Washington Square (1880), Henry James

In Henry James, “Washington Square”, the author conveys several melodramatic elements in the tragic romance between Catherine Sloper and Morris Townsend whose relationship is ruined by the girl’s father, Dr. Sloper, and his obsession with the young man’s socioeconomic status. Initially, their love commenced on a probable prospect, as both Catherine and Morris were adamant in the commitment towards each other, by standing firm in their feelings despite Dr. Sloper’s scorn. However, yielding to the melodramatic twist, the novel curses the lovers’ attempt to salvage their romance in spite of all odds, resulting in Morris’ emotional surrender and Catherine’s resignation from seeking a new relationship. Although the characters’ romantic calamities are largely stemmed from the father’s self-centered attitude to protect his own wealth and daughter from an unsuitable partner, Catherine and Morris are undeniably instrumental in their own romantic mishaps. The girl wants to appease to both her father and the lover, by obeying the former’s commands and refraining from disappointing the latter. Her indecisiveness in choosing her own destiny leads to a vicious cycle, which further complicates the relationship. For instance, while Catherine obeys her father’s commands to embark on a trip to Europe, she vehemently insists on her feelings for Morris and her plan to marry him. By compromising for both Dr. Sloper and her lover, Catherine indicates her unwillingness to decisively choose her destiny, which ultimately leads to her father’s persistent dissatisfaction and Morris’ abrupt change of heart.   Moreover, Morris also plays a part in this romantic tragedy, as he decides to give up halfway on the marriage proposal to Catherine by prioritizing the girl’s relationship with her father over her actual feelings for him. Although the decision might seem like a tremendous sacrifice on his part, the reality is that he rejects Catherine’s unconditional affection to preserve her ties with Dr. Sloper. Yet in doing so, he has also severed the girl’s affectionate bonds with him, permanently scarring her emotions. Thus his rash action, while serves to prevent him from inflicting further family dramas, turns out to cause debilitating, long-term emotional effects on his lover, Catherine.

Nonetheless, the biggest culprit in this romantic tragedy is undoubtedly Dr. Sloper himself who is overly protective of his own wealth and his daughter’s social status, which later harm the lovers as well as himself. Had he been able to overcome his own vanity and materialistic obsession, Catherine would have had the freedom and independence to choose her own suitor, and Morris would’ve been saved from the undue shame and embarrassment as a result of his ridicules.

Although the ending could have taken a rather positive twist, the melodramatic influence insists on the tragic outcomes - a lifetime of solitude and disappointment for Catherine, which can leave the audience with a mixed response of empathy, pity, and resentment towards the protagonist’s fate.