Daisy Miller by Henry James

Synopsis:

This is a short story that takes place in the 1800s. It is about the courtship of an American girl named Daisy Miller by Frederick Winterbourne, a sophisticated older man. They meet in Vevey, Switzerland where Winterbourne is vacationing from his studies. They are introduced by Randolph Miller, Daisy’s nine year old brother.

Daisy is enthralled with Europe and wishes to be a woman of high society. Although Winterbourne finds her to be beautiful, he finds her to be too much of a flirt. Daisy starts to form a relationship with Giovanelli, a young Italian man and ultimately dies of malaria.

Review:

I enjoyed this short story and loved the character of Daisy.

“I have never allowed a gentleman to dictate to me or to interfere with anything I do.”

“She seemed to him, in all this, an extraordinary mixture of innocence and crudity.”