What Maisie KnewWhat Maisie Knew (1897) represents one of James's finest reflections on the rites of passage from wonder to knowledge, and the question of their finality. The child of violently divorced parents, Maisie Farange opens her eyes on a distinctly modern world. Mothers and fathers keep changing their partners and names, while she herself becomes the pretext for all sorts of adult sexual intrigue. In this classic tale of the death of childhood, there is a savage comedy that owes much to Dickens. But for his portrayal of the child's capacity for intelligent 'wonder', James summons all the subtlety he devotes elsewhere to his most celebrated adult protagonists. Neglected and exploited by everyone around her, Maisie inspires James to dwell with extraordinary acuteness on the things that may pass between adult and child. In addition to a new introduction, this edition of the novel offers particularly detailed notes, bibliography, and a list of variant readings. |
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afraid appeared arms asked awfully Beale Beale's beautiful Boulogne brought Captain charming child Clive Everton companion connexion conscious Countess course cried daughter dear door Edited everything eyes face Farange Farange's father feel Folkestone gave give governess hand heard Henry James hour Ida's impression instant James's Kensington Gardens ladyship laughed least Leon Edel little girl London Maisie felt Maisie Knew Maisie's mamma mean Miss Overmore Moddle mother never novel Oh yes Overmore's papa Perriam person Philip Horne poor present pupil question recognised Regent's Park remark replied Roderick Hudson round schoolroom seemed sense silence Sir Claude looked Sir Claude's smiled somehow sound spoke stared stepdaughter stepmother stood straight Susan Ash table d'hôte talk tell things thought tion told Tony Tanner took turned waited wife Wix looked Wix's woman wonder words York Edition young lady