The Beast in the Jungle and Other Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) - Softcover

Henry James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486275523 ISBN 13: 9780486275529

Publisher: Dover Publications, 1993

Synopsis

Here are three superb stories by one of America's finest writers of fiction. Henry James is best known for his many brilliant novels, among them The Bostonians, The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove, The Golden Bowl, and his masterpiece, Portrait of a Lady. But he is deeply admired for his stories as well, which perhaps even more pointedly reveal the extraordinary subtleties of his art.
That art is nowhere more evident than in "The Beast in the Jungle," regarded by many as James's greatest achievement in short fiction. It is a gripping portrait of a man alienated from life and love, haunted and obsessed by his fears. James's uncanny ability to communicate the inner lives of his characters is also richly evident in "The Jolly Corner" and "The Altar of the Dead," two superbly crafted tales that explore the complex interlacings of loss, love, and the ever-present past in the lives of their protagonists.

About this title

About the Author:

American author Henry James (1843–1916) spent most of his career in Europe and ultimately adopted British citizenship. A prolific writer of criticism, biography, and travel-related books and articles, James is known above all for his highly influential novels, which frequently explore the clash of Old and New World cultures.

Review:

Short story by Henry James that first appeared in The Better Sort (1903). Despite its sluggish pace, implausible dialogue, and excessively ornate style, it is a suspenseful story of despair, with powerful images of fire, ice, and hunting. The Beast in the Jungle concerns John Marcher, a neurotic egoist obsessed with the lurking feeling that something incredible is to happen to him. This impending fate has a predatory quality, like "a crouching beast in the jungle." Consumed with anticipation and dread, Marcher is unable to reciprocate the love of his long-suffering companion, May Bartram. She comes to see his fate but is unable to make him understand it before she dies. While visiting her grave one year later, Marcher suddenly realizes that his terrible fate was precisely his inability to comprehend her love for him. -- The Merriam-Webster Encylopedia of Literature

About this edition

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0486275523
• ISBN 13: 9780486275529
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112