Daisy Miller's Ultimate Fall

Henry James novel, Daisy Miller: A Study, reveals a tension between Europe and America. The story was written in the late nineteenth century when American industry was flourishing and when Americans were becoming wealthier. With this new money came a desire to look successful and aristocratic. Europe provided a model of wealth and power to the Americans. For this reason, the luxurious foreign goods, like women's dresses, jewelry, and musical instruments, became popular in American cities during this era. With new money available and interest in Europe at a peak, this era also witnessed a boom in American tourism in Europe. James story depicts Daisy Miller and her family’s travel to Europe and their confrontation with Europe’s old customs and traditions. Daisy Miller’s character is unlike many of the Americans’ living there. She is a strong-minded young woman who simply does not accept the old ideas. Daisy’s flirtatious, witty, and independent character may have played a role in her tragic ending. By being at the wrong place, she is shunned by society and dies of the Roman fever, malaria. Consequently, her liberal social interaction leads to her ultimate fall i

Society did not only reject Daisy Miller’s flirtatious character, but they also disapproved her cleverness. Even though Winterbourne and his aunt describe her as an uneducated individual, the reader learns that Daisy is indeed a witty young lady through her actions. One illustration of her humor takes place at Mrs. Walker’s party when Winterbourne is criticizing her for her relations with Giovanelli. He warns her that in Europe they don’t “understand that sort of thing…not in young married women” (309). Daisy responds immediately with a witty remark, “I thought they understood nothing else!” and goes on to say, “It seems to me more proper in young unmarried than in old married ones” (309). Daisy typically speaks and behaves frankly, almost in a child-like fashion. However, this shows her new knowledge, the knowledge of a woman who acts as she believes and feels, not on expectations. Daisy is definitely ahead of her time, behaving in a way that many women would see appropriate and equitable in the future. Furthermore, Daisy holds “natural elegance” and a mixture of “innocence and crudity,” and, as seen in her response, her character surpasses the boundaries of this character type of natural beauty (294).

Yet, another way that Daisy’s character exceeds the boundaries of her character type is through her independence and confidence. Her boldness may be due to not knowing any better, but she continues to do whatever she likes, even after being advised against it. For example, Mrs. Walker tries to rescue Daisy from her reckless evening walk with Giovanelli and Winterbourne by pleading with her to get in the carriage. Her intentions are to save her dignity “so that the world may see she is not running absolutely wild” (305). Daisy, with her usual no

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