Washington Square

Originally published serially in 1880 and named for the upscale area in New York where the novel is set, "e;Washington Square"e; is Henry James's classic story of familial conflicts and social class in mid-19th century America. It is the tale of Catherine Sloper, a naive, kind, and plain heiress who has lived a sheltered life, raised by her stubborn and wealthy father and flighty aunt in a grand house. Much to her father's disapproval, she is wooed by Morris Townsend, a handsome and sophisticated gentleman, who is more interested in Catherine's inheritance than he is in her. When the two get engaged against the wishes of her father, Catherine must make a choice between the only man she will ever love and the wealth that she will inherit. Much-loved for its simple and beautiful prose and its detailed and intimate portraits of its complicated and layered characters, the novel captures the complexity of love and family. In a bittersweet turn of events, Catherine is changed by heartbreak and disappointment and matures into a wiser woman. This edition includes a biographical afterword.