Henry James Fansite

The American is a story published by Henry James between 1876 and 1877 in serial format, and then released as a full novel in 1877.

The American tells the story of Christopher Newman, an American on his first tour of Europe. While touring Newman meets a French noblewoman whom he falls head over heels in love with. She agrees to marry him.

Her family, however, likes his money but dislikes his intense love of capitalist values and democratic politics. Eventually the older members of the family decide to forbid the marriage, despite Newman’s best efforts. The young noblewoman enters a convent, forever beyond Newman’s hands.

Newman gets his chance for revenge, however, when his friend, the younger brother in his would-be wife’s family, dies during a duel with another man. Before dying, however, the brother gives Newman a vital piece of information: the mother and older brother in the family have committed murder in the past and gotten away with it. He gets evidence of the murder and prepares to use it.

But Newman, being a good soul at heart, eventually decides to burn what evidence he has and let the matter drop. His heart remains torn, however, and the book ends on a rather depressing note.