Author Description
By Combining The Techniques Of Textual Criticism And The Insights Of Close Reading, Generous Mistakes Offers New Perspectives Not Only On Two Of Henry James's Major Novels (the Portrait Of A Lady And The Ambassadors) But Also On The Process By Which They Became The Books We Know—or Think We Know. Through A Better Understanding Of The Conditions Of Production That Affected James's Author Function, We Achieve A Deeper Appreciation Of The Historical Contingencies Of His Artistry. Closely Examining New Forms Of Evidence (even Fingerprints), Generous Mistakes Contends That Authorship Is A Hybrid Construction, A Sometimes Unpredictable Sequence Of Different Forms Of Practice, Each Of Which Contributes Meaningfully To The Texts We Read And Analyze. Offering A Sustained Examination Of The 'textual Condition' Of James's Work—going Beyond The Relatively Familiar Ground Of Authorial Revision—this Study Brings Into Sharper Focus The Complex And Sometimes Arbitrary Factors That Contributed To The Making Of Two Masterpieces Of Modern Fiction And To The Legend Of The Master Who Wrote Them.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This study investigates how the material conditions of production and textual history fundamentally shape the authorship and final form of Henry James's major novels. Michael Anesko, a scholar of American literature, utilizes archival research and textual criticism to challenge traditional notions of the solitary author. By analyzing the physical evidence and editorial processes behind The Portrait of a Lady and The Ambassadors, he argues that authorship is a hybrid, contingent construction rather than a singular creative act.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the production history of The Portrait of a Lady and The Ambassadors
- Application of textual criticism to identify physical evidence and editorial interventions
- Examination of the 'author function' within the context of 19th and 20th-century publishing
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a comprehensive biography of Henry James
- Does not offer a general literary theory outside the context of James's specific works
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars in the field of Jamesian studies recognize this work as a rigorous contribution to the understanding of textual materiality and editorial history. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for an audience familiar with advanced literary theory and archival research methods.
Page Count:
192
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
ISBN-10:
0192513982
ISBN-13:
9780192513984
Henry James
Literary Criticism
Literary Biography
Academic