
The Golden Bowl
by Henry James
'The Golden Bowl ' Summary
Prince Amerigo, an impoverished but charismatic Italian nobleman, is in London for his marriage to Maggie Verver, only child of the widower Adam Verver, the fabulously wealthy American financier and art collector. While there, he re-encounters Charlotte Stant, another young American and a former mistress from his days in Rome; they had met in Mrs. Assingham's drawing room. Charlotte is not wealthy, which is one reason they did not marry. Although Maggie and Charlotte have been dear friends since childhood, Maggie does not know of Charlotte's and Amerigo's past relationship. Charlotte and Amerigo go shopping together for a wedding present for Maggie. They find a curiosity shop where the shopkeeper offers them an antique gilded crystal bowl. Charlotte lacks the money to buy the bowl and the Prince declines to purchase it, as he suspects it contains a hidden flaw.
After Maggie has married, afraid that her father has become lonely, as they had been close for years, she persuades him to propose to Charlotte, who accepts Adam's proposal. Soon after the wedding, Charlotte and Amerigo are thrown together, because their respective spouses seem more interested in their father-daughter relationship than in their marriages. Amerigo and Charlotte finally consummate an adulterous affair.
Maggie begins to suspect the pair. She happens to go to the same shop and buys the golden bowl they had rejected. Regretting the high price he has charged her, the shopkeeper visits Maggie and confesses to overcharging. At her home, he sees photographs of Amerigo and Charlotte. He tells Maggie of the pair's shopping trip on the eve of her marriage and their intimate conversation in his shop. (They had spoken Italian, but he understands the language.)
Maggie confronts Amerigo. She begins a secret campaign to separate him and Charlotte while never revealing their affair to her father. Also concealing her knowledge from Charlotte and denying any change to their friendship, she gradually persuades her father to return to America with his wife. After previously regarding Maggie as a naïve, immature American, the Prince seems impressed by his wife's delicate diplomacy. The novel ends with Adam and Charlotte Verver about to depart for the United States. Amerigo says he can "see nothing but" Maggie and embraces her.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1904Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors

Henry James
America, Britain
Henry James was born in New York City on April 15, 1843, into a wealthy and intellectually stimulating family. His father, Henry James Sr., was a Swedenborgian philosopher and his mother, Mary Roberts...
Books by Henry JamesDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Ayala's Angel by Anthony Trollope
Ayala's Angel is a novel written by English author Anthony Trollope between 25 April and 24 September 1878, although it was not published for two year...

Strangers And Pilgrims by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
In the heart of Victorian England, two strangers are drawn together by a mysterious connection and a shared longing for a better life. Strangers and...

A Woman at Bay by Nicholas Carter
This book takes readers on a heart-pounding journey, immersing them in a world filled with danger, intrigue, and a relentless pursuit of justice. Wri...

Celestina by Charlotte Turner Smith
Orphaned and raised in poverty, Celestina discovers a shocking secret about her parentage that threatens to destroy her world. Celestina is a Gothic...

The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells
The Rise of Silas Lapham is a realist novel by William Dean Howells published in 1885. The story follows the materialistic rise of Silas Lapham from r...

Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Aurora Floyd is a compelling Victorian novel that explores themes of love, betrayal, and redemption against the backdrop of Victorian society. The sto...

Historie van mejuffrouw Sara Burgerhart by Aagje Deken
Sara Burgerhart is een jong meisje dat correspondeert met haar vriendinnen, aanbidders en familie. Die mensen schrijven elkaar ook allemaal. Het boek...

The Visits of Elizabeth by Elinor Glyn
Step into the world of Elizabeth, a young woman who uncovers the secrets of the European aristocracy through a series of scandalous visits. The Visit...

Camilla by Fanny Burney
Camilla, Frances Burney's third novel, delves into the complexities of love, courtship, and societal expectations in late 18th-century England. The st...

Orgullo y Prejuicio (Vol 2) by Jane Austen
Orgullo y Prejuicio es una novela romántica clásica escrita por Jane Austen y publicada en 1813. La historia sigue a Elizabeth Bennet, una joven intel...
Reviews for The Golden Bowl
No reviews posted or approved, yet...