Chapter 1 Summary:
The story begins in Manhattan in the early 1800s. A young man
named Austin Sloper has made a name for himself as a medical
doctor. He is extremely intelligent and a man of high reputation.
It is Austin Sloper's good fortune to marry Catherine Harrington, a
very wealthy young woman. Sloper is not independently wealthy,
but his practice is growing and he is a man who is held in high
regard - all the more so because he continues to work
assiduously despite his new-found wealth. Sloper's first child is a
boy, who dies at the age of three. After the birth of Sloper's
second child, a girl, Sloper's wife takes ill and dies. The daughter
is named Catherine, after her mother, but in Dr. Sloper's eyes,
young Catherine lacks all the grace, intelligence, and beauty of
her mother.
Chapter 2 Summary:
When Catherine is ten years old, Dr. Sloper invites his sister, Mrs.
Penniman, to stay with him. Dr. Sloper has two sisters, Mrs.
Penniman and Mrs. Almond, and they are quite different. Mrs.
Penniman (Lavinia) is a widow, once married to a poor clergyman.
Mrs. Almond (Elizabeth - we learn this later in the novel) is
married to a prosperous merchant and she has several children.
Lavinia is alone. Also, Mrs. Almond is less imaginative and
impractical than Lavinia is. Mrs. Penniman and Dr. Sloper
eventually came to an unspoken agreement, by which she
remained in her brother's house and took charge of Catherine's
education and development into a young woman of refinement.
Dr. Sloper has been disappointed with Catherine since her birth;
he considers the young girl dull, boring, and unintelligent. Mrs.
Penniman sees more in Catherine than Catherine's father does but Dr. Sloper is lord of the manor and highly effective in
stamping his impressions of Catherine upon Catherine's psyche.
He considers her dull, and so she remains passive - evidence of
her dullness. He considers her not-very-clever, and so she remains
quiet - evidence of what she is not.
Still, Catherine is "good," at least. Dr. Sloper is not proud of his
daughter, but she is not inferior - simply "commonplace."
Chapter 3 Summary:
As Catherine matures into adolescence and then, past the age of
sixteen, her entry into Society becomes an issue of real
importance. Here, Dr. Sloper is embarrassed because of
Catherine's somewhat extravagant and vulgar taste in party
dresses. Her dresses are approved by all except Dr. Sloper. And it
is precisely Dr. Sloper's opinion that matters most to Catherine.
Dr. Sloper lives in the Washington Square neighborhood in
Manhattan, and he has a well-defined code of values and taste.
His worry is that Catherine's dresses are simply too expensive.
Catherine goes some time without setting her eye on a particular
beau. On the other hand, one of Mrs. Almond's daughters marries
"very punctually" and the other is engaged just as quickly.
Chapter 4 Summary:
Mrs. Penniman has clearly had a good amount of influence on
Catherine. As Mrs. Penniman is not Dr. Sloper's favorite sister, it is
no surprise that Dr. Sloper is not entirely thrilled with Mrs.
Penniman's finished product - still, Dr. Sloper has not expected
very much to come of Catherine, so it is no great loss. Mrs.
Almond gives a party, celebrating the engagement of one of her
daughters to a stockbroker. Mr. Townsend, a member of the
stockbroker's family, attends the party and expresses a healthy
interest in Catherine. Mr. Townsend grew up in New York, but he
has been traveling for a great time and has only recently returned
home. Catherine finds him stunning, dashing, gorgeous and it is
clear that if there will not be romance between the two, there will
be something.
Aunt Lavinia finds the opportunity to have a very detailed
conversation with Mr. Townsend and she is excited about the
prospects of a romance. In the carriage home, Dr. Sloper applies
his interrogative pressure, but he finds that Aunt Lavinia's
excitement is matched - for intensity - in Catherine's detached
silence. Even when Aunt Lavinia asks Catherine for the young
man's name, Catherine replies, "I don't know."
Chapter 5 Summary:
A few days later, Mr. Townsend (Morris) and his cousin, the
stockbroker engaged to Mrs. Almond's daughter, come to visit
the Sloper residence in Washington Square. This is largely the
result of Aunt Lavinia's suggestion to Morris, that he come and
visit Catherine. On this first visit, however, Arthur (Morris' cousin)
spends most of his time speaking to Catherine, while Morris
spends his time charming Aunt Lavinia. Aunt Lavinia has a
powerful imagination and Morris is a wonderful object for her to
think on. Indeed, it seems that she has already made up her mind
that Morris should marry Catherine. Aunt Lavinia serves as an
intermediary between the two young people - she has Morris'
biographical information and Catherine's as well. It is from Lavinia
that Catherine and Morris have learned much of what they know
of each other. Apparently, Morris does not have a father and he
lives with his sister and her children. He has been searching for
employment but he has not been able to find a job. Morris will
return to the Sloper home again, having been invited by Aunt
Lavinia. Catherine blushes in disbelief; she cannot imagine why a
man as charming and brilliant as Morris would be interested in a
girl as plain as she is.
Analysis of Chapters 1-5:
Washington Square is one of the few works by Henry James that
focuses on American characters in an American setting. James
was already living in London when he wrote the work, but he
actually wrote Washington Square in Paris. The significance here
is that James is writing about Washington Square from his
childhood memory. The "impressions" that he credits to Catherine
Sloper are his own. The theme of civic nostalgia and Old New
York is one that returns in some of James' late works.
In these early chapters we meet the main characters of this short
novel: Dr. Sloper, his daughter, Catherine; Dr. Sloper's two sisters:
Mrs. Almond and Mrs. Penniman, and Catherine's eventual
suitor, Morris Townsend. The novel is not all that suspenseful; the
characters are so delimited and so precise, that it is not very hard
to predict the outcome of events.
Morris Townsend is described as beautiful, dashing, an "actor." He
is already foreshadowed as a fake.
Dr. Sloper on the other hand, is a figure of great irony. His work is
medicine, and yet he is rather cruel. He is a public celebrity, but a
private terror. He saves lives - but his wife and son are dead. In
Dr. Sloper we would expect the very pinnacle of goodness. His
name, Sloper, suggests a downfall, a let-down, a disappointment.
Sloper is disappointed in his daughter. The reader is disappointed
in Sloper because of his disappointment. It is not long before we
realize that Sloper's criticism of Catherine is unduly harsh.
Catherine may not be a genius, but there is no evidence that
Catherine is "dull." If there is any suspense in the novel, it comes
in finding out precisely who Catherine is. We know that she is not
the person her father sees, but it is only later, that Catherine
defines herself for us.
Sloper's two sisters, Elizabeth Almond and Lavinia Penniman, are
unalike. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth plays the role of "foil" to
Lavinia, who is a major character. Lavinia is defined by her
imagination - a contrast to both of her siblings. Elizabeth proves
to be level-headed and compassionate. Dr. Sloper is on the
opposite extreme: he is rational and cold-hearted. Ultimately, it is
Aunt Almond who forges a meaningful relationship with
Catherine.
Finally, Washington Square is a novel that describes Catherine's
coming of age. As such, the concerns of youth, parenting, and
education are central. We learn a lot about Dr. Sloper in his
instructions to Aunt Penniman, for she is to mold Catherine into a
clever person, rather than a good person. Throughout the novel,
Dr. Sloper makes it clear that he believes himself to be most
clever, and that he most values cleverness in others. Catherine, on
the other hand, strives to be good. Ultimately, she becomes
disillusioned with her father. In the interim, Dr. Sloper's methods
of conversation, investigation, and education of his own family
develop into a metaphor for overbearing tyrannical government.
The narrator's insistent praise of Dr. Sloper as a good doctor and
a fine gentleman rings hollow later in the novel.
Chapter 6 Summary:
Soon after Morris' exit, Lavinia has a conversation with her
brother, Dr. Sloper. The doctor does not seem particularly excited
about the young man and he tells Lavinia to have Morris see him
the next time Morris visits the house. Lavinia orchestrates events
such that Morris' next visit occurs while Dr. Sloper is not at home.
Lavinia does not join Morris and Catherine in the parlor, and so
Morris has ample opportunity to charm Catherine - and this is
precisely what he does.
Dr. Sloper teases his daughter, rather cruelly, asking her if Morris
has proposed yet. Catherine remains stupefied for a few blank
seconds. During this brief instant, Dr. Sloper confirms to himself
that his daughter is "not brilliant" - but Catherine then replies,
with a laugh: "Perhaps he will do it the next time." Dr. Sloper
wonders whether Catherine is serious, and he begins asking his
two sisters for more information on Morris Townsend. Dr. Sloper's
discussion with Mrs. Almond centers largely on Lavinia's role in
bringing Morris into Catherine's life. From Mrs. Almond, Dr.
Sloper also learns that "There are Townsends and there are
Townsends": Arthur's branch of the family is high-achieving, but
Morris, a distant cousin, comes from a line of ne'er-do-well
Townsends. Indeed, Morris has already been wild and
extravagant, exhausting the sum of his pittance of an inheritance.
When Dr. Sloper disparages his own daughter, Mrs. Almond
comes to Catherine's defense and insists that Sloper is too critical,
too harsh in his examinations of his daughter. Both Dr. Sloper and
Mrs. Almond agree that Morris is not the most savory of
characters. Apparently, he does not simply live with his sister (Mrs.
Montgomery); rather, he lives upon her.
Chapter 7 Summary:
Dr. Sloper, for all of his interrogations, was not even slightly tense
or apprehensive. Sloper did not hold Morris' poverty against him
and he was willing to give the young man the benefit of the
doubt, for the time being, at least. Dr. Sloper invites Morris to
dinner, sending this message through Lavinia. Of course, Morris is
very charming at the dinner table, but it is clear that Dr. Sloper
and Morris will not get along. Later in the evening, Morris
confides to Catherine that he is convinced that her father does
not approve. This is a tragedy for Morris, because he rather enjoys
the wine and amenities of Sloper's house. Indeed, Dr. Sloper's
"cellarful of good liquor" is just the sort of thing that Morris looks
for in a father-in-law.
To Catherine, Morris expresses his best attempt at heart-felt
concern over the issue. Tactically, Morris begins suggesting to
Catherine that the time may come when her own father stands
between the two lovers. Morris is disappointed to learn from
Catherine that she never contradicts her father. Indeed, she tries
very hard to be a good daughter. Morris reflects that Mrs.
Penniman's assistance will be vital.
When Dr. Sloper discusses Morris with his sister, Mrs. Almond, he
admits that Morris has superficial good qualities but that he will
not do as a son-in-law. Mrs. Almond expresses concern that Dr.
Sloper does not see Morris the way that Catherine does - and that
it is Catherine's impression of Morris that is of real concern. Dr.
Sloper replies that he will present Catherine "with a pair of
spectacles" - he intends to have Catherine come around to his
point of view.
Chapter 8 Summary:
If Catherine is in love, she remains very quiet about it. Dr. Sloper
talks to his sister, Mrs. Penniman, about the burgeoning and
rather rapidly-developing relationship between Catherine and
Morris. It is clear, however, that Dr. Sloper is fishing for details.
Furthermore, the Doctor's pride won't permit him to at least
pretend to like Morris, as a way of getting more information from
Lavinia. Indeed, it is already clear that Lavinia stands as Morris'
advocate (she argues that the young man has had misfortunes) and Dr. Sloper stands in a defensive mode. Dr. Sloper suggests
that Morris is not interested in Catherine because Catherine is a
dull girl. Lavinia defends her niece and she is quite outraged when
Dr. Sloper, in one fell swoop, maligns Morris (perhaps justly) and
Catherine (quite unjustly): Lavinia exclaims that Morris has been
searching hard for a job; Dr. Sloper's rejoinder is that: "The
position of husband of a weak-minded woman with a large
fortune would suit him to perfection!" Insulted, Lavinia leaves the
room.
Chapter 9 Summary:
Catherine, Dr. Sloper and Lavinia traditionally visited the Almond
residence every Sunday evening and, this Sunday, they follow
tradition. Dr. Sloper sees that Morris is at the Almond house
(which makes sense as he is soon to be part of the family). Dr.
Sloper thinks about his emerging triangle with his daughter and
her beau. He is convinced that Catherine would defend him
against (rhetorical, emotional) attack from Morris. Dr. Sloper finds
time to have a private conversation with Morris, during which he
mentions the young man's lack of profession and means. Morris,
quite smooth, purposefully misinterprets Dr. Sloper's words as an
offer of assistance. Sloper is inwardly enraged, but immediately
reflecting, he realizes that his words as phrased, could be easily
misinterpreted. Sloper admits that he has no offer of assistance at
the moment, but he suggests that Morris might find something
elsewhere, away from New York (and away from Sloper's
daughter). Morris has family in New York and he tutors his nieces
and nephews. Sloper tells Morris that he will keep the young man
in mind, offering a veiled threat: "I won't lose sight of you."
Before leaving, Dr. Sloper asks his sister, Mrs. Almond, to arrange
for him to have a talk with Mrs. Montgomery, Morris' sister. Dr.
Sloper and Mrs. Almond hit upon the idea of meeting the
children and getting a sense of Morris' tutoring skills. This could
be some form of indication of the young man's worth. Morris has
a conversation with Catherine, during which he relates the tension
and unpleasantness of the interview with Dr. Sloper. Just as Dr.
Sloper predicted, Catherine is sure that Morris simply
misinterpreted her father's remarks. Morris argues that he has
been insulted and taunted with the fact of his poverty. Morris'
pride has been wounded and as a result, he will not enter Sloper's
home again. Catherine rejects this idea, and insists that Morris
come to the house to visit her again. Morris' idea was a romantic
stroll through the square, and Mrs. Penniman is bewildered by
Catherine's rather strange and unromantic move.
Chapter 10 Summary:
Morris visits Catherine the very next day and Mrs. Penniman is
pleased. She has developed a fondness for Morris and she
delights in drama of all sorts. She loves to think and imagine
every possible option and how each option will play itself out. The
intrigues of romance, then, mark some of the happiest days in the
widowed life of this well-meaning but far-too-meddlesome Aunt.
Morris kisses Catherine for the first time and Catherine treats this
as a certitude. Catherine only now allows herself to become
convinced that Morris is actually interested in her. Catherine
decides, after some days, that she and Morris should confront her
father. Catherine says that she will explain the situation to her
father, first, and Morris should speak to him the next day. Morris
tells Catherine that Dr. Sloper will malign the young man as
"mercenary," but Catherine is not interested in the money-politics
of marriage. Her logic is that she will still have plenty of money,
that it is good to be rich and that Morris should not be upset
about the prospect of having money. Morris asks Catherine is she
will "cleave" to him and marry him even if her father forbids it.
Catherine simply says "Ah, Morris!" and places her hand in his.
Morris takes this as a yes.
Analysis of Chapters 6-10:
Dr. Sloper's teasing of Catherine serves both to inform us of his
character (he is no kind fatherly doctor) as well as to establish
suspense. Sloper jokes of a marriage between Catherine and
Morris but such a prospect becomes in the end the central drama
of the novel. Dr. Sloper's self-serving jokes and insults, a sort of
hubris (excessive condemnable pride), blind him to reality until it
is too late for him to do anything meaningful. He thinks he knows
all, already; he loses the opportunity to gain new knowledge.
Henry James was interested in the strategies that people use to
define themselves and categorize others. His novels are heavy
with conversation and interior monologue. Language and rhetoric
are weapons and structures here. We see this in novels like The
Ambassadors and Portrait of a Lady, and it is certainly true
in Washington Square, as well. There is conflict, drama, and loss but only words are used to destroy or support others, and these
activities of language are made explicit. The narrator describes a
scene during which Catherine listens to the "exchange of
epigrams" between her father and her Aunt Lavinia. (An epigram
is a short witty remark or poem - it comes for the Greek root of
the word inscription). What we realize is that Catherine perceives
herself as not witty enough to join in the conversations - even
though she is the subject of discussion. In the next scene, when
Morris asks Catherine to "tell me about yourself; give me a little
sketch" the narrator explains that "Catherine had very little to tell,
and she had no talent for sketching." What we find later on, is
that Catherine really does have these talents: self-awareness,
communication, and courage. Unfortunately, she has adopted her
father's opinion of herself (one of his choice phrases is "dumb
eloquence") as fact.
This novel is very much about deception and truth. Selfpresentation and advertising are very important here. It is vital
that Morris charms Aunt Lavinia so that he can win Catherine's
heart and money. Dr. Sloper considers himself too intelligent to
fall for Morris' charms. As a doctor and an academic (an
anatomist) he compliments Morris' bone structure and physique.
Morris is handsome. But Dr. Sloper sees through the man and
cuts right to the bone. Morris' assets are exclusively physical. He
has good genes but a poor family. He is a handsome charmer but
he is no gentleman. Dr. Sloper says that he will present Catherine
"with a pair of spectacles," using this image as a symbol of truth
and understanding. Dr. Sloper cannot imagine that others have a
different view. He presumes that others fail to see and that, if they
see clearly, they will view the matter as he does.
Lavinia is charmed by Morris' language - perhaps this is the sort
of detail we would expect in a novel (writers like words). Lavinia
sees Morris as "a young man of great force of character" - not for
bravery, compassion, or economic success but for his "remarkable
powers of satire." She sees him as "imperious" because "she liked
the word and the idea." There is a bit of understatement when
Lavinia changes her mind, deciding that Morris is "imperial" rather
than imperious and that he is "the sort of husband [she] should
have had!" He is like an emperor and she is like an emperor's wife,
which is to say: an empress. This explains quite a bit about
Lavinia's meddlesome nature, and we can expect more meddling
in the later chapters. In Chapter 10, for example, Aunt Lavinia
delights in "drama" and she combines "the zeal of the promoter
with the impatience of the spectator." Hilariously, the narrator
notes that at certain points Lavinia forgets all about Catherine
("there were times when she lost sight altogether of the modest
heroine of the play") because she was busy thinking about her
own non-romantic relationship with Morris ("the contemplation
of certain great scenes which would naturally occur between the
hero and herself"). Lavinia wants to be "the confidante, the
chorus, to speak the epilogue" - the narrative structure suggests
that Lavinia is perhaps the chorus, but little else. Lavinia can stir
things up, but she proves incapable of pulling things off.
Like Lavinia, Catherine sees Morris as "solemnly beautiful." He
makes "her think of a young knight in a poem." But Catherine is
awkward around Morris; she is not as gung-ho in regards to
romance. At the end of Chapter 9, Catherine rejects the overtly
romantic option ("a sentimental tryst beside a fountain") and
prefers to meet Morris in the parlor. When Lavinia learns of this,
she is "lost in wonderment at the oddity - almost the perversity -
of the choice." Lavinia is a romantic; Morris is a creator of
romantic effects - but Catherine seems to view the romantic as an
offense to her father and to her ideas of modesty. Perhaps most
significant, we'll learn that truth and honor are very important to
Catherine and she is unwilling to create a scene or "effects" for
the purpose of stimulating emotions of interest, guilt, or fear. And
anything secret or secluded is something she immediately holds
suspect.
The motif of language and literature is further complicated by the
idea of "imagination." On the one hand, Catherine is "not fond of
literature" and Morris agrees that "books were tiresome things."
Books are inaccurate and it is important that one "sees for
himself." This is certainly more complex than it appears on
surface. Here, Henry James is reminding us of how subjective any
story is. We are being warned not to adopt the Doctor's advice or
the narrator's prejudices. On the other hand, we see Lavinia, a
woman of great imaginative power. Her imagination illuminates
every possibility - whether plausible or unlikely. "She is like a
revolving lighthouse - pitch darkness alternating with a dazzling
brilliancy," according to her brother. Lavinia's imagination surveys
the field: she gives us a catalog of possibilities - but she is unable
to focus upon the likely or desirable among these options. Trust
her to map the field, yes; but her advice is lousy (she'll admit as
much, later in the novel).
The narrative voice in these chapters is compromised in a very
special way: on one hand, we are told of the doctor's stature and
opinions. We see that even Catherine has resigned herself to
Sloper's tyranny. At the same time, we are given evidence - little
hints - that Sloper's order will come undone. At a certain point in
the novel, once Catherine has (despite all odds) asserted herself,
we'll find that the narrative voice defends and protects her and
reduces the doctor. The lesson we learn in the end is the power of
language to frame others. In Chapter 10, Morris remembers that
"fortune favors the brave." At the very least, one must speak up,
one must ask if he is to have any hope of getting what he wants.
Chapter 11 Summary:
Later in the same night, Catherine approaches her father in his
study and tells him that she is engaged to marry Morris
Townsend. Dr. Sloper is not very pleased and he says that
Catherine should have consulted him. When Catherine asks her
father for his reasons against Morris, Dr. Sloper doesn't go as far
as to say that Morris is mercenary. He simply says that Morris is
more interested in Catherine's fortune than he should be.
Moreover, Dr. Sloper is worried that Morris will spend Catherine's
fortune just as he spent his own. Dr. Sloper plans to meet with
Morris the next day.
Chapter 12 Summary:
Dr. Sloper tells Morris that he should have come sooner to
request permission to marry Catherine. Morris apologizes and
explains that Catherine appeared to be emancipated - Morris
thought that Catherine had the freedom to choose her own
spouse. Morris explains that he finds Catherine charming but Dr.
Sloper says that disagrees. Morris and Dr. Sloper have a rather
unpleasant conversation. Morris asserts that Dr. Sloper dislikes
him because he is poor. Dr. Sloper simply argues that Morris
neither has means nor has a profession. Hence, Dr. Sloper cannot
accept Morris as a son-in-law. Dr. Sloper is upset when Morris
suggests that Catherine will marry him even without Dr. Sloper's
approval.
Chapter 13 Summary:
Dr. Sloper meets with his sister, Mrs. Almond, and she wonders
whether he has been too harsh in judging Morris. Sloper decides
that he will make contact with Mrs. Montgomery after all. Mrs.
Almond suggests that Mrs. Montgomery may feel too obligated
to her brother to say anything negative about him. Mrs. Almond
feels sorry for Catherine, who is in a dilemma between choosing
her lover or her father. It also seems that Lavinia will advocate for
the lover over the father. Dr. Sloper warns that he will have no
"treason" in his house on the part of his sister, Lavinia. Dr. Sloper
realizes that both his daughter and his sister, Lavinia, are afraid of
him - though he claims to be harmless. Harmless or not, Dr.
Sloper intends to use this fear and "terror" to his advantage.
Chapter 14 Summary:
Dr. Sloper wrote a letter to Mrs. Montgomery who quickly replied.
She lived in a very modest and tidy house on Second Avenue.
When Dr. Sloper arrives, he has to wait for about ten minutes
before Mrs. Montgomery meets him in the parlor; he finds this
inexcusable, but once he sees Mrs. Montgomery, he immediately
forgives her. She is a good, tidy, clean woman - flattered by the
honor of Dr. Sloper's visit. She considers him to be "one of the
fine gentlemen of New York."
After polite introductions, Sloper and Montgomery settle down to
business. Dr. Sloper makes it clear that he has come for
information on Morris; specifically, he would like to know more
about Morris' character. Mrs. Montgomery admits that she is
aware of the engagement and that Morris has already made it
clear to her that Dr. Sloper does not like him. Sloper discusses the
amount of money that Catherine will come into - considerably
less if she does not marry a man that Dr. Sloper approves. Morris
does not realize this yet.
Sloper pulls on Mrs. Montgomery's heartstrings and it isn't long
before she is sobbing. Morris is a man with a good heart, but he
is idle. She has given him money consistently, even though she is
poor. He means to do well, but as a tutor, he only offers the
children Spanish lessons. Mrs. Montgomery wonders how it is
that Dr. Sloper can so easily understand her situation and how
much she has suffered on behalf of her brother. She is a good
woman and Dr. Sloper has some sympathy for her. At the same
time, he takes great pleasure in his interrogation. Dr. Sloper has
had his victory and he suggests that he might give Mrs.
Montgomery some money towards her brother's support. She is
somewhat offended, but Dr. Sloper consoles her. "Don't let her
marry him!" is Mrs. Montgomery's sobbing exclamation: she is
too good a woman to be rid of her brother by passing him to
another woman. She knows that Morris will cause Catherine
considerable pain.
Chapter 15 Summary:
Dr. Sloper is puzzled by Catherine's sustained silence. She is
neither sulky nor visibly contemplative. She is simply quiet and
patient. Dr. Sloper is convinced that his daughter will obey him
and after a few days of silence he says to her "I am glad I have
such a good daughter." He also tells her that she should come to
him if she has anything to say. Catherine and Morris exchange
letters, and Morris gives his account of the Doctor's cruelty.
Catherine believes that somehow, if she is only patient, everything
will work to her advantage. She expects that somehow she will
see a reconciliation between her father and her lover.
For her part, Lavinia Penniman is looking for the plot to thicken not resolve itself. And Aunt Lavinia is no mere bystander; she is
willing to play her part. She tells Catherine "You must act, my
dear; in your situation the great thing is to act." Aunt Lavinia is
disappointed by Catherine - who seems too passive and
submissive to her father. Lavinia imagines a scene wherein the
two lovers would escape and elope. And after the elopement, Dr.
Sloper would gradually come around. Lavinia meets with Morris,
at her insistence, at a far-off establishment in the Battery (the
southern tip of Manhattan). Morris finds the old lady unbearable
but he is patient and does his best to maintain his politeness.
Chapter 16 Summary:
The conversation between Morris and Mrs. Penniman is discussed
in this chapter: Morris wonders whether Catherine will cave in to
her father's wishes; he also wonders whether Dr. Sloper will
remain implacable. It seems that Catherine will hold fast to Morris
and Mrs. Penniman suggests that Dr. Sloper may be won over,
over time. She says that Dr. Sloper goes by the facts and that if
the marriage is an accomplished fact and if Morris proves to be a
decent man, Dr. Sloper will issue his blessing in subsequence. Mrs.
Penniman suggests that Morris and Catherine elope, recounting a
story in which her deceased husband, a minister, married two
young lovers who had eloped. The father was afterward
reconciled and came to be very fond of his young son-in-law.
Mrs. Penniman is full of romance and melodrama. She asks Morris
if he has a gift for Catherine, and Morris replies that he does not.
She asks Morris if he has a "word" for Catherine, and Morris
advises Mrs. Penniman to tell Catherine to hold fast. Mrs.
Penniman tells Morris that he is a good man and that if he
marries Catherine, that will give Dr. Sloper proof that Morris is not
what the Doctor claims that Morris is. If Morris marries Catherine
even though she will not have her father's inheritance (though her
inheritance from her mother is both larger and sufficient), it will
prove that Morris is not only or even chiefly after Catherine's
money. Morris suggests that this will do nothing and Dr. Sloper
will just as well give his money away to a hospital. Lavinia, on the
other hand, believes that Dr. Sloper would seek to amend his
previous injustice. Morris takes no assurance in Lavinia's promise
to assist him and look after his interests.
Analysis of Chapters 11-16:
At the beginning of Chapter 11, we find a moment of crisis.
Catherine's bravery has flared. Her engagement catches the
Doctor by surprise, though he does not admit this. The scene
takes place in Sloper's "study" which serves as the physical
epicenter of his power. It testifies to his knowledge, intellect, and
success. This is the first of several "study" scenes in which Sloper's
system is undone. The doctor is less concerned about Morris and
more concerned about the "liberty" which Catherine has abused.
The doctor's logic suggests that Catherine has been given the
liberty of choosing a husband for herself but only so that she
could use her liberty to choose a husband to the doctor's liking
(the young contemporary reader should remember that in most
societies and for most of history, most marriages were arranged New York of the mid-1800s was still such a society).
When liberty performs the unexpected, it becomes something
else. The doctor feels that Catherine has "taken advantage of [his]
indulgence." Dr. Sloper relies upon his scientific credentials to
support the claims that he makes in non-scientific regions of
knowledge. Being a good doctor does not automatically make
one a socially intelligent person. Sloper is partially correct about
Morris being bad news but he's wrong about Catherine. Still,
Sloper can boast (in Chapter 13) that in his profession (a life of
"estimating people") he is right in "nineteen cases out of twenty."
His sister, Mrs. Almond suggests "Perhaps Mr. Townsend is the
twentieth case," but Sloper replies that Townsend "doesn't look to
me at all like a twentieth case." Sloper is so presumptuous that he
presumes to know his own mistakes. This is the sort of irony
through understatement that one finds in Henry James' writing.
It seems that Catherine has grown up quickly in the interim
between Chapters 10 and 11. The narrator is forced here to
construct an argument, a conflict between Catherine and the
doctor. Admittedly, the story would be rather pathetic if it ended
here with the doctor easily trampling Catherine and her rights.
Hence, Catherine becomes a debater. Catherine speaks well of
Morris, and the narrator tells that Catherine "had not suspected
hitherto the resources of her eloquence." From thoughts of
resources, Catherine continues immediately to speak of the small
"fortune" that Morris has "spent." Catherine has come into herself,
come into a fortune, having found her hidden "resources." There
are surprises, then, for everyone in Chapter 11. Catherine finds her
situation "hopeless and oppressive" even though she admires the
"neatness and nobleness" of her father's language. Dr. Sloper
alternates from cold to warm - he is first angry and then forgiving
- If Catherine accepts forgiveness, she implicitly admits that she
has done something wrong. Catherine alternates, however, from
warm to cold - she is daughterly and respectful in her pleading,
but she becomes silent and unresponsive when Dr. Sloper tries to
wring her into submission.
Later, Catherine remains silent and the doctor suspects that
Catherine is doing this as a form of protest. She is simply being
patient, however, and her actions betray no evidence of ill will or
negative feeling. Dr. Sloper interprets this patience as submission.
The doctor threatens Morris with the fact that he will do whatever
it takes to prevent the marriage. Sloper has no qualms about
Catherine thinking him a "tyrant" for a year or for a lifetime. His
phrase, "tyrant for a twelvemonth" foreshadows the doctor's
desperate plan after all else has failed. He takes Catherine for a
European vacation that stretches from the pre-arranged six
months, to twelve. Dr. Sloper shows his ugly side at the end of
Chapter 13, and in Chapter 14 as well. He makes the power of
language explicit when he says that Catherine and Lavinia are
afraid of him even though he is harmless. He intends to build
upon this, "the salutary terror [he] inspire[s]." Taken within the
context of his earlier statement, that Lavinia's meddling was a
form of "treason," Dr. Sloper's self-portrait as a tyrant is complete.
In Chapter 14, he goes into Mrs. Montgomery's little house as a
very big man in Society. He launches an investigation, as if he
were the Spanish Inquisition. He makes a "rapid mental résumé"
of Mrs. Montgomery, and because he succeeds in forcing Mrs.
Montgomery into the role that he has carved out for her to play,
he believes that he really knows her well. He coerces Mrs.
Montgomery into speaking ill of her brother, Morris, and then
makes her feel good about her own morality. Dr. Sloper is
exhilarated by Mrs. Montgomery's exclamation: "Don't let her
marry him," and the "value" of these words was "greater
[because] they had evidently cost a pang to poor little Mrs.
Montgomery's family pride." Sloper's language becomes a
weapon that outmaneuvers him, the language eventually outmasters the master. We will find that Sloper's words will
eventually cost him dearly. And he will be forced to sacrifice his
own family pride. The motifs of domesticity and family that are
trampled in the scene, clue us in to the fact that Sloper operates
in his own house (with his own siblings and daughter) unaware of
the damage that he inflicts. He confides in his sister, Mrs. Almond,
that he will build upon the "terror" he inspires - but by the end of
the novel, Almond has condemned the doctor as "too
consistently indifferent."
In Chapters 15 and 16, we get a sense of the "treason" in which
Lavinia is involved. She wishes for "the plot to thicken" and she
has a secret meeting with Morris encouraging him to press
forward with the engagement. She is guided by her imagination
and her advice is "incoherent counsel" that contradicted itself.
She alternates between urges to act quickly and bide time.
Aspects of Morris' character are revealed both in the fact that he
is patient and polite towards Lavinia and also in the fact that he
thinks of her with contempt and disgust. He finds her loathsome
but he pretends to get along with her because she can help him.
Finally, the scene of Chapter 16 makes an interesting contrast to
Chapter 14. Morris has been betrayed by his sister. Now, Dr.
Sloper is betrayed by his sister. Mrs. Montgomery gave advice
"Don't let her marry him;" Lavinia now urges Morris to "marry
Catherine at all risks."
Chapter 17 Summary:
Later that evening, Aunt Lavinia sat with Catherine and recounted
her meeting with Morris. Catherine is upset that Aunt Lavinia has
gone to see Morris and she is also bothered by the fact that Aunt
Lavinia has gone to a far off place, as if she were engaged in
secret dealings. Catherine exasperates Lavinia, for she appears
disinterested in the details of the conversation. Lavinia chastises
her niece for being cold and dry. Catherine responds that she
would prefer that Aunt Lavinia hold no more meetings with
Morris. Aunt Lavinia feels insulted and she calls Catherine
ungrateful and thankless. She says that she will not interfere with
Catherine's affairs, adding that Catherine is too fearful of her
father.
Chapter 18 Summary:
Catherine is bothered by the intensity of her heated exchange
with Aunt Lavinia. In seeing her aunt's childishness, Catherine
feels rather old and grave, herself. Catherine decides to speak to
her father. She tells Dr. Sloper that she would like to see Morris
again, not to say good-bye, but because she would like to see
him. Dr. Sloper asks if Catherine intends to marry Morris, and he
hugs and holds Catherine in a rather forceful way. Catherine
refuses to commit to her father's position. He asks her not to
believe him but to take his words on trust. In reply, Catherine
wants to know precisely what Dr. Sloper holds against Morris.
Dr. Sloper argues that if Catherine refuses to break off her
engagement she has severed ties with her father. She will have to
wait for him to die, if she expects to marry without his adamant
disapproval. This horrifies Catherine. As Catherine bursts into
tears, her unenviable position is made crystal clear by the
Doctor's cruel words. He calls Catherine ungrateful and
impertinent. He refuses to allow Morris to ever speak to him
again - thereby insulating himself from the possibility of change.
He tells Catherine that she will inherit none of his money if she
marries against his will. Catherine is not bothered by this and says
that she wouldn't feel entitled to the Doctor's money. He laughs
and invites Catherine to tell this to Morris and witness the
wretchedness of the young man's reply. Catherine sobs and when
she reaches towards her father for mercy, he turns her away,
directs her towards the doorway, and shuts her out. She remains
at his door for several moments and then leaves. Half-amused,
half-irritated, the Doctor considers the real possibility of Catherine
sticking to her position. He didn't think she had it in her.
Chapter 19 Summary:
The next day, Dr. Sloper has a conversation with Lavinia, warning
her to stay out of Catherine's relationship with Morris. Anything
that Lavinia does to advance such a relationship would be
counted as "high treason." Lavinia says that Dr. Sloper is too
harsh and that his cruelty will kill Catherine. When Sloper
sarcastically replies that he is a distinguished physician, capable of
preserving his daughter's health, his sister curtly reminds him that
his being a distinguished physician has not prevented him from
already losing two members of his family (his son and his wife).
Lavinia already knows that Sloper has been cruel to Catherine for
she was waiting on the landing of the stairs the night previous.
When Catherine left the doctor's study, sobbing, Aunt Lavinia was
waiting there to console her. Aunt Lavinia is baffled when
Catherine wakes after her dreadful night and intends to continue
life as if nothing has happened. Aunt Lavinia argues that
Catherine ought to remain in bed and make Dr. Sloper feel guilty.
Catherine intends to work even harder to be a good daughter, in
the hopes that her obedience might move the doctor. Catherine
is impressed with her ability to be strong and solid and dense,
and she feels sure that she will live to a great age - though at
moments like this, such a prospect seems more like a cure than a
blessing.
Chapter 20 Summary:
Catherine sees Morris the following day and he asks her whether
she has made up her mind. She simply wants more time for
things to resolve themselves. Morris tells Catherine that she must
love her father more than she loves him. Morris tells Catherine
that Mrs. Penniman has suggested an immediate union, and
Catherine dismisses this idea. Catherine tells Morris that Dr.
Sloper will disinherit Catherine from his fortune and Morris tells
Catherine to tell Dr. Sloper that such a move will do nothing to
affect Morris' affection for Catherine. Catherine is not worried
about the money; she is worried about living with her father's
disapproval. Nonetheless, she tells Morris that she will marry him
as soon as he pleases.
Analysis of Chapters 17-20:
Lavinia confronts Catherine with the information that she has
gathered in her interview with Morris, though Lavinia's
interference does more harm than good. Catherine perceives
Lavinia's intelligence gathering as an indicator of a lack of trust.
Either Morris does not trust her, or Morris must perceive that she
does not trust him. Lavinia makes things more complicated with
her question "are you jealous of me?" Catherine is not exactly
jealous but she is certainly concerned by the coziness that Lavinia
shares with Morris. Lavinia uses guilt much as Doctor Sloper does,
as a means of influencing Catherine to do what is best. Here, it
seems that Catherine is rejecting Lavinia's advice and guidance in
obedience to her father, but it is not as simple as that. Catherine
is willing to obey her father's warning not to see Morris, but she
has no intention of breaking the engagement.
In Chapter 18, Catherine again returns to the doctor's study and
there is again, an exchange of rhetoric and heated language. The
doctor has been caught unawares, yet again, and this seems to be
part of Catherine's "terrible plan." She has spent a considerable
amount of time thinking about what she will say, and this time,
the doctor faces more resistance than he previously had. He gives
a vague warning about how dangerous a man like Morris can
prove, and he interprets Catherine's disagreement as an attack on
his wisdom. The narrator relays the doctor's "ingenious sophism":
"I don't ask you to believe it, but to take it on trust." The doctor
wants Catherine to stop thinking for herself, to cede her liberty.
Catherine does not impolitely point to the logical flaws of the
doctor's language, but the narrator does. Sloper was once praised
for his witty "epigrams." Now the narrator tells us that the
doctor's logic is no good. Catherine does not address the logical
failure, but she does meet "the appeal none the less squarely," we
are told. The doctor suggests that Catherine and Morris, if
engaged, would be placed in the position of waiting for the
doctor to die so that they could be married - implying that one or
both of the young lovers might find motive to hasten the doctor
towards his final destination. Catherine replies that "If I don't
marry before your death, I will not after." The narrator tells us that
the doctor takes this "epigram" by "surprise" because "obstinacy,
in unaccomplished minds, does not usually select such a mode of
expression." The doctor does not realize that Catherine is more
clever than he thinks; he decides that she is being impertinent.
The themes of inheritance and filial duty (within the context of
father and daughter) resonate with Shakespeare's tragic King
Lear. The doctor's language alludes to the play, with his threats of
never forgiving Catherine. The doctor essentially threatens to
disown Catherine, write her out of his will. Catherine gives "a cry
of natural horror" at the prospect of losing her father, but after
Chapter 14, we have been prepared for the doctor's casual
discussion of such horrible themes. It is nothing for him to speak
of ripping apart his family; it is this very casual and presumptive
demeanor that causes this "natural horror" to occur. Of course,
the symbolic shutting of the study door makes it clear that there
will be no reconciliation between father and daughter. Sloper sees
the drama as a form of "entertainment" but "comical," even
though he thinks that Catherine will remain obstinate. It is unclear
what entertainment, besides verbal jousting, the doctor will
uncover. He is unaware of the pain that he causes his family, and
so this does not dampen his excitement. Entertainment is not the
word that comes to mind when one has just referred to his only
daughter as "an ungrateful, cruel child" - if she should marry the
wrong man. Catherine is on her way towards becoming this child
and giving her father "the greatest pain of his life." Or, at least,
this is what the doctor says. What Sloper does not perceive his
own vulnerabilities. He speaks of this "greatest pain" as a threat
that he inflicts upon Catherine: He pains Catherine by suggesting
that she might cause him pain. He does not realize that, in fact, he
can and will suffer great pain by the end of the novel.
Our respect for Catherine is by no means derived exclusively from
the narrator's compliments: the fact that Catherine matches the
doctor's poor logic with her own epigrams serves not to credit
Catherine but to discredit the doctor. The doctor measures
himself by epigrams - he is beaten at his own game. Catherine
measures herself by goodness, honesty, devotion. The doctor's
warning, that Catherine "will be an ungrateful, cruel child" seems
so absurd. Just as King Lear misperceived his true daughter as a
false and treacherous daughter, Sloper maligns a daughter who
loves him very much. Catherine will not become a child to suit the
doctor, and she will never learn to be ungrateful or cruel. But at
the doctor's own insistence, Catherine will learn to respect and
love him less.
Dr. Sloper confronts Lavinia, his own sister, in Chapter 19, and he
warns her that "high treason is a capital offense. Take care how
you incur the penalty." Lavinia's response, that Sloper sounds like
a "great autocrat" confirms the allusion to King Lear - a man gone
mad, insane with thoughts of conspiracy, distrust, and betrayal. It
is as if Dr. Sloper is intentionally destroying his family bonds. He
perceives himself so different from Lavinia that he wonders
whether he is her brother - and he tells her as much. In an
especially brutal scene, Sloper suggests that if Catherine takes ill
from her melancholy, he is a distinguished physician capable of
restoring her health. Lavinia pauses, then replies that the doctor
has already lost two members of his family - Sloper's own
response confirming that he may still lose another. The image of
the "surgeon's lancet" (surgical knife) is used to describe the
cutting "terribly incisive look" that the doctor gives his sister.
There is great irony in the doctor being the principal destructive
force of the novel. Whatever Morris' plans may be, the doctor's
over-exaggerations and tyrannical suppression make it impossible
for Morris to reveal himself. And it is likely that Morris would
prove not nearly as bad as the doctor predicted.
Lavinia's words, of course, suggest that Catherine might die of
grief. The narrator prevents this idea from taking root: it is just
another one of Lavinia's imaginative fancies. Catherine wakes up
strong as ever - though for effect, she should perhaps pretend to
be ill and wounded (according to her aunt). Catherine's heart is
breaking, but she is "strong and solid and dense." What is
foreshadowed is the fact that Catherine "would live to a great age
- longer than might be generally convenient." The irony here is
that Catherine is strong enough to live a life of suffering. She
faces the impossible task of reconciling an impossible father with
a less-than-decent fiancé.
Chapter 21 Summary:
Dr. Sloper visits his sister, Mrs. Almond, and tells her his suspicion.
He thinks that Catherine will drag out the engagement with the
intention of making the doctor relent. Of course, he has no intention
of doing so. Mrs. Almond finds her brother "shockingly coldblooded," and he seems to take it as a sort of compliment. He takes a
pleasure in Catherine - who has surprised him. Mrs. Almond sees
that Catherine is in unbearable pain, but Dr. Sloper is more
interested in figuring out what Catherine will do. Dr. Sloper mentions
the idea of taking Catherine to Europe for a vacation, but Mrs.
Almond is sure that Catherine will not forget Morris in Europe. Dr.
Sloper replies that Morris may forget Catherine, while she is in
Europe.
Mrs. Penniman sees Morris, who has tired of her. He gives her rather
curt answers though he is not explicitly rude or impolite. Penniman
admits that her advice is not always the best, for her imagination
gets in the way. She is no good at determining the right thing to do,
but she is very good at uncovering the infinitude of possible things
one may do. Contradicting her earlier advice, Mrs. Penniman now
tells Morris to bid his time and wait. Morris says that Catherine has
committed to taking the "great step." Mrs. Penniman then consoles
Morris by saying that whether he rushes forward or takes his time,
Catherine's love for Morris is such that she will continue to hold him
high regard.
Chapter 22 Summary:
Catherine has consented to something though she had not
consented to anything precise. A wedding day had not yet been
determined. Morris tried to figure out whether it would be better to
marry Catherine and forego her father's money, or wait to marry
Catherine and perhaps marry into a larger fortune. Or, perhaps
Morris would be best served by seeking another union. Morris wants
to find a shortcut, an easy way to solve his situation.
For her part, Catherine feels guilty that she remains in her father's
house. From her point-of-view, it is unjust for her to remain in her
father's house if she does not intend to obey his law.
In conversation with her father, Catherine tells him that she intends
to marry before very long, and the next day, Dr. Sloper presents
Catherine with the six-month trip to Europe, telling her to postpone
the wedding for the half year. Catherine tells her father she will need
to consult Morris, and Dr. Sloper gives a diplomatic reply. At the end
of the conversation, Catherine tells Dr. Sloper that if she lives with
him, she ought to obey him. To this, Sloper assents. But he is struck,
he fears he has underestimated his daughter when she continues
that if she doesn't obey him, she ought not live with him - implying
that she will soon take leave. Dr. Sloper says that this idea is in "very
bad taste," and asks whether Morris has told Catherine to say this.
Learning that this is Catherine's own opinion, the doctor tells her:
"keep it to yourself, then." He realizes that he'd better get Catherine
to Europe in a hurry.
Chapter 23 Summary:
Neither Morris Townsend nor Mrs. Penniman were invited to join Dr.
Sloper and Catherine. Mrs. Almond thought it was cruel for Dr.
Sloper not to include Lavinia, but she realized that it was Lavinia's
own folly that produced this consequence. Catherine tells Aunt
Lavinia that she hesitates to take the trip because she does not want
to mislead her father into thinking that it will change her mind. Both
Aunt Lavinia and Morris concur that Catherine ought to take the trip,
though Catherine feels that it would be deception. Mrs. Penniman
tells Catherine that she should buy wedding clothes in Paris and she
promises her niece that she will look after Morris while Catherine
and the doctor are away.
Dr. Sloper and Catherine are gone for a year, rather than the six
months initially stated. Mrs. Penniman remained in Sloper's house
and played the role of hostess rather well. Morris takes advantage of
this situation and essentially transforms the house into his own
private club. Mrs. Almond feels compelled to say something to Mrs.
Penniman regarding her close relations with Morris. Lavinia feels all
the more attached to Morris, for they are both rather rejected by Dr.
Sloper. Mrs. Penniman reasons that if Morris won't enjoy Dr. Sloper's
fortune later, he might as well enjoy it now.
Chapter 24 Summary:
For the first six months of the trip, Dr. Sloper refuses to speak about
Morris and the engagement. He spends his time enjoying the sights
of Europe. He assesses Catherine's level of intellectual engagement
with the sights and scenes and finds his daughter wanting. Catherine
continues to receive letters from Morris at the rate of two per month
- bundled within the envelopes she receives from Aunt Lavinia. One
day, towards the end of summer, the doctor and his daughter were
trekking through the Alps. In a rather precarious mountain pass, Dr.
Sloper mentions the engagement - out of nowhere, it seems.
Catherine is a bit surprised but as her answer has not changed there
is no hesitation in responding to the startling question. Dr. Sloper
becomes visibly irritated, enraged really. Catherine tells her gather
that Morris still writes to her twice a month and that she intends to
marry him. Dr. Sloper tells Catherine that he is "not a very good
man" and that he "can be very hard." He asks Catherine whether she
would like to be left to starve in such a place as this.
Catherine is somewhat concerned as to whether her father intends
to do her harm. Though Catherine dismisses the idea, she does take
a few steps back. Sloper makes his way back to the carriage and
leaves Catherine to do her best to catch up with him. Climbing the
difficult uphill terrain, now in the unwelcome dark of night,
Catherine does her best to keep up, and when she arrives at the
carriage, her father is already inside waiting for her.
They continue traveling for another six months and after this period,
Sloper poses his question anew. Catherine replies that she still
intends to marry Morris and that he still writes her twice a month.
Sloper asks when Catherine plans to be married, and she says that
she cannot give a precise date. Dr. Sloper asks for three days' notice.
Chapter 25 Summary:
The voyage home to New York is uncomfortable and upon reaching
the shore, Catherine returns to her father's house and does not go
off with Morris. That night she speaks with Aunt Lavinia who says
that she has spent much time with Morris and come to know him
very well - indeed, she knows him better than Catherine does.
Catherine is somewhat bothered by this but she does not think about
it for very long. She thanks Aunt Lavinia for being very kind to Morris,
but when Aunt Lavinia tells Catherine that Morris enjoyed cigars in
Dr. Sloper's study, Catherine is upset. Morris, of course, had the
sense not to mention the extent to which he enjoyed Dr. Sloper's
house, knowing that it would offend Catherine. Aunt Lavinia, on the
other hand, lacks such tact.
Aunt Lavinia shares that Morris found employment as a commission
merchant, quite suddenly, about a week ago. Catherine is more than
pleased and she is happy to know that Morris is an equal with his
business partner. Catherine has come with gifts for Aunt Lavinia, and
Aunt Lavinia is especially pleased with the cashmere shawl.
Aunt Lavinia asks Catherine if she has changed and she asks if Dr.
Sloper has changed. Catherine explains that she is braver now and
she does not try to please her father, nor does she expect that he
will change his mind. Catherine adds that if Morris does not care for
the double inheritance, then why should she - besides, with Morris'
new business, they will have plenty of money. Aunt Lavinia says that
"perhaps he [Morris] does care" for the money, but Catherine says
that if Morris cares about the money, he simply cares about it for
Catherine's sake.
Aunt Lavinia now seems to stress the importance of convincing Dr.
Sloper and getting the full inheritance. Catherine is irritated because
this is quite the opposite of Aunt Lavinia's earlier suggestions.
Catherine wonders whether Aunt Lavinia now has some new idea or
new piece of information. Aunt Lavinia can't help being shocked by
the force of Catherine's insistence.
Chapter 26 Summary:
When Morris arrives the next afternoon, he feels somewhat
wronged: he is used to enjoying Dr. Sloper's study, but now he must
resign himself to the front parlor. Catherine is very happy to see
Morris and he looks as beautiful as she remembered - if not more so.
She tells Morris that she is ready to get married and that they must
simply do without the approval of the father. To this, Morris
expresses his dismay and says that he has been beaten. He wants
Catherine's permission to confront Dr. Sloper and try to change his
mind. Catherine feels secure, however, that between her maternal
inheritance and Morris' business prospects, they will have plenty of
money.
Morris insists that he should try to make things right with Dr. Sloper,
and when Catherine explains that it will do no good because Dr.
Sloper is not very fond of her, Morris realizes that he has lost his
chance. In keeping her engagement to Morris, Catherine has lost her
father's blessing. Certainly, Morris will not be able to get anything
from Dr. Sloper if Sloper detests Morris so much that Sloper now
detests his own daughter because of her attachment to Morris.
Morris has trouble hiding his displeasure. Catherine pleads with
Morris that he must always love her and never despise her. Although
Morris doesn't despise Catherine, he doesn't like her very much
either - and love is entirely off of the table. Catherine expresses a
hope that she and Morris will be very happy together.
Analysis of Chapters 21-26:
The opening scene of Chapter 21 attests to Mrs. Almond's increasing
disgust towards her brother. She finds him cruel and "cold hearted."
This fact is supported by Lavinia's own confession to Morris, that she
did not regard her brother "as an orthodox Christian," referring to his
potentially "violent" nature. There is no pretending that Austin is a
cruel man who effectively distances himself from the other
characters. Sloper's decision to take the tour of Europe is a fact that
has escaped Lavinia's imagination: still, she rebounds with a
somewhat twisted consolation - she tells Morris that the possibilities
are "infinite." Lavinia's poor counsel was a motif in earlier chapters,
but the stakes are raised now. Morris begins to perceive the danger
of relying too heavily upon Lavinia's words. While Dr. Sloper and
Catherine are in Europe, Lavinia becomes closer to Morris: she
realizes that if Dr. Sloper disinherits Catherine, it won't be towards a
goal of enlarging Lavinia's share. She becomes more "treasonous"
putting Morris' desires above obligations to family. When Mrs.
Almond accurately perceives that Morris is not a good husband for
Catherine, Lavinia dismisses the idea. Lavinia has fallen in love with
Morris, it would seem. Ironically, she forgets that her own niece will
actually have to marry the man. Lavinia seems to simply want an
arrangement that will keep Morris in her own life. This is tragic pathetic and abusive at the same time. Lavinia seems to be
condemned to enjoying only vicarious pleasures - she is not one of
the lovers, nor is she one of the travelers. The image of the house as
a symbol of the hearth, the family, of connectedness is undone while
Dr. Sloper is around. Consistently, the warmth of the fire is used as
an opposite image. At least three times, we are told that Dr. Sloper is
as cold as the fire is warm. Lavinia has been abandoned by her
brother and her niece has left as well. Lavinia repopulates the empty
house with Morris and other guests, much as she commits "treason"
and protects the interests of others before the interests of family. In
Chapter 25, Lavinia greets Catherine, who has returned home.
Catherine is somewhat perturbed by Lavinia's accounts of the time
that she has spent with Morris. Now, Lavinia presumes to know
Morris better than Catherine does herself.
In an earlier chapter, we found the epigram "fortune favors the
brave." In Chapter 22, the narrator tells us that "Providence was
more especially on the side of clever people, and clever people were
known by an indisposition to risk their bones." Both of these
comments refer to Morris, a man who is both active and passive.
Active, he is willing to take risks and impose himself upon others.
Passive, he relies upon others to do the most difficult tasks and
depends upon fortune or Providence to make sure that things work
out. The narrator's voice of irony shows Morris to be a low creature.
He regards Catherine as "unattractive" and potentially
"impoverished." Morris is the knight-hero in the images that he sells
to Lavinia and Catherine. But in the middle of the novel, once things
begin to go awry, Morris sounds more like a character from a Jane
Austen novel: in his attempts to win a fortune through marriage (a
gender-role reversal, here) Morris catches a snag. The fact that Dr.
Sloper will disinherit Catherine makes Morris' decision more difficult.
Like Dr. Sloper, Morris hopes that "mathematics" will lead him to a
"shortcut" around the "natural way" to resolve his situation. He does
not want to marry Catherine without a guarantee that he will come
into all of her wealth - including that which the Doctor presently
threatens to withhold. Dr. Sloper reduces the conflict to "geometry."
Both he and Morris hope that to think their way through. Neither
man proves competent enough to fully execute his task.
The motif of law is further developed beyond the images of tyranny
and treason. Catherine has come under a curse and even Morris
regards her position as pitiable, for Catherine feels that she has
"broken a sacred law." Catherine has a very developed sense of
moral judgment as she exhibits at the end of Chapter 22. This scene
is a continuation of the earlier "study" scenes. Dr. Sloper wants to
take Catherine to Europe as a means of separating her from Morris.
Catherine, takes her father's language literally, and believes that she
is separated from him (her father). She admits that "If I live with you,
I ought to obey you" and the doctor's half-mocking agreement is
turned on its head when Catherine continues: "But if I don't obey
you, I ought not to live with you - to enjoy your kindness and
protection." Catherine would rather leave the house of the tyrant
than commit treason. This is the logical extension of the doctor's
own words - but this is a tactical disadvantage. A tyrant needs a
subject. The doctor would not be satisfied with Catherine leaving the
house; he wants her to submit to his rule. He has a "sudden sense of
having underestimated his daughter" and he insults her idea as "very
bad taste" and tells her to "keep it to [her]self." While Dr. Sloper is in
Europe, his study becomes a sort of sanctuary for Morris, who visits
regularly while Sloper is away.
This is a critical point in the novel. Catherine has liberated herself
from the doctor's ideas. She has followed his logic to its conclusion,
and when the doctor rejects his own logic, Catherine has little reason
to hold the doctor's arguments in high regard. She is now "absolved"
because she has followed duty. The trip to Europe is a waste of time
and money, if the goal is to make Catherine forget Morris. Catherine
feels that it would be deceptive to accompany her father on the trip
when she has no intention of changing her mind about Morris.
Catherine's combination of honesty and strength leads her to the
conclusion that she ought to tell her father that his strategy is a
failing one, so perhaps he ought to reconsider. Of course, after six
months of travel, Catherine confirms that she is resolute. When the
doctor extends the trip, there is no change in Catherine's decision. By
the time she comes home, Catherine ahs given up any hope of
converting her father and she has decided to sacrifice her inheritance
and marry Morris anyway. As can be expected, this plan meets with
considerable opposition from Morris and Aunt Lavinia, for they have
been counting on the fact of Dr. Sloper's fortune eventually going to
Catherine. The use of understatement at the end of Chapter 26
essentially reveals Catherine's fate. Morris will "never despise" her
but he will not try to do anything more difficult. Needless to say, he
will not marry Catherine.
Washington Square Summary and Analysis of
Chapters 27-30
Chapter 27 Summary:
Dr. Sloper has a conversation with his sister, Lavinia. He makes it clear that he remains
inflexible and has no intention of consenting to Catherine's marriage. Further, he knows
that Morris has spent a considerable amount of time in the house, though he does not
want to hear Lavinia's justification or explanation or lie regarding the fact. He tells her
simply because he does not want to hear her speak on the topic. It is already settled and
of no great importance. What he does wish to say is that Lavinia puts herself in danger
by stoking the doomed hopes of an inflamed fortune-hunter. Dr. Sloper warns Lavinia
that Morris may try to sue her or get some form of revenge for unjustly raising his
expectations.
Dr. Sloper asks Lavinia if she thinks that Morris intends to hang onto Catherine, and
Lavinia simply tells Dr. Sloper that he had better wait and see. When Dr. Sloper talks to
his other sister, Mrs. Almond, she tells him that he should not be surprised, having left
Lavinia alone, to find that she kept company with Morris. Dr. Sloper is surprised when
Mrs. Almond tells him what she has learned from Catherine, that Morris has set up a
business and is making a great deal of money. Dr. Sloper realizes that Catherine has
already given up on changing his mind. Mrs. Almond tells him that Catherine has
returned home exactly the same. She sees that Catherine is destined for heartbreak, and
Dr. Sloper agrees. Unlike Dr. Sloper, Mrs. Almond suggests that if Catherine is doomed to
fall, they ought to spread as many carpets as they can to cushion the fall. Sloper, on the
other hand, intends to precipitate the fall and make it happen sooner rather than later.
Chapter 28 Summary:
Mrs. Penniman sends a letter to Morris telling him that Dr. Sloper has arrived as
stubborn as ever. When that letter receives no reply, Mrs. Penniman sends more,
inviting herself to visit Morris' business office. She suggests that she might pose as a
customer and they can meet in secret. When Morris finally agrees to meet Mrs.
Penniman, it is in the middle of the day, when one would think that Morris would be
very busy with his work. He is rude to Mrs. Penniman, who dotes on him all the more.
She suggests that Morris ought to bring a lawsuit against her brother. Morris replies
that he'll bring a lawsuit against Mrs. Penniman if she continues with her idiotic
comments. Morris says that he must simply give Catherine up. Mrs. Penniman has seen
it coming and she is not all that surprised. Indeed, she is far from judgmental - she is
supportive. She sees Morris as the talented son that she might have had and tells him
that he would likely find a better prospect elsewhere. Morris asks Mrs. Penniman to
brace Catherine for the disclosure. And at this point, Mrs. Penniman begins to think of
Catherine and how sad she will be to lose Morris. Morris suggests that Dr. Sloper will be
happy and that he will make Catherine feel better, but Mrs. Penniman says that Dr.
Sloper will only invent a new torture to harm Catherine.
Morris says that his argument will be that he feels bad stepping in between Catherine
and her father, depriving her of her rights. Mrs. Penniman agrees that this argument is
very well framed. Morris says that he won't give Catherine up for another wife; he will
give her up for a wider career. Still, there is no need to drag the engagement out for
much longer as he will definitely not be marrying Catherine. Mrs. Penniman's main
excitement is the drama at hand, for if she loves first meetings, she believes that last
partings are nearly equal in dignity and excitement.
Chapter 29 Summary:
Mrs. Penniman feels that she has a very important role to serve though she wonders
precisely what she is to do. As a result, when Morris visits the house he finds that little
has been done in the way of preparing Catherine for her fall. Catherine has no suspicion
of her danger and Aunt Lavinia does not know precisely what to say or do. After several
of Morris' visits, Catherine is exasperated because Morris has not given a date. Morris
gives an outburst, mumbles something rather incoherent, and leaves. His subsequent
visits are short and his speech is distant. Catherine is concerned: Morris is not
displaying the affection and kindness one would expect. Finally, Morris tells Catherine
that he is going to New Orleans to buy some cotton, for he expects to sell it on the
market at a higher price. When Catherine insists upon coming, Morris warns that New
Orleans is dangerous on account of yellow fever. When Catherine argues that Morris is
just as susceptible to yellow fever as she is, she also adds that Morris should be more
interested in her and less interested in money. He says that he must leave and that he
will visit next Saturday, but Catherine asks that he visit on the following day. He insists
upon Saturday and Catherine suddenly realizes her predicament, saying "Morris, you
are going to leave me."
Morris says that he will leave but only for a short time, but Catherine is soon crying and
she says "you won't come back!" Morris promises that Catherine will see him again.
Chapter 30 Summary:
Catherine is very depressed about what has happened. She hopes that Morris will
return and tell her that he does not mean to say what he has said but this does not
happen. When Aunt Lavinia approaches Catherine and suggests that something is
bothering the young woman, Catherine lies and says that everything is fine. Aunt
Lavinia sends a letter to Morris but she receives no response. Catherine, for her part,
has sent two short letter to Morris, and she has also received no response.
Dr. Sloper has been observing Catherine and he approaches Lavinia, suggesting that
Morris has backed out of the marriage. Lavinia argues in opposition and shudders at the
pure joy that the doctor derives in being right - even at the expensive price of his
daughter's emotions.
Aunt Lavinia approaches Catherine and tries to pry information from the young woman
after she has taken a walk. Aunt Lavinia speaks to Catherine and tries to console her
about the engagement being broken off and Morris' change in plans. Catherine is
confused, of course. Though Catherine doubts Morris, Morris has not said anything to
the effect of permanently changing his plans. When Aunt Lavinia says "if he hasn't told
you" - Catherine interrupts her aunt. Aunt Lavinia now realizes that Morris has not told
Catherine that he will not marry her; he has simply left. Aunt Lavinia cries that she has
spoken too soon. Catherine now realizes that Aunt Lavinia has been aware of this
looming disaster and has done nothing to assist her. Catherine has gone to Mrs.
Montgomery's house, but Morris was not there, having left town. Even worse, his
family does not know where he has gone.
Catherine regrets all of her aunt's meddling. It would have been better not to leave
Morris with Aunt Lavinia for a full year. It would have been better never to have known
Morris. When Aunt Lavinia says that Morris has left because he did not want to hurt
Catherine and destroy her relationship with her father, Catherine asks Aunt Lavinia
whether Morris has told her to say this. Aunt Lavinia is utterly unable to console
Catherine, who perceives precisely what has happened.
Analysis of Chapters 27-30:
Catherine has returned from Europe ready to make plans for her life as a married
woman. In these chapters, Catherine's world, her plans and her prospects finally
unravel.
Dr. Sloper's attitude towards Catherine's break-up suggests that he values truth over
happiness. Sloper takes his pleasure in being right; it scarcely matters to him that
Catherine is suffering emotionally. Again, we see that Dr. Sloper's actions are causing
dissension within his family. Sloper is becoming alienated from his daughter, as well as
from both of his sisters. Catherine's Aunt Almond presents the image of the "fall" when
she describes Catherine's plight, adding that she will need to "spread carpets" to
cushion Catherine's fall. This is the emotional response that one expects from a family
member, and Dr. Sloper's sisters are shocked and dismayed by his failure to act like a
father. Both Aunt Almond and Aunt Penniman wonder whether Catherine will survive?
Is Catherine strong and sturdy enough to survive the collapse of her engagement?
Throughout the novel, Catherine has been portrayed as the responsible, mature, levelheaded counterpart to Aunt Lavinia. For Aunt Lavinia, the end of Catherine's
engagement is the end of her own romance. Lavinia has done everything in her power to
keep Morris and Catherine together, but the romance that she has imagined is not
sustainable in reality. Just as Catherine has seen her hopes dashed, Lavinia has seen her
own imagined romance dissolve. Both Catherine and Morris regret listening to Lavinia's
advice in the first place. Dr. Sloper warns Lavinia to "beware of the just resentment of a
deluded fortune hunter," referring to Morris. Dr. Sloper's words foreshadow Morris'
angry threat to sue Lavinia for leading him to believe that he would be able to marry
Catherine and come into a fortune.
Morris feels that Lavinia has betrayed him. Catherine similarly feels that Lavinia has
betrayed her. It has proven difficult for Lavinia to develop her "drama" and
simultaneously fulfill her obligations to Morris and especially to Catherine. Lavinia
accidentally reveals Morris' low intentions before the young man has revealed himself
to Catherine. Lavinia thinks that she has spoken "too soon," and Catherine poses the
question of whether Lavinia has spoken too soon or too late. Lavinia does not speak
with an intention of reducing Catherine's pain. Instead, Lavinia concentrates on playing
her part in the drama. She walks around the Sloper home with "an unexploded bomb" in
her hands. Lavinia does have sympathy for Catherine. However, Lavinia's "aesthetic
disappointment" is the fact that Catherine has not suffered more and made a greater
scene of her suffering.
Both Morris and Dr. Sloper have hurt Catherine and Catherine has a lot to learn. Upon
her return, it occurs to Catherine that she should not have trusted Aunt Lavinia as much
as she did. But at this point, most of the damage has already been done. In her dealings
with Morris, Catherine has remained too timid. It is only when Morris becomes
flagrantly unenthused about the marriage that Catherine voices her displeasure with his
relative lack of interest and preparation. When Morris finally walks out on Catherine,
she realizes that he is going to leave her and she is neither swayed nor consoled by
Morris' half-hearted insistence that she will see him again. At this point, Catherine has
learned to see through Morris' language. In conversation with Lavinia, Catherine can
identify when her aunt is simply repeating something that Morris has bid her to say.
And at the end of Chapter 30, Catherine's phrase "I don't believe it" is not the naïve
resolution that she would have said earlier in the novel. Here, Catherine has become
disillusioned and exasperated at once.
Washington Square loosely resembles works within the genre of the
bildungsroman, the novel that chronicles the education and self-development of a young
person. Earlier in the novel, considerable discussion was devoted to Catherine's
education, her intellectual capacity, and her father's disappointment. Subsequent trips
to Europe failed to "open Catherine's eyes" - in the eyes of her father, or in Morris' eyes.
Catherine's epiphany comes in her moment of crisis. Unfortunately, her realization is a
tragic one and it is a tearful betrayal that has brought perspicacity.
Chapter 31 Summary:
Aunt Lavinia advises Catherine that if Dr. Sloper should ask
whether the marriage was still on, she should say that it is. A few
days later, Catherine received a long letter from Morris, addressed
from Philadelphia. He formally apologizes and says that he does
not want to endanger Catherine's prospects, and so, the wedding
is off. Catherine thinks that the letter is hollow and false. Years
later, she re-reads the letter and sees that it was very gracefully
written, though a lie all the same.
After the letter arrives, a week passes and Dr. Sloper asks
Catherine for an update on the wedding. Catherine simply replies
that she has not yet left the house. Dr. Sloper says that he is
looking forward to the wedding because then he will have an
empty house: Aunt Lavinia leaves with Catherine. Catherine tells
Dr. Sloper that she has broken off the engagement, having asked
him to leave New York. Spitefully, Dr. Sloper tells Catherine that
she is rather cruel, after encouraging the young man and playing
with him for so long.
Chapter 32 Summary:
Dr. Sloper remains cold and heartless and Catherine becomes
close to her Aunt Almond. Mrs. Almond is not sympathetic
towards Dr. Sloper and ultimately, she is rather disgusted. Dr.
Sloper looks at Catherine and sees that she is patient - though
she has been hurt, Dr. Sloper cannot see this. He begins to think
that Catherine and Morris have simply postponed their
engagement and they are content to wait until Dr. Sloper's death.
Catherine has a number of suitors but she never pursues a
relationship with any of them. These suitors find Catherine
genuinely appealing and, unlike Morris, they are wise enough to
avoid Mrs. Penniman (who had become rather famous for her
meddlesome ways). On a few occasions there is news that Morris
is in town, but Catherine makes no mention of this fact, nor does
she seem excited, nor does she make any attempt to see him. Dr.
Sloper remains in the dark and he is irritated that there seems to
be a conspiracy of silence. Neither Mrs. Almond nor Mrs.
Penniman nor Catherine is an available source of information. All
three women find Dr. Sloper rather contemptible.
Chapter 33 Summary:
Dr. Sloper retires from his profession and he sees that his death is
coming soon. He takes a trip to Europe and brings Mrs. Penniman
and Catherine along. He asks Catherine to promise him that she
will not marry Morris Townsend after he dies. Catherine tells her
father that she very seldom thinks about Morris, but she refuses
to make this promise. Dr. Sloper says that he is altering his will
and he calls Catherine obstinate. She tells him that he doesn't
understand. When Dr. Sloper asks for an explanation, Catherine
replies that she can't explain and she can't promise. Dr. Sloper
admits that he had no idea how obstinate Catherine was.
A year later, Dr. Sloper has a violent cold and he dies three weeks
later. His will promised money to Mrs. Penniman and Mrs.
Almond but it reduced Catherine's share to one-fifth of what it
was, as she had plenty of money left to her by her mother.
Sloper's will mentions that Catherine has given the doctor reason
to believe that she regards unscrupulous men as an interesting
class (i.e. Morris Townsend). Aunt Lavinia says that the will should
be broken at once, for Sloper has left Catherine's money to a
number of hospitals and medical schools. Catherine disagrees
and says that she likes the will very much, only she would have
expressed it a little differently.
Chapters 34 and 35 Summaries:
Catherine intends to remain in the house and this is what she
does. She has created a life that she enjoys - the younger men
and women look upon her fondly as an aunt, of sorts. She fills her
free time with social events, entertainment, and knitting. Her
repose is shaken when Aunt Lavinia tells Catherine that she has
seen Morris Townsend. Catherine begins to cry, though Aunt
Lavinia does not realize this. Catherine is quite displeased. Always
the meddler, Aunt Lavinia convinces Morris to visit the house, and
Catherine is enraged when she realizes this, but by then it is too
late. Aunt Lavinia has disclosed this fact right as Morris has
arrived at the house. Morris has the same old voice, but he has
lost the old charm. His life has been hard and he has been a
failure in love and in business. Catherine tells Morris, rather firmly,
that it is impossible for them to be friends. She tells him not to
come again. Morris says that she has done him an injustice - for
he has simply waited for Catherine to be free, and now she is.
Catherine tells Morris that he has treated her badly, and that she
still has friendly feelings towards him and has forgiven him.
However, she has no intention of reviving any passion or emotion
for him. All of her passion and emotional capacity have been
destroyed between the cruelty of Morris and Dr. Sloper.
When Morris presses further, Catherine tells him that had he
waited for an answer, he would not have bothered to come and
visit the house. Had she been given time to respond, Catherine
would have sent word through Aunt Lavinia telling Morris that he
need not have come. Morris leaves, and upon exiting, he asks
Aunt Lavinia why Catherine has never married - he had assumed
that it was on his account. They are both perplexed.
Meanwhile, Catherine has already resumed her seat in the parlor,
dry, steel, unshakable, concentrating on her knitting and
fancywork - "for life, as it were."
Analysis of Chapters 31-35:
The final chapters bring a resolution of the plot action. Catherine
go insane, commit suicide, or die of heartbreak (all popular
conclusions to the story of the "jilted" lover), but she is certainly
scarred from her experience. She rejects all other suitors,
including a few eligible bachelors. And when Morris returns after
nearly twenty years of failed adventures in love and business,
Catherine rejects Morris. Dr. Sloper goes to the grave confident
that Catherine intends to marry Morris and enjoy her inheritance
as well. Catherine's rejection of Morris confirms the doctor's
failure to accurately understand his own daughter.
Catherine emerges as a heroine in the final chapters. James
describes her as a "conservative" woman who quickly becomes
matronly. She acts older than her age - much unlike Aunt
Penniman, who seems to grow younger and ever immature.
Catherine becomes a guardian of local history and old customs.
As a parallel to Dr. Sloper at the beginning of the novel, Catherine
is now the character principally attached to Washington Square.
Dr. Sloper symbolized the neighborhood at its height. Catherine
represents "Old New York" society as it enters its sunset.
The name "Sloper" connotes this very slope and decline. Certainly,
Sloper is an opposite image to "Excelsior," the motto of New York
which means "ever upward." Dr. Sloper has divided his family and
his family line ends with Catherine. The final chapters of the novel
depict Dr. Sloper's personal decline with an ironic tone. A doctor
famed for his intelligence, Sloper dies from the cold that he
catches when he visits a patient at the Bloomingdale Lunatic
Asylum. James simply refers to the hospital as "Bloomingdale"
and it was famous. This death also marks the end of a motif of
"cold" imagery surrounding the doctor. Indoors, the doctor's cold
eyes and cold-hearted nature played a contrast to the fireplace,
the hearth and the images of family and emotional fulfillment.
Here we find the doctor dying of a chill in the middle of Spring,
the season of life and new beginning. Even the name of the
hospital, Bloomingdale, presents an image of life, not death. For a
very great man, Dr. Sloper has died a rather small death.