Why Daisy Miller is a Study on Daisy Miller Daisy Miller is a novel written by Henry James and was first published in the summer of the year 1877. Daisy Miller, the novel, brought international success to Henry James and has been hailed as the first “international novel” by many, and I agree that this novel is known worldwide. However, the novel is not as famous as it is now as it was in the year it was first published. The full title of the book is Daisy Miller: A Study and the content holds truth to its title as the story progresses through observations on the character of Daisy. The story of Daisy Miller does not actually begin with Daisy Miller herself or her as the narrator of the story. It first begins in Vevey, Switzerland with a young American man named Winterbourne, who is the narrator of the story. Winterbourne first meets, not Daisy, but the girl’s younger brother Randolph Miller. Winterbourne later becomes acquaintances with Daisy Miller, whom he finds intriguing and different from the European girls as she is an American, and accompanies her on a trip to the famed castle nearby.
After the two part ways in the end of part one, Winterbourne is still curious about Daisy Miller. He goes to Rome, Italy; where his aunt has an apartment, to visit Daisy whom he had promised to meet. When he arrives, his aunt informs him of the latest gossips surrounding Daisy, as the young American girl has become acquainted with many gentlemen friends in Rome; the most talked about being Mr. Giovanelli. Winterbourne brushes off the gossip as nothing and visits Daisy and her family in their hotel. Daisy then coerces him into joining her and Mr. Giovanelli to a stroll around the streets of Rome in the evening. This brings alarming concern to Mrs. Walker, Daisy’s hostess, and the woman later appears during their stroll to beg Daisy to leave the two gentlemen—Winterbourne and Giovanelli—before more scandalous rumors arise. Daisy refuses and continues her walk with Mr. Giovanelli while also leaving Winterbourne, who had sided with Mrs. Walker.
Some days later, Winterbourne visits the coliseum and stumbles upon Daisy and Mr. Giovanelli there in the coldness of the night. Winterbourne reprimands Giovanelli for allowing Daisy out to stroll with him at such a late hour with Roman fever going around. Daisy; however, defends Giovanelli and tells Winterbourne she would not catch the Roman fever. Daisy also continues to press on the past matter on whether or not Winterbourne believes she and Giovanelli are engaged. Winterbourne replies it matters little and this becomes his last conversation with Daisy.
From the story, the most important characters were obviously Winterbourne and Daisy Miller. Daisy, as I had said earlier, is a young American girl. She hails from New York City and is travelling around Europe with her family and their courier. Daisy is often described by Winterbourne in the book as spirited, childish, independent, flirtatious, and uncultivated. Daisy wishes to immerse herself in the European high society, yet she refuses to conform to their rules on propriety which inflict especially on the relations between unmarried people of the opposite gender. Her lack of social graces, charm in her speech and repartee, which most European women posses are what first make her so mystifying to Winterbourne.
Winterbourne, a young American who had spent most of his life in Geneva, Switzerland. He, being mystified by Daisy, views her as a “novelty” since she is not like any of the European women he has met. Winterbourne is said to be “addicted to observing and analyzing” feminine beauty and took a great interest in Daisy’s character. This is perhaps why Winterbourne is made the narrator of the story, as he spends the entire novel trying to decode the mysterious allure of Daisy Miller since he is unable to define her in a clear way to others. Therefore, I find Daisy Miller: A Study, not greatly surrounding Daisy, but Winterbourne’s understandings of her.
It is Daisy’s attitudes that spark the beginning interest to the story. Her refusal to conform to European customs shows the conflict between European and American customs. Winterbourne’s initial interest in Daisy is because she lacks the traits a European woman that Winterbourne is so familiar with. Daisy’s demeanor denotes the end of propriety and mannerisms of the eighteenth century, making the novel a tragedy of manners. In total, the novel revolves around Winterbourne figuring out Daisy Miller through his observations and time with her, making it truly a study on Daisy Miller.