Washington_Square_Essasy



 There is no doubt that most of the characters in Henry James’s Washington Square are more concerned with social mores than they are with genuine regard for each other. An examination of James’s social context highlights the overwhelming value placed on social and cultural mores. This is most evident through the characters, Doctor Sloper and Morris Townsend. While Doctor Sloper’s daughter- Catherine, is the most emotionally honest of all the characters, she too is strictly bound by her filial duty to her father. Thus, it is clear that this novel conveys the idea that these mores are more important than any genuine concerns characters might feel for each other. Washington Square is set in a patriarchal society in New York in the 1840s where women’s position were fixed. Henry James’ context greatly influences the readers’ understanding of the value of social and cultural mores in this text. James’ society was very concerned with image and both perspective and perception of others, for example, it was important to always mix with the right types of people from the right class and family. It is these concerns which underpin some of the text’s important themes and illustrate the great importance placed on social and cultural mores by James’ society and the characters he portrays. In the novel, Doctor Sloper is one character who proves that concerns about social and cultural mores are more important than genuine regard for others. Doctor Sloper is introduced as a “very witty” “clever man”, “an observer, even a philosopher” and a “local celebrity” who was “throughly honest”. His motto was “you are good for nothing, unless you are clever” as he believed it was important to “learn something and to do something useful”. Although Doctor Sloper is mentioned to the audience as “our friend”, throughout the novel we sympathize and empathize with his only surviving child who was often referred to by the narrator as “poor Catherine”. Dr Sloper’s attitude and behavior toward his daughter clearly shows that “his private opinion of the more complicated sex was not exacted”, and he is quite dismissive about Catherine and her desires or expectations. This illustrates his concerns with social mores. One example of this is his instructions to Lavinia: “Try and make a clever woman of her”. This implies that Dr Sloper wants Catherine to be “clever”, not in an academic or intellectual sense, but rather to be socially and culturally acceptable. Dr Sloper does not want Catherine to marry Morris because he believes that Catherine should marry a gentleman, and that Morris is not a gentleman. Despite the fact that Catherine expresses her desire to engage with Morris, Dr Sloper manipulates her into leaving him. This shows readers that Dr Sloper does not care genuinely about Catherine and her happiness, but is more concerned with what people expect and with his own family’s social class and position. While Catherine “was a disappointment” to her father, who constantly blamed himself for the death of his wife, a beautiful and vivacious woman who died shortly after Catherine's birth, she is the one character in the novel who seems to care for others. In fact, she is described as “the softest creature in the world”. She is respectful toward her aunt Lavinia, even though it is clear that she is not altogether fond of her. She is “extremely fond of her father, and thought he was the “cleverest and handsomest and most celebrated of men.” The novel reveals that Catherine’s “deepest desire was to know that she had succeeded in pleasing” her father. Her duty towards him is overwhelming and she goes as far as to deny her feelings for Morris, stating “I am trying to be good”. Catherine cannot see that her father is manipulating her and controlling her. Rather, she is happy to do what he wants and remain subservient. Although one could argue that Catherine is simply fitting in with the contemporary social expectations of women in her society, she does actually show that she has genuine feelings and concerns for her father and remains unmarried and loyal to him even after his death. One of the most significant ideas that each of these characters, Dr Sloper and Catherine, reveal is that they are bound by their social position and the expectations of their contemporary society. The novel’s narrative clearly illustrates this through the subtle dialogue between characters. A prime example of this is how Lavinia becomes the go between Morris and Catherine, delivering messages and arranging meetings. Lavinia is totally unsympathetic as she is overwhelmed by her own fantasies and therefore unable to see how other characters might feel. Morris, too, is consumed by his desire for money, status, reputation and luxury that would come from a marriage to Catherine , and he is blind to the emotions of other characters. He certainly doesn’t genuinely care about Catherine, and is ultimately using Lavinia as a tool or a stepping stone. Both of these characters support the idea that the characters in this text are selfishly more concerned with social and cultural mores than they are with other people. In conclusion, through the relationship between Catherine, Doctor Sloper and Morris, there is no doubt that most of the characters in Henry James’ Washington Square are more concerned with social mores than they are with genuine regard for each other.