Analysis of the tragic character of Daisy Miller

1、  Introduction

Daisy Miller is written by Henry James, a well-known cross-cultural writer. He is an important pioneer to advance traditional English novels to modern ones. His masterpiece Daisy Miller reflects cultural values in the West. He analyzes the ultimate reason for Daisy Miller’s tragic death and the social background which tries to tell us many tragedies are caused by misunderstanding. Meanwhile, we can find that the conflicts between Europe and America and Daisy’s limited insight deter her from exploring European cultures.

The story of Daisy Miller took place in Scotland. A young American expatriates called Winterbourne came to visit his aunt in Europe where he met an American boy and the boy’s sister Daisy. The young and beautiful Daisy gave him a very deep impression. When he was about to leave, he promised to meet Daisy in Rome. But he vacillated in his opinion of whether Daisy is innocent and whether she loves him. When he arrived in Rome, he didn’t meet Daisy immediately. Different social backdrops attribute to the misunderstandings between them, which is a tragedy. After fierce argument, Daisy got to a dangerous place and later she  got very sick with high fever. Tragically, Daisy departed the world a week later. In front of Daisy’s tomb, Winterbourne realized Daisy’s innocence with her deep love for him and his ignorance to European customs. The following will focus on the reasons causing Daisy’s tragic death.

 

2、  Reasons causing Daisy’s tragedy

 

(1)   the first reason is Daisy herself.

 

She is a charming and lively girl. Wherever she goes, she can attract many men’s attention. So Daisy is very concerned about her dressing, when Winterbourne first met Daisy, she was dressed in white Muslin, which can be seen from the texts:

With a hundred frills and flounces and knots of pale-colored ribbon. Bareheaded, she balanced in her hand a large parasol with a deep border of embroidery; and she was strikingly, admirably pretty. “How pretty they are!” thought our friend, who straightened himself in his seat as if he was ready to rise. (James, 1998:11)

 

Pray what is it then that happens—“here for instance?” Winterbourne asked. “Well, the girl tears about alone with her unmistakably low foreigners. As to what happens further you must apply elsewhere for information. She has picked up half a dozen of the regular Roman for tune hunters of the inferior sort and she takes them about to s such houses as she may put her nose into. When she comes to a party—such a party as she can come to—she brings with her a gentleman with a good deal of manner and a wonderful moustache. (James, 1998:45)

 

She fancies getting to know new friends and talks lively. But not all want to make friends with her, some of them are just out of vanity. The dialogue between Daisy and Winterbourne in Rome leaves a deep impression on me.

She is also a willful girl, when she met Winterbourne at a party, she questioned him,

“You might have come to see me then,” Daisy went on as if they had parted the week before. “I arrived only yesterday.” “I don’t believe any such thing!” The girl declared afresh. “Why haven’t you been to see me?” She meanwhile asked. “You can’t get out of that.” “I’ve had the honor of telling you that I’ve only just stepped out of the train.” “You must have stayed in the train a good while after it stopped!” She derisively cried.” I suppose you were asleep. You’ve had time to go to see Mrs. Walker.”(James, 1998:53)

 

 

Daisy Miller is the heroin of the novel and also embodies American independent spirit which the author tries to get across to us. She is a dependent, rich American girl who came to Europe to see her aunt and brother. She knows nothing of Europe and has no interest in understanding new things as well. In Scotland, she can’t appreciate the beauties of mountains and when visiting the castle, she paid more attention to personal life rather than the history of the castle. In Rome, she wants to know gentlemen more than famous paintings. She neglected Rome is the center of European culture. As a result, her limited background knowledge deters her from understanding European culture.

Although Daisy likes to make friends, she didn’t understand those persons’ customs and habits. She is always talking about herself. It is her shortcoming that she never minds others’ talking about her and she doesn’t fit into European society. From the above ,we can see that American history is brief but pursuing freedom. While Americans admire the long history of Europe, they don’t get close to European culture and traditions. He always vexed about whether Daisy is a good girl, an innocent girl and whether she knew all the things people talked about her.

She is “too light and childish, too uncultivated and unreasoning”. (Hocks, 1990:65)

 

In conclusion, Daisy should be responsible for her own destiny. She knew so little of European cultures and customs, values, morals. She can’t be accepted by the upper-class of the society.

（2）Different cultural background also contributes to her tragic destiny.

She was born in America. Her mother is weak and self-abased. Daisy told Winterbourne her mother is timid and doesn’t like seeing her with a gentleman. When Daisy and Winterbourne met her mother, she was not at all surprised at Daisy’s together with a stranger which is not in concordance with typical American mothers who are strict with their own children. From the following dialogues we can get to know Daisy’s mother.

“She’s gone out somewhere with Mr. Giovanelli. She’s always going round with Mr. Giovanelli.”

 “I’ve noticed they’re intimate indeed,” Winterbourne concurred. “Oh it seems as if they couldn’t live without each other!” Mrs. Miller Said. “Well, he’s a real gentleman anyhow. I guess I have the joke on Daisy—that she must be engaged!”

“And how does your daughter take the joke?” “Oh she just says she ain’t. But she might as well be! This philosophic parent resumed.” She goes on as if she was. But I’ve made Mr. Giovanelli promise to tell me if Daisy doesn’t. “I’d want to write to Mr. Miller about it—wouldn’t you?” (James, 1998:74)

 

As a mother, she can’t give her daughter some good advice on integrating the society. And when Daisy made friends in foreign lands, she believes in her and lets her do as she wants. For example:

 

“But I want to ask a favor—permission to bring a friend.” “I shall be happy to see any of your friends,” said Mrs. Walker, who turned with a smile to Mrs. Miller. “Oh they’re not my friends,” cried that lady, squirming in shy repudiation.” It seems as if they didn’t take to me—I never spoke to one of them!” (James, H .1998:51)

 

Daisy’s mother didn’t tell her about the European customs. She could do nothing when bad things are talked about her daughter. She behaves like a shy girl shutting herself in the room. I think if she is braver she can protect her poor daughter.

Obviously, there is great discrepancies between European and American cultures. In America, children have enough freedom while in Britain, they grow up under the supervision of their parents. As a result, each culture has difficulty in developing harmoniously.

From this novel, we can see that Daisy represents America of brief culture and history. Although some Americans live in Europe but they live their whole life there and have been accustomed to the life there. As we can see from Daisy’s aunt Mrs. Costello, a widow who is very stubborn on her own social habits. “a long pale face, a high nose, and a great deal of very striking white hair, which she wore in large puffs over the top of her head.” (Hocks, 1990:81)。She refuses to visit Daisy’s family and she doesn’t like the way of Daisy’s behavior, She calls them “very common…, the sort of Americans one does one’s duty by…not accepting.”(Hocks, 1990:85)。Mrs. Costello represents the current European values which indirectly result in Daisy’s tragedy.

Another character in this novel, Mrs. Walker, an American lived in Rome for many years. She invited Daisy and her mother to the party. When she heard something about Daisy, she was concerned about Daisy and planned to protect her. For many times she told Daisy it’s bad for a young lady to go out with unfamiliar men which flouts European values. However, Daisy declines her suggestion. Failing to understand American pure morals, the Europeans see Daisy not realizing her own faults.

It is the hero, Winterbourne, spent most of his time in Europe. From his point of view, we can see everything, he loves Daisy except her minds. He indulged herself in observing Daisy’s charming but he isn’t a deep minded person for he daren’t resist rules and can’t understand all the things Daisy did. When he talked with Daisy, he was in peaceful mood and happy. But in fact, he hopes Daisy to be a true European.

Different cultural backgrounds shape different cultures. From the perspective of an American, Daisy is doing the normal things. She is a young girl who likes making friends with others and enjoys her life. Everything changed when she was in Europe. People here came from totally different cultural background and they wouldn’t support people like Daisy which finally generated the tragedy.

（3）different ideologies

Henry James is the first novelist to treat substance of world as materials in the world. Most of his works are about the Western society. Some say he is an American and others say he is the British. So he is very familiar with Western cultures and societies. The author constantly explores the cultural conflicts and the characters and plots profoundly reflects the cultural discrepancies.

Daisy Miller depicts the cultural conflicts and the relationship between Daisy, Winterbourne and the poor Italian reflects Henry James’s theme properly. Innocence and experienced, showy and realistic, natural and artificial, are the implications of international theme. Two different ideologies are also the frictions between American liberalism and European education.

Daisy Miller embodies American people who pursues European history and culture but don’t like their intricacy and hypocrisy. On the other hand, Europeans don’t appreciate American’s innocence who is fond of equality and sincerity. The conflicts run through the whole novel and give rise to Daisy’s adversity, as we can see from the novel, for example:

“The only thing I don’t like,” she proceeded, “is the society. There ain’t any society—or if there is I don’t know where it keeps itself. Do you? I suppose there’s some society somewhere, but I haven’t seen anything of it. I’m very fond of society and I’ve always had plenty of it. I don’t mean only in Schenectady, but in New York. I used to go to New York every winter. In New York I had lots of society. Last winter I had seventeen dinner s given me, and three of them were by gentlemen,” added Daisy Miller. “I’ve more friends in New York than in Schenectady—more gentlemen friends; and more young lady friends too,” she resumed in a moment. (James, 1998:19)

“Well, we’ve got to turn the right way sometime,” said Mrs. Miller with strained but weak optimism. Winterbourne expressed the hope that her daughter at least appreciated the so various interest of Rome, and she declared with some spirit that Daisy was quite carried away. “It’s on account of the society— the society’s splendid. She goes round everywhere; she has made a great number of acquaintances. Of course she goes round more than I do. I must say they’ve all been very sweet—they’ve taken her right in. And then she knows a great many gentlemen. Oh she thinks there’s nothing like Rome. Of course it’s a great deal pleasanter for a young lady if she knows plenty of gentlemen.” (James, 1998)

 

In this book, Daisy is an innocent girl who didn’t realize the cultural differences.

We can say that two different ideologies result in Daisy’s tragedy. In America, unmarried young girls can date with men while in Europe, only engaged ones can. In America, girls can dance with a lot of men around her while in Europe, girls can only stay with mother or seniorities or they will be called evil women. Daisy thinks that everyone enjoys freedom and she refers many times that she won’t accustom herself to European customs.  Conflicts between Daisy and Mrs. Walker is the climax of this story. And Daisy is expelled as a result of this cultural outburst. Europe has a long history and they consider Daisy’s behavior as vulgar and coarse.

Now let’s have a look at the current historical background. In 1870, America is in the midst of industrial revolution and many ordinary families became rich overnight. So they can go abroad and learn about foreign cultures. But America is different from Europe which buries a hint for the remaining story.

It’s difficult to say which is better between European and American cultures. When Americans came to Europe they like doing what they want to while the Europeans have a very good behavior. They have different attitudes and life styles.

Daisy’s name is interpreted as daisy which means that she is a beautiful and natural girl but her life withered without good environment.

3. Conclusion

Daisy Miller’s tragedy is the inevitable consequence of cultural conflicts. Daisy in this book is an innocent girl although she has some shortcomings but resists strongly the traditional customs and remains her naturalness. In the end, Daisy died but her independence, confidence, dauntless, resistance are praised till now.

We can find that Henry James devoted his whole life to exploring world theme. Through these conflicts, we see that people from different areas start to communicate with each other and get to know each other. American’s confidence, democracy, pursue of freedom and purity are praised, and European’s long history, graceful  culture and romance are also worth praising. Of course, hypocrisy, conservation, and corruption are revealed explicitly in the book.

As time went by and with the development of customs, Daisy Miller still affect us readers and we may be influenced by Daisy’s destiny. It is only a simple love story and love and death are always the theme of novel. When time flies, reading the books and historical documents, we can know the things in the past. Let’s appreciate Daisy Miller carefully.