Four Meetings (1877) is a simple but very touching story which hovers ambiguously between a comic and a tragic tone. As so frequently in James's work, there is an 'International' element to the tale - in this case the powerful attraction which European culture had for Americans. The tension between pathos and bitter irony make it difficult to tell if the story is meant to be taken as mild satire or a form of grim and off-colour humour. It is not unlike his treatment of the same subject in the later story Europe This tale ...
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Four Meetings (1877) is a simple but very touching story which hovers ambiguously between a comic and a tragic tone. As so frequently in James's work, there is an 'International' element to the tale - in this case the powerful attraction which European culture had for Americans. The tension between pathos and bitter irony make it difficult to tell if the story is meant to be taken as mild satire or a form of grim and off-colour humour. It is not unlike his treatment of the same subject in the later story Europe This tale has some of the tensions and reversals of expectation that characterise the typical late nineteenth century story - the sort of tale that might have been written by Guy de Maupassant, whose work Henry James knew well. This story takes place in Grimwinter, New England and Havre, France. It is told by a man who see a woman only four times and he descrives each one of their meetings. The first one was at a little tea-party in Grimwinter, New England it must have been some 17 years ago. He was with his friend Latouche, they were visiting his friend's mother. Mrs Latouche asked him if he didn't want to show the photographs to some young ladies. He looked arround and saw a prety young lady, she was alone looking round the room, so he decided to show the photographs to her. Mrs Latouche introduced him to her. Her name was Miss Caroline Spencer. The photographs were usualy things he knew, (views of Switzerland, Italy, and Spain) so he said what he could abut them and they started to talk about Europe. She told him that she really wanted to travel to Europe among other things, they talked for a long time and then she went. The second meeting was three years later. He went to meet his sister and her husband in Havre, France. There he went out for a walk with his brother-in-law. they walked along the sunny and noisy quays and when they were walking he saw her in an old-fashioned cafe, he approached and soon she recognized him, he told her that he was very happy to see her there, she told him she was waiting for a cousin of her. So they talked while they expected to her cousin, and after a while he arrived, then she had to leave. The third meeting was the next day. He saw her in a village in Havre, and it seemed that she had been crying, and she told him that her cousin was in distress and had financial problems, so she had to give him the money that she had for to travel by Europe. The next morning he went to find her but she was not there."
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
