American Literature: Romanticism research assignment Student Research Submissions 2013 research essay

Jennifer Tapp

A Daisy by Any Other Name . . .

Realism and American realism began to intersect in the late 19^th century, adding elements of real life and accurate portrayals of nature to the previously idealized impressions of the world portrayed by pure romanticism.  Characters within the story evolved along with the changes creating characters which more accurately represented their real life contemporaries.  The stories of Daisy Miller (1878) Winter Dreams (1922) show an American female who rejects the stereotypical gender roles they were born to.  Unfortunately, the fight against their gender roles ultimately led to isolation and personal tragedy.  Daisy Miller and Judy Jones attempt to play the part of independent women, but in the end they become lost to traditional values.

Daisy Miller, written by Henry James, is the story of an American man named Winterbourne, while in Europe, encounters a rich young American girl named Daisy, who is in Europe with her mother and young brother.  Winterbourne is intrigued by the innocent yet flirtatious behavior of Daisy and spend time with her to assuage his curiosity about her as well as enjoy the novelty her behavior instills in him. Throughout the story, Winterbourne and Daisy cross paths several times, some by accident others by design.  Overtime Winterbourne begins to question his relationship with Daisy as her name begins to be linked to the names of several known fortune hunters.  He eventually spurns Daisy, believing her to have little to no respect for herself and how others may view her.  The story ends with Daisy growing ill and dying with her last words to Winterbourne being delivered by her mother insisting that she cared what Winterbourne thought of her.  Winterbourne contemplates Daisy for a time before returning to the life he lived before Daisy in Geneva.

The title character of Daisy is a rich American girl who is very pretty to look at.  While she wished to be exposed to the European high society she has no desire to conform to the old-world notions of propriety which has been imposed by the expatriate community who live there. She is seen as a flirt and at times a girl who has loose morals, and little care for her own reputation.  Daisy believes the American society she was involved in is equal to the European high society which would indicate to her that there is no need for her to adjust her behavior.  Winterbourne initially found her blunt behavior to be refreshing and attractive, but adjusted his opinion when her behavior no longer worked in his favor.  

Winter Dreams, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the story of Dexter Green and his encounters with Judy Jones.  The story follows the life of Dexter from the age of fourteen through adulthood, where his path crosses that of one Judy Jones on several occasions.  Judy Jones is the young American daughter of the affluent Mortimer Jones. Judy’s personality is described as aloof, charming, and irresistible to many men. Dexter becomes one of Judy’s many suitors and believes himself in love with her, but she ignores his offer of marriage. Eventually, Dexter seeks the hand of another girl, who is described as being a suitable bride, but breaks his engagement with her following a brief encounter with Judy.  The story ends a few years later when Dexter, still unattached, learns of the fate of Judy Jones, now married with children.  Dexter learns that Judy’s husband drinks and cheats on her but she stays with him because she loves him.  Dexter is devastated to hear people refer to Judy as okay looking, but not stunningly gorgeous as in her youth.

Judy Jones is considered, through most of the story, an alluring female who is found more attractive by being unattainable. She is seen as being concerned only with the gratification of her own desires, but this does not affect her beauty or number of suitors. Judy does not seem to be fully aware of exactly how manipulative her actions are toward the various suitors who are in pursuit of her, or if she does know, she does not seem to care.  Judy is not seen as a bad person, however self serving her actions.  She is generally seen a vivacious and free and an ideal female of her time.  She is smart and fun to be around and she is the life of the party.

The characters of Daisy Miller and Judy Jones, share many commonalities, although there stores were written decades apart. Both women are wealthy, are confident in themselves and described as beautiful.  Daisy and Judy draw suitors to their sides by their physical beauty, but manage to keep their suitors by the inherent beauty within them.  Their stories are also both told as seen through the eyes of their male companions, and both end in a version of tragedy. Beyond the basic commonalities of story form is the fact that the characters of both Daisy and Judy represent a change in the expected gender roles of women in American society.

Women, in both the 1870’s and the 1920’s, where pressed to conform to social and cultural roles which would exemplify the gender.  Being demure and passive was seen as attractive feminine traits and aggressiveness was seen as more wanton and masculine.  Despite this both Daisy and Judy were seen as beautiful women and were highly sought after companions.  Both Daisy and Judy bucked the system and proved that being a more independent female was a positive and alluring trait. Neither woman conformed to the set role of the dignified and solemn female who is seen and not heard.

For many women Daisy Miller and Judy Jones are used to promote the liberated and enlightened female, as both these women are highlighted and sought after.  But the ‘enlightenment’ these two women express comes at a cost, as both women suffer from isolation and eventual tragedy. 

Daisy is isolated from the society she wishes to become a part of, because although she is well mannered to modern standards, her behavior is seen as crass and indecent to the European high class peerage.  Daisy’s behavior, which remains constant through the story, also eventually leads her to isolation from Winterbourne, as he becomes disillusioned with the modern ways she embodies.  In the end Daisy dies from a fever alone, save for her immediate family.  Winterbourne is unable to adapt to the changes Daisy brought with her and he returns to the life he has always led, of traditional values.

Judy is isolated as well, but mostly by her own inability to find happiness in her life.  She too is behaves is a manner which is seen as bold and at times even outrageous.  Her spontaneity leads suitors and potential love matches to her life, and yet she distances herself from them in an attempt to find a perfect happiness. Her happiness is never realized as the men who flock to her see her as an ideal, and not a real person.  Her image is greater than she can be, and living up to the standard they hold her to is impossible in the long run.  She asks Dexter why she can never be happy, but he cannot answer her question, because he, like her other suitors cannot see the true her. Judy’s life ends in a tragedy of her own as she marries a man she loves, who cannot truly love her back.  Her beauty, or the legend of her beauty, fades away and she becomes lost in the life of a stereotypical female.

Both the stories of Daisy Miller and Judy Jones, express the striving of the American female to reject the stereotypical gender roles they are born to.  Unfortunately, against so many naysayers, it becomes almost impossible to maintain the modern freedom.  Daisy and Judy try to be modern women and succeed for a while, but in the end they become lost amidst the opposition and traditional values.