together. Strethers mission, as
Mrs. Newsomes trusted ambassador, is to convinceChad to come back
to Woollett, where he is needed by the family business. Strether
confidentlybelieves that his mission is noble and necessary. If he
succeeds, he and Mrs. Newsome will bemarried. Miss Gostrey suggests
that Strether wait to judge Chad until after Strether has seenthis
lover with his own eyes. Throughout the novel, Strether relies on
Miss Gostrey forconfidence-boosting advice.
Strether, Waymarsh, and Miss Gostrey head to Paris, where Chad
lives. When they arrive, theylearn Chad is away. While they wait
for Chads return, Miss Gostrey leads the two older menon
sightseeing trips, and Strether begins to enjoy his time in Europe.
Strether visits Chadsapartment and notices an unfamiliar man
lingering on the balcony. Strether makes this mansacquaintance and
learns that he goes by the name little Bilham. A friend of Chads,
Bilhamtakes care of Chads house when Chad is traveling. Miss
Gostrey suggests to Strether thatBilham is operating under Chads
instructions. Regardless, Strether finds Bilham charmingand invites
the young man to the opera. Bilham, however, does not show.
Instead, a strangerenters the box. Strether realizes that this new
arrival is Chad Newsome. Chad has returned fromhis travels quite a
changed man.
After the opera, Strether tells Chad why he has come to Paris.
However, as he speaks, Stretherfinds himself less certain of his
stance. Chad, once callow and juvenile, now seems confidentand
restrained. His new personality impresses Strether, who wonders
whator whohascaused Chads transformation. Chad asks Strether to
stay and meet his close friends, a motherand a daughter, who are
arriving in a few days time. Strether, wondering if one of these
womenhas been the impetus for Chads improvement, and assuming the
daughter to be Chads lover,agrees to stay. Meanwhile, Bilham
convinces Strether that Chad has a virtuous attachmentand that
Chads relationship with the mysterious woman is innocent. Strether
eventually meetsthe women, Madame de Vionnet and her daughter,
Jeanne, at a high society party, but he doesnot see them long
enough to cement an impression. After the brief introduction to
Madame deVionnet, Strether finds himself alone with little Bilham.
Strether takes the opportunity to offerBilham some sage advice:
live all you can before it is too late. This advice exposes
Strethersown change since coming to Europe. In Paris, he feels
renewed, young again, doubly alive.
Over time, Strether comes to think that Madame de Vionnet has
been the good influence onChad. Strether eventually learns that
Maria Gostrey and Marie de Vionnet went to schooltogether as young
women but have not seen each other for many years. When Chad
arranges forthe marriage of Jeanne to another man, Strether
realizes that Madame de Vionnet is Chadsreason for staying in
Paris. Strether surprises himself by promising Madame de Vionnet
that he
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will try and keep Chad near her. As if aware of this promise,
Mrs. Newsome writes Strether anddemands that he end his tenure as
her ambassador. Her ultimatum: bring Chad home or returnto
Massachusetts by the next ship. Even though his refusal to return
home puts his marriage toMrs. Newsome in jeopardy, Strether longs
to stay in Europe. In a complete reversal, Chaddeclares that he is
ready to return to Woollett, but Strether begs him to stay in
Paris. Almostimmediately, Mrs. Newsome sends a new shipment of
ambassadors: her daughter, SarahPocock, along with her husband,
Jim, and Jims sister, Mamie, who Mrs. Newsome hopes willmarry Chad.
Strether worries that Sarah will contradict his reports on Chads
progress and onMadame de Vionnets worthiness to Mrs. Newsome.
Initially, Strether believes that Sarah is as charmed by Chads
Parisian life as Strether was. Butsoon, Sarah meets Strether face
to face and reiterates Mrs. Newsomes negative views of
thesituation. She demands Strethers complete compliance in
convincing Chad to go home toWoollett as soon as she, Waymarsh,
Jim, and Mamie return from a leisure trip to Switzerland.Waymarsh
and Sarah are acutely disappointed in Strether. While the others
are away, Strethertakes a day-trip himself to the French
countryside. There, he coincidentally spots Chad andMadame de
Vionnet riding together on a small boat. All at once, he
understands: theirrelationship is unmistakably intimate and
obviously lacking in virtue. But, even though Chadand Madame de
Vionnet were deceitful, Strether still feels that their involvement
has improvedChad as a person.
Afterward, when Strether visits Madame de Vionnet, she seems
defeated and convinced thatChad will return to the United States.
She insists that she has wanted Strether all along, towhich
Strether replies that she has had him. Nevertheless, Strether
suggests that he can stillhelp her keep Chad. However, after Chad
stays away from them both for an entire week,Strethers resolve
begins to erode. When Strether finally confronts Chad, the young
man speaksonly of plans for improving the family business in
Woollett. His desire to return home isunambiguous. Even though
Strether thinks that Chad would be more fulfilled in Europe
withMadame de Vionnet, he cannot convince Chad to stay. Instead,
Strether goes to visit MissGostrey, at which point her
long-gestating love for him is made obvious. She makes whatamounts
to a marriage proposal to Strether, but he feels he cannot accept
it. Even as he realizesthat, compared to Europe, his life in
Woollett will be bland, Strether chooses to return to theUnited
States.
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Character List
Lewis Lambert Strether - The protagonist of the novel. A
55-year-old editor of an intellectualmagazine in Woollett,
Massachusetts, Strether has a mustache and a gray-speckled full
head ofhair and he wears glasses. Strether is engaged to Mrs.
Newsome, a wealthy widow who fundsthe magazine he edits. A widower
himself, Strether lost his wife and young son many yearsago. He
feels guilty about these loses and wonders what life experience he
has missed by nothaving a wife or child. Mrs. Newsome has sent
Strether to Paris to find her son, ChadNewsome, and bring him back
to Massachusetts. Once he returns with Chad, she will
marryStrether. She chose Strether as an ambassador not only because
he is an old, trusted familyfriend but also to test his loyalty to
the Newsome family. If he were to marry Mrs. Newsome,Strether would
come into a great fortune and secure his status in the upper-class
community inWoollett. To some degree, Mrs. Newsome wants to make
sure that Strether is worthy of boththe wealth and the social
status. Compulsively self-reflexive, Strether quickly realizes
thathis life in Woollett has entrenched him in boring routine. As
he travels, Strether comes toappreciate the freedom and openness he
finds in Europe, and he begins to feel as if his new, fullEuropean
life makes up for many years of personal stagnation. Strether takes
to warningeveryone he meets that they may turn out like himold and
inexperiencedif they do not livelife to the fullest while they are
young. Strether is predisposed favorably toward most people:he
finds a close friend in Maria Gostrey, a type of protg in little
Bilham, a replacement son inChad, and a feminine ideal in Madame
Marie de Vionnet. At the end of the novel, Stretherchooses to
return to Woollett, but his outlook on life is forever changed by
his late-in-lifeexperience in Europe.
Read an in-depth analysis of Lewis Lambert Strether.
Chadwick Newsome - The focus of the novel and the reason for
Strethers visit to Paris. Chadis a handsome, debonair, and
independently wealthy bachelor currently involved in a love
affairwith the older Madame Marie de Vionnet. At first, it seems
that Paris affects Chad in onlypositive ways: Chad has grown from
the callow, immature boy he was in Woollett into apolished,
gentleman, comfortable in Parisian high society and often host to a
wide, interestinggroup of friends. But Chad has no real attachment
to Europe or to his lover. Instead, Chadsubscribes to the American
ideals of monetary success and to the social status that comes
alongwith it. He wants to return to the United States to take over
the family business, even afterStrether encourages him to stay in
Europe. Paris affects Chad only superficially, and he looksforward
to returning home to Woollett after his enjoyable, but not
profound, experience inEurope.
Read an in-depth analysis of Chadwick Newsome.
Maria Gostrey - A 33-year-old, unmarried expatriate who lives in
Paris and works as aninformal guide to Europe for American
visitors. Miss Gostrey takes an immediate liking toStrether when
they first meet in England. Separate from the Woollett society, she
offersStrether keen and objective analysis of situations and
people, and Strether relies on her wisecounsel. Although she is
young and sprightly, she is more world-weary, more
sociallyskeptical, and warier of peoples motives than Strether. She
knows Madame de Vionnet from a
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school they attended as young women but steadfastly avoids
reacquainting herself with theother woman. At the end of the novel,
she all but declares her love for Strether, who rejects herin favor
of returning to the United States.
Read an in-depth analysis of Maria Gostrey.
Madame Marie de Vionnet - The older woman with whom Chad Newsome
has becomeinvolved in a love affair. Madame de Vionnet has lived
apart from her brute husband foryears. At age 15, she attended
school with Maria Gostrey, but they have not seen each other fora
long time and Maria avoids contact with her. Now, at around age 38,
Madame de Vionnet hasbecome socially distinguished, handsome, and
so cultured that she casts a shadow on Strethersmemory of Mrs.
Newsome. Deeply in love with Chad, Madame de Vionnet resolves to
keepChad in Europeand in her life. She captivates Strether, and he
believes that her effect onChad has been only positive. He vows to
help her by trying to convince Chad to stay in Europe,even after
Strether learns that Chad and Madame de Vionnet have misled him
about the natureof their relationship. Madame de Vionnet uses her
beautiful daughter, Jeanne de Vionnet, muchlike a prop in her
attempts to keep Strether on her side.
Read an in-depth analysis of Madame Marie de Vionnet.
Mrs. Newsome - An older, widowed, wealthy matriarch to whom
Strether is engaged. Eventhough Mrs. Newsome never actually appears
in the novel, she drives the novels action and itssignificant
events. She sends Strether to Europe to collect her son, Chad, and
return him to thefamily business in the United States. When
Strether fails in his ambassadorial mission, shesends new
ambassadors: her daughter, Sarah; her daughters husband, Jim; and
Jims sister,Mamie. Mrs. Newsome represents the world of Woollett,
Massachusetts, and the life thatStrether has left behind. Strether
thinks constantly about Mrs. Newsome, and she occupies alarge place
in his conscience, since she asked Strether to carry out her wishes
in Europe andStrether has failed to do so for complicated reasons.
Through Strethers eyes, Mrs. Newsome isbeautiful but deliberately
so, wise but incredibly stubborn, and kind but undeniably dominant
inrelation to him. The interplay between Mrs. Newsomes wishes and
Strethers evolving needsoften drives the novel.Waymarsh - An old
friend of Strethers who has been living, unhappily, in Europe for
anunspecified amount of time. Waymarsh is married but has long
lived away from his wife. He isimpulsive and curmudgeonly and finds
nothing in Europe to his liking. He maintains close tiesto Woollett
and reveals himself as a close friend of and consistent ally to
Sarah Pocock whenshe comes to Paris to fetch Chad.John Little
Bilham - An expatriate artist and one of Chads closest friends in
Paris. Becausehe is physically small, he uses both of his last
names and goes by little Bilham. A friendly,unpretentious young
man, he maintains his loyalty to Chad even as he develops a close
bondwith Strether. Ultimately, little Bilham lies to Strether about
the nature of Chads relationshipwith Madame de Vionnet to protect
Chad. Strether finds Bilham to be gentle and treats him likethe
adult son he never had. Their conversations prompt Strether to
articulate some of the mostprofound life lessons he has learned in
Europe.Jeanne de Vionnet - Madame Marie de Vionnets charming and
beautiful daughter. Jeanne isimpressively refined but lacks
maturity. She has great fondness for Chad, but not romanticlove. He
and Madame de Vionnet play up Jeannes merits in an effort to
distract Strether from
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the truth of their relationship. Strether sees the well-raised
Jeanne as proof of Madame deVionnets virtue and suitability.Sarah
Pocock - Chads older, married sister. Sarah is in charge of the
second batch ofambassadors sent to retrieve Chad from Europe.
According to Strether, Sarah has less charmand less beauty than her
mother, but she is still amiable and pretty. To a great degree,
Sarahstands in for Mrs. Newsome, who never appears in the novel.
Sarah arrives in Europe with hermothers wishes firmly in mind and
finds fault with much of what has impressed Strether aboutEuropean
life. They clash almost immediately.Mamie Pocock - The
of-the-minute society girl in Woollett, Massachusetts. Strether
findsMamie to be as physically beautiful as the girls in Europe, as
well as more sincere and sociablethan most Woollett society girls.
Mrs. Newsome hopes Mamie will marry Chad. To Mrs.Newsome, the fact
that Mamie is Jim Pococks sister, and thus already technically part
of thefamily, only makes her more desirable. Mamie has known Chad
since childhood, but noromance exists between them. While in
Europe, Mamie falls for little Bilham.Jim Pocock - A leading
Woollett businessman who is married to Sarah Pocock (neNewsome).
Even though Jim is a prominent figure in Woollett, he is only
technically a memberof high society. Casual and relatively simple,
he takes no interest in the social maneuverings ofthe women and
wants only to enjoy himself as much as possible, especially in
Paris.Miss Barrace - A friend of Chad and little Bilham. Miss
Barrace is a proper Americansocialite, and she helps present Chad
in a good light by virtue of her own elegance. Later MissBarrace
befriends Waymarsh as well.Gloriani - A famous French sculptor,
Gloriani is part of Chads social set in Paris. His graceimpresses
Strether, but he fails to connect with Strether on a personal
level. Little Bilhamadmires Glorianis fame, artistic talent, and
status in society.Monsieur de Montbron - The man who is to marry
Jeanne de Vionnet.
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Analysis of Major Characters
Lewis Lambert Strether
Strethers experiences, observations, thoughts, and reflections
essentially compose TheAmbassadors. Even though the novel is not
told in Strethers voice, his point of view fills thework and he is
its central consciousness. Each event gets filtered through
Strethers eyes andmind. Similarly, every comment uttered by the
narrator reflects Strethers impressions andbiases. For these
reasons, Strether is the most important character in the novel. But
althoughStrether appears in every facet of the story, he has very
little influence over the othercharacters. He tries, often nobly,
to motivate the characters, as when he attempts to convinceSarah
Pocock of Madame de Vionnets worthiness or when he tells Chad that
he should remainin Europe. Ultimately, however, Strether fails to
spur the others to act or behave as he wantsthem to. In the end,
Strether himself changes the most, as the world he observes
influences andaffects him.
Over the course of The Ambassadors, Strether transforms from a
close-minded puritan from asmall town in the United States to a
broad-minded man with a European, cosmopolitan outlook.As the novel
begins, Strether is unable to enjoy the experience of his own life
and cannot actconfidently of his own volition. He arrives in Paris
ready to blindly follow Mrs. Newsomesorders. He finds himself
afraid to diverge from this burdensome task in any small
way.Throughout his time in Europe, however, Strether changes
greatly. His conversations with MissGostrey teach him to see the
world in a European way. Gradually he gains confidence, learns
totrust his own judgment, and realizes that his priorities have
been wrong. Strether leaves Europenot because he has renounced the
freedom and openness he discovered there. Rather, Stretherleaves
because he believes himself too old and too set in his ways to give
up the only life he hasever knownthe small-town life of Woollett,
Massachusetts. Strethers greatestdisappointment is his failure to
convince Chad to stay in Europe. Chad, however, has anirreversible
and inestimable influence on Strether, who will never see the
world, and especiallynot Woollett, Massachusetts, the same
again.
Madame Marie de Vionnet
Madame de Vionnet is the closest the novel gets to a villain.
She serves as a type of femmefatale for Strether: a charming,
beautiful but somewhat dangerous woman. Like Strether,readers do
not learn of her true nature until the end of the novel, due, in
part, to Chadsintelligent, albeit deceitful, maneuvering. Chad and
little Bilham reassure Strether of thevirtuous nature of the
relationship between Madame de Vionnet and Chad. By the time
Stretherrealizes that she is the bad woman from whom he was sent to
take Chad, Strether has becomeconvinced of her ultimate virtue.
Madame de Vionnets complicity in the deceit reveals herselfishness.
She is not evil, but she willingly sacrifices Strethers future
happiness to keep Chadnear her. Later, when Strether realizes that
he has been duped, he still fights to keep Chad withher, because he
has fallen in love with Madame de Vionnet himself. In the end,
Strether loseshis standing in the Woollett community, as well as
his engagement to Mrs. Newsome, as aresult of his love for, and
defense of, Madame de Vionnet. But even though he loves
her,Strether refuses her offer to remain in Paris as her companion
at the end of the novel. By
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deciding to return to Woollett, Strether salvages his integrity
by refusing to succumb to herdeceit.
Miss Maria Gostrey
Henry James describes the character of Miss Gostrey as the
readers friend in the preface tothe New York edition of The
Ambassadors. In the plot of the novel, of course, she is
Strethersfriend. Her unique role as confidant helps Strether to
confront and analyze his experiences afterthe events have already
occurred and his first impressions have already been solidified.
Readerstoo must decode and analyze Strethers experiences to derive
meaning from The Ambassadors.Helping Strether do this work also
lets Miss Gostrey help the reader confront and analyze. Inthis way,
Miss Gostrey offers invaluable help to both Strether and the
reader. When Stretherfirst arrives in Paris, Miss Gostrey clarifies
his confusion about Chads world and teaches himto overcome his
American bias. Likewise, she sees through the complexities of each
situationand distills it down to an explicit analysis that both
Strether and the reader can easily digest.Later, as Strether gains
a better grasp of Europe, Miss Gostrey serves as a sounding board
forhis new ideas. Her presence allows the reader to revisit each
episode of the novel and, as aconsequence, to take note of
Strethers changing personality. Therefore, Miss Gostrey is both
acentral character and an essential narrative tool in The
Ambassadors.
Chadwick Newsome
If Madame de Vionnet is the villain of The Ambassadors, Chad
Newsome is the novelsantagonist, or the character who opposes the
protagonist, Strether. Though Chad takes noexplicit action against
Strether, his deception initially allows Strether to mistake Madame
deVionnet for a simple friend and virtuous influence. Had Chad not
asked little Bilham to act onhis behalf, and had Bilham not lied to
Strether about the context of Chads relationship,Strethers
relationship with Mrs. Newsome may have remained intact and his
future inWoollett secure. However, such events would not have
necessarily given the novel a betteroutcome. Strether actually
learns more through Chads deceit than he could ever have
possiblylearned through a successful mission and subsequent
marriage to Mrs. Newsome. Had Chad nottricked him, Strether may
never have realized his own truth about Europe. Thus, Chad is
acomplicated antagonist: he has neither a purely evil nor a purely
good effect on the outcome ofthe novel.
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Themes, Motifs & Symbols
Themes
The Importance of Place
Throughout the novel, the narrator constantly locates events in
specific places, and charactersrepeatedly refer to specific
locations. James foregrounds the importance of place right from
thebeginning by emphasizing how different Strether feels in Europe
than in the United States.Upon meeting in England, Miss Gostrey
tells Strether that she has met his friend Waymarsh inMilrose,
Connecticut. Likewise, Strether explains that he comes from
Woollett, Massachusetts.The specificity of location is a form of
shorthand for the characters: where someone comesfrom gives all
sorts of information about that persons likes, dislikes, habits,
and behavior.Miss Gostrey assumes that Chad has a virtuous
relationship with a woman simply by hearingthat Chad has gone to
Cannes, France. Had the relationship not been virtuous, she
reasons, Chadwould not have been able to travel to such an
exclusive place. She similarly reassures Stretherabout little
Bilham by explaining, hes all righthes one of us (that is, an
American). Infact, the importance of place and location spurs the
novels plot: Mrs. Newsome sends Stretherto rescue Chad precisely
because of where he is living. The family in Woollett worries
aboutChad because hes living in Paris, a city known at the time for
its debauchery and immorality.
The Lived vs. Unlived Life
As a character, Strether represents the struggle to live life to
the fullest extent. When Stretherfirst meets Miss Gostrey, he
articulates his inability to fully appreciate the moments of his
life.He feels as though he has suffered from this inability
throughout his entire youth andadulthood, and he regrets having
missed out on significant life experiences. Now
middle-aged,Strether fears that he will never be able to live fully
in the moment. But, in Paris, he begins toexperience truly
saturated moments. Thanks to the frank advice and forthright
guidance of MissGostrey, Strether learns to let go of the pain of
regret and begins to live in the present. In thisway, he embodies
the theme of the full, richly lived life versus the staid, boring
unlived lifethat is central to The Ambassadors. Strether originally
goes to Paris with the intention ofhelping Chad fulfill his
potentialas a businessman in Woollett. Yet, Strether eventually
feelsthat Chad would lead a richer life by staying in Paris.
Strether further embodies the theme of the lived versus unlived
life through his interactionswith other characters. Once Strether
realizes the benefits of truly living life, he begins tolecture
such characters as little Bilham about enjoying their youth. In
Glorianis garden, at theend of the first part of the novel,
Strether corners little Bilham and tells him, with earnestoptimism,
to live life to the fullest. Strether believes he has missed his
opportunity toexperience all of what life has to offer, and he
wants his young friends to learn from hismistakes. Nevertheless,
Strether fails to convince Chad to stay in Europe with Madame
deVionnet. He blames Chads lack of imagination for his desire to
return to the United States andtake over the family business.
Ultimately, Strether leaves Europe as well, having decided thatlife
has in fact passed him by.
The American Abroad
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After the Civil War, the American economy flourished, allowing
the wealthy to travel to otherplaces, particularly Europe. The
American abroad became a popular character in literature.Henry
James himself was an American abroad, and much of his writing
explores the Americanexperience in foreign lands. Just about every
character in The Ambassadors comes from theUnited States and now
lives in Europe. The manner in which each character responds to
theEuropean environment speaks to the larger experience of
Americans abroad. For instance, JimPocock wants to see the vice and
opulence for which Paris has become famous in the UnitedStates. In
contrast, Waymarsh hates Paris because it fails to offer him what
he likes about hisAmerican home. These two characters represent
opposite sides of the same Americanprovincialism. Neither character
is able to appreciate what is truly great about Paris:
itsconfident, age-old culture and its reliance on culturalas
opposed to monetaryvalues.
Unlike the other characters, Strether represents the best type
of American abroad. Stretherlearns how to see Europe through the
experienced expatriate Miss Gostrey, herself an Americanabroad. He
appreciates Paris for itself and for its difference from Woollett,
Massachusetts.Strether represents the kind of American James
thought he was: an American capable ofappreciating the complex and
rich culture of Europe. But, like James, Strether also took
thewisdom gained from the venerable Old World and transferred it
back to America. Stretherleaves Europe at the end of the novel a
changed man, and he returns to the United States with anew
perspective.
Motifs
Water
Both Strether and the narrator use water imagery to describe
female characters, particularly theway Strether relates to these
women. After Miss Gostrey has gone away and left Strether todigest
many significant events on his own, he finds that he no longer
depends on her help toproperly understand the events he witnesses.
He then refers to her as one pail among many inhis life, as one of
the tributaries from which the water of meaning he seeks to gather
flows.Likewise, he describes Mrs. Newsome as a large iceberg, as if
to suggest both her firm,stubborn, insistence on certain ideas and
to accentuate her geographic distance from the mattersat hand.
Finally, he refers to Madame de Vionnet as a boat on water that
attracts him. Later, asStrether becomes more involved with Madame
de Vionnet, he remarks that if her boat sinks, hewill sink as well,
because he has agreed to help her keep Chad and thus is in her
boat. Finally,in the climax of the novel, Madame de Vionnet and
Chad appear in an actual boat, exposing thetrue nature of their
relationship to Strether. In this way, water and water-related
imagerycoalesce to serve as a constant reminder of Strethers
complex and varied relationships to thewomen of the novel.
Virgin Mary
The similarity between the names Maria (Gostrey) and Marie (de
Vionnet) suggests that thesewomen function as altered versions of
the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. According to thetenets of
Christianity, the Virgin Mary symbolizes life, purity, holiness,
and wisdom.Throughout The Ambassadors, Maria Gostrey and Marie de
Vionnet serve as important teachersand wisdom givers, for Strether
and for others. Miss Gostrey, for instance, makes her living asa
guide to Europe for Americans. Through her eyes, Strether learns to
properly assess the
-
culture of Paris. Likewise, Strether imagines that Chads growth
as a person is due to thenurturing influence of a motherlike
figure. Strether sees Madame de Vionnet as a paragon ofvirtue and
thus imagines that she has been the constructive force in Chads
maturity. Hisdiscovery of the immoral relationship between Madame
de Vionnet and Chad so shocksStrether that he decides to leave
Europe. Strether also rejects Miss Gostreys offer of love. Hisfaith
in the purity of women has been so shaken that he feels he can no
longer trust even hisgood friend, Miss Gostrey.
Symbols
Gardens
The gardens in The Ambassadors function like miniature Gardens
of Eden. At many key pointsin the novel, characters enter gardens
in which they are then enticed by or learn things that maylure away
their innocence. Strether and Miss Gostrey have their first real
chat in the garden oftheir hotel in England. Early on, Strether
spends time in Luxembourg Gardens on the ParisianLeft Bank. There,
he first realizes the Babylon-like qualities of Paris and wonders
if the cityseffect on his frame of mind will keep him from properly
executing his assigned task ofbringing Chad back to the United
States. Later, Strether meets, and falls hard for, Madame
deVionnet, in Glorianis garden. Some critics equate Gloriani with
the biblical serpent, the devilmasquerading as a snake who enticed
Adam and Eve with the apple. Gloriani represents thecultural
splendor of Europe. At their meeting, both Gloriani and Madame de
Vionnet impressStrether. For Strether, meeting those two characters
is equivalent to tasting the fruit ofknowledge: Strether will never
be the same again. He loses his innocence and reticence. Fromthat
point on, Strether sees Paris through rose-colored glasses and not
only begins to enjoy hisstay but also tries to convince Chad to
stay permanently as well.
Paris
Paris symbolizes the social, intellectual, and imaginative
freedom of Europe. In Woollett,Massachusetts, provincial Americans,
as epitomized by Mrs. Newsome, fear that Paris will be acorrupting
force on Chad, the prodigal son. Throughout the novel, Woollett
represents close-minded provincialism, and James contrast the small
American town with the cosmopolitanEuropean city. At the time,
Parisian culture was thought to encourage sexual misconduct andvile
relationships. Mrs. Newsome assumesand fearsthat Chads time in
Paris will exposehim to these forces. Strether remembers his first
visit to Paris as a young manand he fearsthat his return to the
vast bright Babylon, as he calls Paris, will negatively affect him.
Hecorrectly realizes that his delight in Paris will permanently
change him. But, as the novelprogresses, Strether discovers that
the trade-off is worth it. He enjoys Paris, and he welcomesthe
subsequent changes in his personality. In Woollett, social
proprieties and a timid, youngculture make people anxious and
preoccupied. In Paris, however, Strether learns that he is ableto
live in the present moment, fully enjoying life.
Woollett
Although no part of The Ambassadors takes place in Woollett,
Massachusetts, throughout thenovel the city figures as a symbol of
the close-minded provincialism of small-town America.Initially,
Strether is embarrassed to report to Miss Gostrey that he is from
Woollett, because he
-
identifies Woollett with all those things that oppose Parisian
openness. Woollett, in the heart ofNew England, symbolizes the
immature American cultural landscape. Timid, young Americanculture
is so unsure of itself that it fears the influence of all outside
forces, including theculturally rich Paris. Eventually, after
Strether has experienced the positive effects of Parisiansocial
freedom, he declares that Woollett has as a female cultureone
characterized bygossiping, fearful women, like Sarah Pocock and
Mrs. Newsome. He realizes that if Chadreturns to Woollett, Chad
will lose the refinement he has gained in Paris and become just
onething: a man out to make money. In this way, Woollett also
represents the coarse, capitalisticnature of America in contrast to
the artistic, aesthetic Parisian sensibility.
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Book First
Summary
Lambert Strether arrives in Chester, England, after a long
journey by boat from the UnitedStates. At the hotel, he asks after
his hometown friend, whom he is to meet there. Even thoughStrether
learns that Waymarsh has not arrived, he is not disappointed.
Meanwhile, he noticesthe familiar face of a young lady. They
converse, and she claims to know Waymarsh and tohave visited
Waymarshs hometown of Milrose, Connecticut. She observes that the
hotel has agarden, and after ten minutes of conversation there,
Strether agrees to tour the town with her,after he has tidied up a
bit in his room. After doing so, Strether returns and passes into
the hallof the hotel with the young lady, where she asks if he
knows her name. He admits that he doesnot. She explains that she
asked after him at the front desk and gives him her card with
hername, Maria Gostrey, and address in Paris on it. Strether
remarks oddly that he comes fromWoollett, Massachusetts. Miss
Gostrey laughs. Strether displays mild embarrassment whenspeaking
of his New England hometown.
Gostrey and Strether set out to tour Chester, and walk along the
medieval wall that encloses thecity. While walking, Strether
remembers that it was here, twenty-five years ago, that he
walkedduring his first and only other trip to Europe. At this
thought, Strether begins to think ofWaymarsh and looks at his
watch. Miss Gostrey sees the gesture and asks if Strether finds
theirwalk inappropriate. Strether insists that he does not and
explains that this is his weakness: he isunable to focus on the
present and is always considering unrelated matters. Miss Gostrey
callsthis a failure to enjoy life. He asks her to help him recover,
and she agrees. When they arriveback at the hotel, Waymarsh is
waiting. All three speak together, but Strether soon takesWaymarsh
up to his room.
Later, neither man is able to sleep, so they reconvene at
midnight. Waymarsh reports that he isbored in Europe. His goal is
not fulfilled: he has not fully separated from his wife.
Shecontinues to send him angry letters. He inquires as to Strethers
reason for visiting Europe. Heasks why Strether has traveled to
Europe alone and not with his fiance, Mrs. Newsome.Strether reports
that he is there, rather, on her business. He urges Waymarsh to let
him explainthe nature of the business at a later time. Strether
asks Waymarsh to travel with him to London.The next morning
Strether reports last nights conversation to Miss Gostrey. Strether
had hopedshe would show him Europe properly, and she explains that
guiding Americans through Europeis her unofficial profession. Her
specialty, she adds, is getting them to leave.
Miss Gostrey and the two men then take a walk together. They
walk for a long while, duringwhich time Strether reflects on his
attitudes toward Europe. He hopes that in Europe he will bebetter
able to experience the sweetness and feeling of leisure that is
possible only on thatparticular continent. After a long period of
silence, Waymarsh suddenly runs away from thegroup and into a shop.
Alone with Strether, Miss Gostrey takes a moment to compare the
men.She finds Strether superior to Waymarsh. Strether protests,
pointing out that Waymarsh is moresuccessful financially. But money
does not interest Miss Gostrey. When Waymarsh returnswith his
purchase, Strether calls his action a sacred rage.
-
Analysis
As in many of Jamess novels, the opening paragraph of The
Ambassadors introduces many ofthe themes that will be explored
throughout the course of the novel. In this single paragraph,
welearn that Strether is an American visiting Europe, that in
Europe he feels a personal freedomhe had not felt while in America,
and that he has come to Europe seeking certain Americancontacts
(the first being his friend Waymarsh). These facts help establish
the central focus ofthe novel: this is a story about the
interaction between Europe and America as dramatizedthrough the
experiences of one man, Lambert Strether. Before we learn why
Strether hastraveled to Europe, before we get the details about
what he intends to do there, and even beforewe know anything
specific about the man, we learn about how he feels different in
Europe thanhe had in America. In this way, James foregrounds an
aspect of the novel that may have seemedinsignificant if it had
been introduced alongside the numerous specific details about
Stretherand his mission. James clearly highlights the importance of
this contrast between Europe andthe United States.
In addition to laying out a thematic focus, the opening chapter
of The Ambassadors alsodemonstrates the roles to be played by both
the narrative voice and the character of Strether.From the opening
pages, plot points, like setting, time, and physical description,
come second.Instead, Strethers thoughts are the focus of the
narration. The novel opens with thedramatization of Strethers
mental activity coupled with an intellectual action: the
openingthree words of the novel are Strethers first question,
followed by a discussion of how hefeels about Waymarsh, the friend
he has come to meet. This beginning places Strethersconsciousness
at the heart of the work. Strethers thoughts, feelings, and
perspectivethat is,the way he sees the world and thinks about itare
what the novel is about. Strether, thephysical man, is just a
vessel for Jamess stream-of-consciousness discussion. Put another
way,Strether is not the main character of the novel, but his mind
is.
The Ambassadors begins in media res, which means, literally, in
the middle of things, as away of familiarizing readers with Jamess
somewhat convoluted form. Jamess novels takework to understandand
The Ambassadors is no exception. James uses the first book
toestablish the type of work the reader will need to perform to
derive meaning from the novel. Ittakes James many pages to explain
the true purpose of Strethers time in Europe and to give thefull
history of Strethers life. The delay in explaining the plot lets
James focusesmicroscopically on Strethers mental minutia. The
narrator describes what is on Strethersmind and what passes before
Strethers eyes, rarely stepping back to explain events thathappened
to Strether in the past or that are occurring in places where
Strether is not. Ratherthan using the narrator to answer basic
who-what-where-when questions about Strether, Jamesuses the
narrator to emphasize the novels main formal technique. This
technique relies onStrethers mental gymnastics and dialogue to fill
the reader in on details that exist outside ofthe present moment.
Only by following Strethers early conversations with Waymarsh
andMiss Gostrey will readers be able to understand the essential
reason for Strethers visit toEurope.
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Book Second
Summary
Before Strether goes to the theater with Miss Gostrey on his
third day in London, they eatdinner together at his hotel. When she
arrives, he realizes that he has never dined with a womanbefore
attending the theater. He married as a young man and, even after
his wife died, neverbecame involved in such activities. At dinner,
he sits opposite Miss Gostrey and compares herto Mrs. Newsome.
Unlike Mrs. Newsome, who wears conservative clothing, Miss
Gostreydresses with flair. Strether finds her style to be much more
appealing than Mrs. Newsomes.However, this realizationand her
stylemakes him feel a little self-conscious. The play isabout a bad
woman and an innocent, attractive young man. It reminds Strether of
his mission:to rescue Mrs. Newsomes son, Chad, from the influences
of a similar woman. In conversation,Miss Gostrey infers the rest:
Strethers mission is to pry Chad free and return him to
Woollett,where he will run his familys business. She is right.
Together, Miss Gostrey and Strether discuss his ambassadorial
assignment. Strether explainsthat Chad is twenty-eight and has one
older, married sister. Strether assumes that Chads lovermust be
vile and admits that, in addition to being his fiance, Mrs. Newsome
is his employer,funding the magazine he edits. He also admits that
he somewhat fears Sarah Pocock, Chadssister. Sitting on a divan in
the theater lobby after the play, while they wait for a cab for
MissGostrey, she suggests that Europe may have refined Chad rather
than spoilt him. Stretherprotests. Miss Gostrey assumes that
Strether thinks he is doing Chad a great service andStrether
agrees. He is convinced that Chad will be better off in Woollett
married to the girl theyhave in mind for him, Mamie Pocock. Mamie,
he clarifies, is the sister of Chads sistershusbandand the most
beloved eligible girl in Woollett. She then asks him what he will
gainfor successfully completing this task. Although Strether
insists that he will gain nothing, hesimultaneously admits that he
stands to lose everything should he fail to bring Chad home.With
that, Miss Gostrey enters the cab alone.
Later, on his second day in Paris, Strether goes to the bank to
pick up his mail. He feels guiltythat he went to the theater again,
this time with Waymarsh, who has joined him in Paris.Strether
thinks that all his actions should relate directly to his mission.
But he does not open hisletters right away. Instead, he takes a
leisurely walk around town. He walks to the LuxembourgGardens on
the river Seine and begins to dwell on the positive influence of
the city on hisdisposition. He flips through a bunch of detailed
letters from Mrs. Newsome and discovers thathis absence is hardly
felt in Woollett. In the gardens, he feels relaxed. In Europe,
unlike inWoollett, he feels a great sense of escape.
Strether reminisces about his business and personal failures. He
wonders if he failed his youngson (now deceased) by mourning too
long for the mother. He recalls his earlier trip to Europeand
remembers how, after returning from that trip, he had brought home
not only literarysouvenirs but also a greatly improved sense of
taste and inspiration. In addition, he broughthome to the United
States an immeasurable optimism, and he feels it again. He then
wonders ifthe excitement of Paris is distracting him from his task
and navigates the city streets again. Hecomes upon the Boulevard
Malesherbes, opposite Chads building. Looking up, he sees a
young
-
man smoking on the balcony. The man notices him. Although he
knows the man is not Chad,Strether feels drawn to this youth as if
to a version of Chad. He crosses the street and enters
thehouse.
Analysis
The second book continues to emphasize the contrasts between
Europe and the United Statesthrough the experiences of Strether.
This book informs readers about Strethers past, includinghis
personal history and his relationship to American puritan culture.
Although it may seemsurprising that Strether had never in his life
dined alone with a women before going out for theevening, in
turn-of-the century New England, however, this kind of intimate
engagement with amember of the opposite sex was reserved only for
courtship and sexual relationships. Seen inhistorical context, it
makes sense that Strether, who married young and never courted as
awidower, would not have taken part in such an activity. But this
detail does not simplyhighlight the difference between the social
freedom of European culture and the morerestrained social practices
in Woollett, Massachusetts. This detail also exposes the
deepinfluence American puritan culture has on Strether as an
individual. But, while he is unused tothe social openness and
freedom of Paris, his dinner with Miss Gostrey shows that he
isbeginning to adjust to it. At dinner, when Strether compares Miss
Gostrey to Mrs. Newsome,Miss Gostrey comes out favorably. He shows
his open-mindedness and willingness to see thepositive nature of
European freedom. Strethers entire relationship to puritan culture
is on theverge of changing dramatically.
The conversation between Miss Gostrey and Strether regarding his
mission to Parisdemonstrates the small-town, provincial outlook of
Woollett, Massachusetts. As Strether talks,it becomes obvious that
his friends in Woollett have a blatant bias against Paris. They
considerChad to be the prodigal son, who must return to the United
States to take over the mysteriousfamily business and save it from
ruin. Interestingly, Strether never reveals the nature of
thebusiness; he will only tell Miss Gostrey that it is vulgar. The
people of Woollett believe Paristo be an evil place. They also
assume that an unhealthy liaison with a woman keeps Chad
inParisthat someone might stay in Paris of his own volition is
unimaginable. To Strether, andto the Woollett community he
represents, Paris seems to have bewitched Chad. Strether hasarrived
to break the spell, embodied in the form of a female seductress. At
this stage, Stretherknows nothing but these suspicions. But Miss
Gostrey helps Strether begin to see just howlimited and provincial
his outlook really is. Familiar with the reality of the Parisian
sociallandscape, Miss Gostrey begins to help Strether readjust his
perspective. At this point, sheassumes her role as Strethers guide
and confidant. As such, she offers Strether his firstglimpse of new
understanding by suggesting that Europe may not be the place
Woollett thinksit is.
This book also reveals Strethers complicated relationships with
women. Despite theirengagement, the relationship between Strether
and Mrs. Newsome comes off as cold, devoid ofpassion, and baldly
economic: Mrs. Newsome is not only Strethers fiance but also
hisemployer. He speaks of Mrs. Newsome as an important social
figure back in Massachusetts andas an old friend. But he speaks of
her as coldly and objectively as one might speak of a publicfigure
or a politician, not as one might speak of a betrothed. Even though
Strether speakspositively about Mrs. Newsome, she comes off in a
very negative light, particularly when
-
compared to young, pert Miss Gostrey. Nevertheless, Strether
ultimately leaves Miss Gostreyand returns to Mrs. Newsome in the
final book. Throughout The Ambassadors, the manner inwhich Strether
thinks about things and the way he chooses to speak about them
often contradictone another. The novels meaning resides in what is
shown, not in what is said.
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Book Third
Summary
That evening, Strether eats dinner with Waymarsh. They discuss
Stethers walk around the city,and Strether reports that he plans to
have breakfast the following morning with the young manhe met at
Chads apartment. Waymarsh criticizes Strethers method of checking
in on Chad.Strether admits that he really knows very little about
Chads situation. He then explains that theyoung man he met is named
John Little Bilham. Little Bilham is house-sitting for Chad whilehe
is in Cannes (a French resort town). Waymarsh asks if Chad is with
a woman in Cannes, butStrether does not know. Strether asks
Waymarsh to join him the next day for the meeting but issurprised,
the next day, when Waymarsh does decide to join him. They eat in
Chads apartment,along with another friend of Chads, Miss Barrace.
Strether wonders if Bilham is trying todeceive him by inviting Miss
Barrace but decides, in the end, to just focus on how thingsappear
on the surface.
At the end of the week, Miss Gostrey arrives in Paris. Strether,
who is very excited to see her,goes to visit her as soon as he is
notified of her arrival. At her apartment, Strether recaps
hisentire first week in Paris and finds himself significantly at
ease in her presence. He tells her thestory of his meeting with
Bilham and reports that he likes Bilham a great deal. Miss
Gostreyrequests her own meeting with Bilham so that she can form
her own opinion of the young man.She also comments on everything
Strether has learned of Chad. She asks Strether if it all seemsas
dreadful as he anticipated and laughs when Strether reports that it
actually seems quitewonderful. Miss Gostrey explains that Chad
would not go to Cannes with the kind of vilewoman Strether
suspected, because Cannes is too classy a town to permit that type
ofimmorality. All Strether can say is that he enjoyed his time with
Bilham and hopes to see himmore.
Miss Gostrey meets Bilham at the Louvre (the largest art gallery
in Paris) some days later. LikeStrether, she also enjoys Bilham a
great deal. Strether assumes that her approval of Bilhamequals an
approval of his methods of intervening in Chads life. The day
following the Louvrevisit, Strether and Miss Gostrey join Bilham in
his apartment, a small artists studio. Later,Miss Gostrey invites
Strether, along with Waymarsh and Bilham, to a performance at the
mostpopular theater in France, the Comedie Francaise. Bilham
accepts the invitation but does notshow up. Miss Gostrey pronounces
that Bilham is working under the direction of Chad viatelegraph
from Cannes and theorizes that Chad has orchestrated even Strethers
incipientfriendship with Bilham. Right then, a stranger is seated
in their box just as the play begins. Thestranger, Strether
realizes, is Chad, much changed. Although Strether contemplates
askingChad outside to talk, he does nothing. Rather, he
contemplates the changes in Chadsdemeanor: with gray hair and an
improved appearance, Chad strikes Strether as incrediblymature.
Analysis
The third book begins by emphasizing the novels form over its
content. Much of the action ofThe Ambassadors takes place
offscreen, literally in the white space between chapters and
-
books. Rather than filling readers on the details, James chooses
another narrative technique: hesituates two characters in a
retrospective conversation before setting out to continue the
actionof the novel. At the beginning of the third book, the
offscreen action of the second book getsexplained. Apparently, at
the end of the second book, Strether went up to Chads apartment
andmet little Bilham. By the time the third book begins, this
meeting has already taken place, butreaders learn about it only
after Strether recounts it to Waymarsh over dinner. The
significanceof this conversation is the way that Strether relates
the event in his own words. For a moment,Strether assumes the
narration to contextualize the events that took place between
chapters.Strether, as narrator, can show his feelings, rather than
merely telling his feelings, through whathe chooses to sayor not to
sayabout the meeting with Bilham.
The manner in which Strether relates the tale of his meeting
with little Bilham to Waymarshdemonstrates the great degree to
which Paris has affected him, even after such a short stay.Strether
takes great delight not only in his new friendship but also with
the exciting adventuresof Chad in glamorous Cannes. That Chad might
be eluding him or that Bilham might bedeceiving him never crosses
Strethers mind. For a man on a mission, Strether seemsremarkably
unaffected by the fact that he has yet to even see Chad. Possibly
Strethers lack ofinterest stems from the fact that Strether has
become more interested in his own life, in livinghis life to the
fullest and savoring his experiences, than in rescuing Chad.
Strether is not amoralistic man: although he has morals, he does
not often try to impose his ideas of moralityonto others. (This
characteristic lets him encourage Chad to stay in Paris even after
hediscovers the true nature of Chads relationship with Madame de
Vionnet.) He acts on Chadsbehalf only to the degree that the
Woollett contingent has asked him to so act. But Strether isunable
to ignore the effect that Paris is having on him, and he cannot
help but fall for littleBilhamand for the enchanted Parisian
artists life that Bilham represents.
The third book ends with a significant plot development that
underscores Strethers changes:Chad arrives. In a markedly dramatic
moment, he sneaks into the theater box just as the show
isbeginning. Significantly, no one reacts to his arrival until
after the playand the beginning ofthe fourth book. Strether feels
too nervous to confront Chad right when he enters the booth,even
though he recognizes the young man. Strether finds himself taken
aback by Chadsapparent physical transformation. Strethers positive
reaction to Chads new look reflectsStrethers changingand
increasingly positiveoutlook in general. As Strether begins to
thinkmore favorably of Paris, he unwittingly allows these new
feelings to affect his view of Chadand his mission as ambassador.
Miss Gostrey foreshadowed this change when she urgedStrether to
withhold his biases until he met Chad and made sure that his
supposed Parisianlover had not changed him for the better. At this
point, Strether does not remember MissGostreys words, but they will
end up being prophetic.
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Book Fourth
Summary
When the play ends, Strether has a drink alone with Chad.
Strether wonders if he is being toocruel but nonetheless bluntly
tells Chad that he must leave Paris, end his affair, and return
toWoollett. After he says what he has to say, Strether realizes
that Chads change of charactermay complicate the original plan. He
wonders if it is Paris that has made Chad so much morerefined and
mature. Chad realizes that Strether has been sent to retrieve him
as a weddingpresent to Mrs. Newsome and begins to discuss the
character of those in Woollett with Strether.Strether, like those
in Woollett, assumes only a woman could be keeping Chad in Paris,
anopinion that Chad finds offensive. He asks Strether if he thinks
men are only kept in place bythe influence of women. This strikes
Strether as an interesting point. Chad then insists that hemake his
own decisions, which leads Strether to assume Chad does not have a
lover in Paris.
After their meeting, Chad begins to pay a lot of attention to
Strether, and Strether begins towrite fewer letters to Mrs.
Newsome. He explains to Miss Gostrey, however, that the few hedoes
write are richer in detail. In one of these letters, he writes to
tell Mrs. Newsome that thereis no lady in Chads life in Paris. He
realizes that this news will make Sarah Pocock suspicious,since she
doubts Strethers ability to complete the mission. Sarah Pocock
originally proposedthe idea that it must be a woman keeping Chad in
the impure land of Europe generally and invile Paris specifically.
Miss Gostrey, however, tells Strether that she believes there must
be awoman involved with Chad. Unknowingly, Miss Gostrey agrees with
Sarah Pocock. But MissGostrey urges Strether to keep an open mind
about the nature of Chads lover. Also, she tellsStrether to be
skeptical about Chads apparent goodness and his seemingly changed
character.Strether finds this to be difficult: everything Chad does
seems wonderful to him. Everythingabout Chad seems to have become
wonderful during his time in Paris.
Eventually, Strether asks little Bilham to explain why Chad is
unwilling to return to America.Bilham tells Strether that Chad is,
indeed, in a relationship. But he clarifies and stresses thatChads
relationship is a virtuous one. Knowing this, Strether begins to
pressure Chad to set aspecific date for their return to Woollett.
Chad asks Strether to wait until he introduces him totwo of his
close friends, a mother and a daughter, who are returning to Paris
very shortly.Strether meets with Miss Gostrey again and, as usual,
seeks her advice on the matter at hand.Immediately, they begin to
speculate about Chads relationship to these two women: is
heromantically involved with the daughter? Is he in love with the
mother? Could they really bevirtuous women? Strether is nervous but
also eager to find out.
Analysis
The fourth book starkly compares Paris to Woollettto the benefit
of the European city andthe detriment of the American city. Chad
describes Woollett not as a cultural or social center.Rather, it is
a small, provincial piece of New England entrenched in its own
customs, populatedby a small, elite group that both fears change
and clings to tradition. Unlike Paris, Chadimplies, Woollett has
very little to keep a man. In conversation with Strether, Chad
contrastshis time in Paris with the Woollett way of life, and he
urges Strether to question the repressive
-
ways of the American town. Strether, who has already begun to
question the influence ofWoollett on his worldview, is susceptible
to Chads insistence that he rethink his hometown.While conversing
with Chad, Strether discovers that he has less confidence in his
mission thanhe originally assumed he possessed, particularly as he
begins to see Woollett in a less flatteringlight. This moment marks
the first time that Strethers belief in Mrs. Newsomesambassadorial
mission begins to falter, as well as the moment at which the
relationshipbetween Chad and Strether begins to take an
interesting, intimate shape. Even though theirinteraction continues
under the pretense of Mrs. Newsomes assignment, Strether will,
fromthis point on, continue to second-guess his mission.
The conversation between Strether and Chad also demonstrates
Strethers complicatedrelationship with women. Like the rest of
Woollett, Strether believes that Chad has stayed inParis so long
because of a woman. He cannot fathom that Chad might stay in the
city for thecity itself. But more than provincialism drives
Strethers attitude: he idealizes women. As ayoung man, Strether was
unable to deal with the reality of his wifes passing, a failure
that, byhis own admission, may have precipitated the death of his
young son. Although he never gotover these events (and is still
quite prudish with women), he has traveled all the way to Europeto
do the bidding of one such woman, Mrs. Newsome, who he admits is
very demanding andstubborn. In the conversation between Strether
and Chad, Strether assumes, without realizing it,that ones kept
only by women, as Chad puts it. When Chad questions Strethers
opinion, healso subtly questions the manner in which Strether has
chosen to live his life.
Finally, the conversation between Chad and Strether teaches
Strether to take a more active rolein his thought process and his
life. Rather than blindly assuming an opinion or worldview to
becorrect, Strether must learn to question and analyze the opinion
or worldview. After Chadcriticizes Strethers views on the
relationship between men and women, Strether begins torealize that
he must stop being a passive participant in life. The lived life to
which Stretheraspires requires that he askand answerdemanding
questions about himself, his opinions,his friends, and even his
behavior. By forcing Strether to investigate his own character,
Chadwill actually end up helping Strether a lot more than Strether
will ever manage to help Chad. Inmany ways, these two men, in such
different stages of life and with seemingly oppositeperspectives on
Europe, will begin here to slowly switch from one opposition to the
other.Although Strether begins as pro-Woollett and Chad as
pro-Paris, each man will find the other tobe more compelling then
he finds himself. Eventually, when Chad finally comes to
understandStrethers perspective, Strether will no longer subscribe
to his original stance. Likewise, by thetime Strether comes to
understand Chads passion for Europe, Chad will have changed
hismind.
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Book Fifth
Summary
The following Sunday, Chad arranges for Strether to meet his
female friends, Madame deVionnet and her daughter, Jeanne. He plans
to take Strether to a party held in the garden of thefamous
Parisian sculptor Gloriani. Strether anticipates the event with
great curiosity. Oncethere, the garden and the artistic,
fashionable guests make a strong impression on Strether, andhe
begins to wonder what impression he is making on them. Strether
wonders if he seemsacceptable to the Parisians present, as well as
to Chad and his expatriate friends. When littleBilham nears, he
longs to ask him bluntly if he passes the test but cannot summon
the courage.Instead, Strether asks Bilham about the other guests
and whether the de Vionnets have arrived.Bilham says that they have
returned to the city, but he is not sure yet if they are at the
party.Strether asks Bilham about the virtuous attachment Chad has
with these women. Bilham,cryptically, calls the attachment
magnificent. Not sure what to do with this information,Strether
inquires if Madame de Vionnets husband is still living. When he
learns that he is,Strether finalizes his assumption that Chad must
be in love with the younger de Vionnet. Just atthat point, Chads
friend Miss Barrace arrives and reiterates Bilhams obscure but
positiveremarks. Strether begins to ask more questions, but then
Chad appears.
Chad takes Strether to meet Madame de Vionnet. She speaks a
unique style of English, whichStrether finds rather charming. He
thinks too that she looks rather young. She is dressed inblack,
looks thin, and smiles naturally. Together, they walk to a garden
bench and sit. Strethertries to imagine a situation in which he
could have met Madame de Vionnet in Woollett whilethey discuss
simple things, like how much one has heard about the other.
Suddenly, a coupleapproaches the bench, and a duchess whisks Madame
de Vionnet away. Before Strether canprocess anything about their
conversation, Bilham appears. Inspired by his surroundings,Strether
begins to speak to Bilham about his experiences in Paris and in
Chads world thus far.He also describes his regrets and
disappointments. In a speech filled with sudden passion andsage
advice, Strether urges Bilham to live and do all he can with the
time he has before it is toolate. He also explains that it is too
late for him to follow his own advice.
At that moment, Chad, with a young Jeanne de Vionnet on his arm,
approaches the two men.She is wearing white and is very pretty.
Jeanne reports to Strether that her mother wants him tovisit her.
Again, their conversation is cut short. Chad pulls the girl away
from Strether, and heis left again with Bilham, who soon departs.
Miss Gostrey then joins Strether on the bench. Heinforms her that
Chads lover is the daughter. She, in turn, offers herself as
Strethers guide inspecific matters concerning Madame de Vionnet.
While the rest of the party heads inside fortea, Miss Gostrey tells
Strether that she attended school in Geneva with Madame de
Vionnettwenty-three years ago. She also explains that the madame
has been living apart from herbrutish husband for years. Finally,
Miss Gostrey mentions that she suspects that Madame deVionnet wants
Chad to marry her daughter.
The next morning, Chad visits Strether, and Strether pointedly
asks Chad directly if he isengaged to Jeanne. Chad responds that he
is not. He then tells Strether that he really wantsStrether to
become well acquainted with Madame de Vionnet. Strether agrees, on
the condition
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that Chad surrenders himself to Strether from that point on.
Chad says he will.
Analysis
The fifth book lets James continue to compare Europe with
America but introduces a new lensthrough which to view the two
places: society and social interaction. Strether is thrust into
theheart of Parisian society at the garden party, which gives him
the opportunity to compare itwith Woollett society. His anxiety
about whether he fits in emphasizes the glamorous outlookwith which
he views Paris. He clearly enjoys the party and the way people
socialize and interactwith one another. Even though Gloriani comes
off as a caricature of a successful artist andhas no sincere
interaction with Strether, Strether finds the man charming. In
addition, he likesthe idea that Chad would be in the same social
coterie as such a successful and artistic man.The party helps
Strether discover a whole new level on which to be delighted with
Paris and, inthis way, helps crystallize Strethers good opinion of
Europe. He tries to imagine meetingMadame de Vionnet in Woollett
but realizes that he could never meet her therebecause she
isentirely different from anything American culture could produce.
What she is, however, iswonderful, and he cannot help but be
charmed by her. By the time he finds himself alone withBilham, his
appreciation of Paris has blossomed into something resembling
full-blown love.
As American men in the prime of life, Bilham and Chad represent
younger versions of Strether.Because Strether regrets his lifes
failures, particularly how little he actually lived orexperienced
life as a young man, he hopes to impart his hard-won wisdom on
Bilham and Chad.If possible, he wants to prevent them from making
the same mistakes he made at their ageand to save them from
experiencing the negative emotions Strether now feels when he
looksback over his own life. As he sits at the party, feeling happy
to be in Paris, Strether becomesinspired to impart this love and
these lessons to Bilham. He urges Bilham to live not onlybecause he
finds himself living much more fully in Paris, but also because he
realizes thatthis way of life has made him a great deal happier.
But in advising Bilham, Strether is alsospeaking to himself. You
should have lived, he tells himself, and you must try and live
everysingle second you still can. This realization colors the rest
of Strethers actions throughout theremainder of The Ambassadors.
His open-mindedness, his eagerness to understand, and
hiswillingness to develop relationships with various people can all
be seen as the byproducts ofthis new perspective.
Formally, Strethers realization acts as the novels first climax,
or moment of great intensityand drama. Here, as elsewhere, James
lets Strether describe his experiences, rather than usingan
impartial narrator. This narrative choice increases the moments
drama, because Stretherclearly struggles to articulate his new
consciousness and life lessons to Bilham. He speaksslowly, with
full pauses and straight dashes. He tries to put this profound
disappointment andstartling fresh outlook into words. The
dnouement, or tidying up of the messiness of theclimax, will take
place in the sixth book. James repeats this structure in the
penultimate andfinal books of The Ambassadors: the second climax
occurs in the eleventh book and itsdnouement in the twelfth. The
first climax allows James to demarcate the sum of the smallchanges
Strether has been experiencing throughout the first half of the
novel. While in Europe,Strethers perspectives on propriety, on
society, and on Europe have changed. Now, in onetheatrical moment,
he presents his changed life view to Bilham. He also foreshadows
the end ofthe novel, at which point Strether leaves Europe and
returns to Woollett.
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Book Sixth
Summary
Later on the same day as the garden party, Strether accompanies
Chad on a visit to Madame deVionnets home. After a few minutes,
however, Chad departs and leaves Strether alone withMadame de
Vionnet. Strether takes note of his surroundings, registering the
differences amongthe homes of Madame de Vionnet, Chad, and Miss
Gostrey. Madame de Vionnet asks Stretherto become her friend and,
in turn, to open himself up to the idea of accepting her and
herdaughter, Jeanne. She then asks him about Mrs. Newsome,
wondering if she has given up onStrethers ever pulling away from
the lure of Europe. She urges Strether to tell Mrs. Newsomethe
complete truth about herself and her daughter. Strether asks her if
she wants Chad to marryher daughter. She says no, and when Strether
presses, Madame de Vionnet explains that Helikes her too much.
Strether assumes she means that he likes her too much to hurt her
bytaking her to America. Madame de Vionnet asks Strether to
convince Mrs. Newsome that shehas been a good influence on Chad.
This seems like a simple enough request to Strether, so heassures
her that he will try to save her if he can.
Ten days later, Chad urges Strether to get to know Jeanne de
Vionnet. Chad claims that hewants to know what Strether thinks of
the young lady. For reasons Strether does not understand,he agrees
to meet with her. In Chads parlor, Strether finds himself with
Jeanne and remarksthat she is a rather beautiful childa girl who
has received an excellent upbringing from hermother, as well as a
good education. However, Strether has trouble understanding what
servicehe is providing to Chad by being there, next wondering if he
might actually be doing Mrs.Newsomes bidding by meeting with the
young girl. He realizes that although he is reportingeach of his
actions to Mrs. Newsome through letters, he did not write to her
about his promiseto Madame de Vionnet. He begins to wonder if he is
staying as focused on his task as he couldbe. Just then, Gloriani
interrupts Strethers meeting with Jeanne, and Miss Barrace begins
tospeak to him instead. She begins to compliment Jeanne, but
Strether asks directly, withnewfound confidence, whether Madame de
Vionnet will divorce her husband to marry Chad.Caught off-guard,
Miss Barrace says that she assumes Madame de Vionnet will not and
thattheir relationship will continue as it has been. Strether takes
Miss Barraces comments asfurther confirmation that Madame de
Vionnet and Chad have a virtuous relationship. MissBarrace and
Strether begin talking about Waymarsh.
Suddenly Madame de Vionnet appears and asks Miss Barrace to
leave her alone with Strether.Madame de Vionnet then asks Strether
if Miss Gostrey has been avoiding her. Confused,Strether has no
answer. The conversation turns to Jeanne, and Madame de Vionnet
getsannoyed when Strether will not express his opinion of the girl
outright. After they finishtalking, Strethers eyes meet with little
Bilhams, and they exchange a short dialogue about thede Vionnet
women. Strether asks Bilham why he would not want to marry Jeanne,
and Bilhamclaims that he would have no chance to marry her, given
the other people involved, includingChad. This comment convinces
Strether that he understands the situation. He tells Bilham that,in
his opinion, the high fine friendship between Chad and Madame de
Vionnet has causedChad to change for the better. Bilham then
cautiously tells Strether that Madame de Vionnet
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perhaps cares more for Chad than Chad cares for her. He asks if
Strether will report this toWoollett, and Strether says that he
will not. Bilham then suggests that he thinks Chad might beready to
go back to America. Strether, disagreeing, explains that he now
sees that Madame deVionnet needs to be savedand not Chad. Strether
thinks that Chad must stay in Paris in orderto help her.
Analysis
The sixth book concludes the first half of The Ambassadors by
presenting Strether and hisexperiences in almost complete
opposition to how they appeared in the first book. The first
sixbooks form a cohesive formal unit, complete with a plot arc,
climax, and significant characterdevelopment. Whereas Strether once
lacked confidence, he now possesses it, boldly askingMiss Barrace
for information about whether Madame de Vionnet will get a divorce.
WhereasStrether once relied on Miss Gostrey as a sounding board and
fairy godmother, he now blithelygives his opinion of events and
interactions, as when he tells Bilham that the virtuousrelationship
between Chad and Madame de Vionnet has caused Chad to grow as a
person.Whereas he once spent his time checking his watch and
hedging, he now moves fromconversation to conversation almost
effortlessly. Strether has grown from a hesitant andnervous
American abroad into an expressive and content Francophile. Rather
than reporteverything back to Mrs. Newsome, he now carefully
decides what to put in his lettersandwhat to keep for himself. He
has all but abandoned his original mission of bringing Chad backto
Woollett in favor of befriending and helping Madame de Vionnet. The
Strether of the firstbook probably would not recognizeor likethe
Strether of the sixth book.
Although Strethers allegiance shifts totally and completely from
those in Woollett to those inParis, the way he shows this
allegiance has not changed. His loyalty now rests with the
Parisiancrowd, not with the folks back home. But this new
allegiance depends on the truthfulness andtrustworthiness of
Bilham. Rather than questioning Bilham, Strether wholeheartedly
acceptswhat Bilham says about the nature of the relationship
between Chad and Madame de Vionnet.He now takes on Bilhams
worldview as easily as he once accepted the provincial outlook
ofMrs. Newsome and the rest of Woollett. Caught up with his new
friends, Strether believes whatthey tell him. For the moment,
Strether has forgotten Miss Gostreys warning about
Bilhamstrustworthiness. She pointed out early on that Bilhams
loyalty belongs first and foremost toChad. Now Strether has shifted
from favoring Mrs. Newsome and wanting to please her tofavoring
Madame de Vionnet and wanting to please her. Nevertheless, Strether
continues toquestion his own thought process and motivation to some
degree, as when he admits to himselfthat he has not been reporting
everything to Mrs. Newsome. Although he has not been lying inhis
letters, he has not been exactly truthful either. This admission
shows that Stretherrecognizes the changing nature of his
ambassadorship: he will continue to help Chad but not inthe way
Mrs. Newsome has requested.
To Strether, Madame de Vionnet symbolizes Europe generally and
Paris specifically. In thesixth book and elsewhere, the narrator
refers to cosmopolitan Parisian women as femmes dumonde, a French
phrase meaning women of the world. Interestingly, Miss Gostrey does
notfall into this category: worldly as she might be, she is
nevertheless an American. As the novelbegins, Strether believes
Paris to be as vile as the woman with whom Chad is involved.
Hewants only to rescue Chad and return home. Upon spending time in
Paris, however, Strether
-
changes his mindand he meets Chads lover just as he begins to
enjoy his time in Paris. Hisview of her becomes wrapped up in his
changing attitude toward Europe. In fact, the twobecome
inextricably linked such that Madame de Vionnet becomes the human
embodiment ofthe European city. Strether finds her charming,
mysterious, multifaceted, intoxicating, andexotic, much as he finds
Paris. As with the city, the woman can be many things to many
people,depending on ones outlook. The sixth book concludes with
Strether telling Bilham that hewants Chad to stay in Paris, with
Madame de Vionnet, another instance of Strether conflatingthe city
with the woman.
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Book Seventh
Summary
The book opens twelve days after Strether had dinner with Madame
de Vionnet and herdaughter at Chads apartment. At that dinner, he
had decided that saving Madame de Vionnet,rather than saving Chad,
was his true calling. After making this decision, Strether finds
himselfworrying deeply about the state of his relationship with
Mrs. Newsome and his progress on hertask. In addition, Miss Gostrey
has been away on vacation for weeks, and Strether has not heardfrom
her. Strether lacks a friend with whom to process his worries and
thus seeks refuge,repeatedly, inside the great Catholic cathedral
Notre Dame, in the center of Paris. There, hehopes to escape his
worries. During his visits, he finds himself impressed by the
focuseddevotion of a conspicuously dressed lady who is often
praying when he visits. One day, oncloser inspection, he realizes
that this woman is none other than Madame de Vionnet. Theylunch
together and talk. Strether finds himself more deeply drawn to
Madame de Vionnet. Hetells her that he has written to Mrs. Newsome
describing Madame de Vionnet favorably and isawaiting Mrs. Newsomes
reply. She asks him if Mrs. Newsome wishes to marry Chad
off.Strether finds her to be more wonderful than ever, thinking she
is asking for his help in takingcare of Chad.
Three days later, Strether finally receives a telegraph from
Mrs. Newsome. Upon reading it, hebecomes angry and crumples it into
his fist, and then he sits in shock. Waymarsh observes himsitting,
stunned, but does not confront him immediately. Strether then
rescues the letter andsmoothes it out. Looking up, Strether finally
notices Waymarsh watching him and gets up tojoin him for dinner.
Strether insists to Waymarsh that all is well. The next morning,
however,Chad arrives at Strethers room and sees the telegraph. He
tells Strether that they should begintheir journey to America
straight off. Strether explains that Mrs. Newsome has sent him
anultimatum to return to Woollett, with or without Chad, but that
he is not ready to go. He tellsChad that if he stays, Mrs. Newsome
will send a new batch of ambassadors: her daughter, SarahPocock;
Sarahs husband, Jim Pocock; and Jims sister, Mamie Pocock. Chad
knows that thismissive means that Mrs. Newsome no longer trusts
Strether, and Chad insists that he is ready togo back to Woollett
post haste. Strether repeats that he is not ready and asks Chad to
help himstay for one more month. Strether reminds Chad that Chad
owes him. Chad agrees.
That day, Strether goes to meet Miss Gostrey at long last. He
informs her that Waymarsh hasbeen in communication with Woollett,
as an informer. He tells her also about the ultimatum,which is not
unexpected. Miss Gostrey finds him positively changed since her
departure.However, Strether finds their interaction slightly
altered, as if the novelty of their relationshiphas faded along
with the novelty of Europe. Strether goes on to explain that he
asked Chad tohelp him remain in Europe and that Chad has agreed to
stay, for now. Two days after hisconversation with Miss Gostrey,
the Pococks send word that they have left Woollett and are ontheir
way to Paris. Strether realizes that although he still writes
abundantly to Mrs. Newsome,his words are hollow. For her part, she
seldom writes to him now, yet she is ever present in hismind. He
eagerly awaits the arrival of the second wave of ambassadors,
especially SarahPocock, Mrs. Newsomes daughter. He confidently
believes that the behavior of Sarah will
-
expose to him the true nature of Mrs. Newsomes feelings toward
him.
Analysis
James deliberately structured and patterned The Ambassadors so
that the two halves of the bookparallel and echo each other. For
instance, the first half of the book shows Strether quicklysecuring
his two main companions, whose advice he will rely on while in
Europe. Strethermeets both Waymarsh and Miss Gostrey in the first
chapter. In the seventh book, in the firstchapter of the second
half of the novel, Strether meets Madame de Vionnet
almostimmediately. This meeting symbolizes a sea change in their
interaction: from now on, Stretherwill rely on and frequently
interact with the madame. The friendship they develop will
lastuntil the very end of the novel. Ironically, Strether meets
Madame de Vionnet and becomespersonally acquainted with her while
seeking solitude in Notre Dame. In the first book, Strethermet Miss
Gostrey under similar circumstances: after he learned that Waymarsh
had beendetained, and thus Strether would be alone in England for a
while.
In addition to the parallel early meetings between Strether and
the two women, both beginningchapters introduce the challenges that
Strether will face in the upcoming chapters. The firstbook
introduces readers to Chad, to his life in Paris, and to Strethers
mission. We also see thecharacters anxiously anticipating Chads
arrival. Strether spends a lot of time preparing for themeeting
with Chad, and the narration dramatizes his internal deliberations
by presentingStrethers discourse with Miss Gostrey. The seventh
book introduces us to the Pocock clan, thesecond wave of
ambassadors, and we begin to understand the full import of their
arrival.Strethers relationship with Mrs. Newsome has fundamentally
altered for the worse. In bothearly chapters, Strethers thoughts
and conversations with others about the impending actionprovide the
context for the arrival. As in the first half of the book, an
upcoming meeting makesthe characters antsy with anticipation. In
the novels second half, Strether discusses theeventual arrival of
Sarah Pocock and her clan with Madame de Vionnet, Chad, and
MissGostrey. His thoughts about the new ambassadors become as all
consuming as his thoughtsabout Chad had been at the opening of the
novel.
Both opening chapters also present Strether as processing
intense emotions. In the first chapter,Strether feels a renewed
sense of freedom and optimism after many years of stagnation
andboredom. Now, in Book Seventh, Strether struggles to come to
terms with the repercussions ofhis earned freedom. Strether has
taken six booksthe entire first half of The Ambassadorstoreject
Mrs. Newsomes mission. The second half of the novel begins another
journey towardanother transition for Strether. By mirroring the
structure of the novels opening, Jamesforeshadows the course of the
second half of the book: Strether shall learn a lot about life,
buthe shall suffer for this knowledge.
Finally, both chapters have a peculiar relationship to the
interior and exterior worlds. Neitheropening chapter focuses on
exteriors. Similarly, neither opening gives much
descriptionrelating to the time, setting, or space. Nevertheless,
both chapters take place in specific places:the first occurs in the
garden of a hotel in Chester, England. We do not know the name of
thehotel, but we do know that the town exits in real life. The lack
of physical description freesreaders to focus on the development of
the characters, as portrayed by the interaction betweenStrether and
Miss Gostrey. In contrast, Book Seventh begins in Notre Dame, a
famous cathedral
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in Paris. Many readers both past and present would have some
familiarity with the cathedraland would thus be able to situate the
fictional characters into a real place. Although bothchapters
document Strethers perceptions and foreground how these perceptions
shall change,the opulent setting of Book Seventh indicates the
greater significance of the changes to come.
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Book Eighth
Summary
Strether feels tense as he waits for the arrival of the Pococks.
He spends a lot of time alone. Heis suspicious of Waymarsh, because
he now knows that Waymarsh has been in touch withWoollett, and he
is not spending as much time with Miss Gostrey. One day, knowing
that Chadis out of town, he visits Madame de Vionnet and discovers
that she is out of town as well. Forreasons he cannot explain, this
coincidence shakes Strethers confidence. The Pococks arrive inthe
port of Havre and then take the train to Paris. Chad, back in
Paris, and Strether take a cabtogether to the Paris station to meet
them. Strether describes himself as an outgoingambassador and
speaks openly to Chad during the ride about how he feels. He asks
Chad if heintends to introduce Sarah Pocock to Madame de Vionnet,
and Chad replies that he does. Chadthen asks Strether if he intends
to introduce Sarah to Miss Gostrey, and Strether replies that
hedoes not.
In the next scene, Strether and Jim Pocock, Sarahs husband,
return from the train stationtogether in a carriage. As they weave
through town, Jim and Strether discuss the state of thingsin
Woollett and Jims expectations for his time in Paris. Strether is
in very good spirits,because he is convinced he saw Sarah smile at
him when they met her at the dock. He interpretsthis smile to mean
that Mrs. Newsome still trusts him and is happy with his actions in
Paris. Heis a little disconcerted, however, and a bit disappointed,
that the new arrivals did not notice assignificant a change in Chad
as Strether had noticed when he first saw Chad at the theater.
Eventhough Jim is a successful Woollett businessman, Strether finds
him to be a bit of an odd manout. Jim is in a good mood and has
high hopes for a very enjoyable Parisian vacation. He eventhanks
Strether for acting in such a way as to facilitate his trip.
Jim goes on to imply that Mrs. Newsome is still interested in
Strether, both as an ambassadorand as a potential husband. Strether
want to trust Jim but suspects that Jim is not actually fullyaware
of the state of things in Woollett. The next day, Strether gets the
opportunity to find outmore a