Washington Square

Originally published serially in 1880 and named for the upscale area in New York where the novel is set, “Washington Square” 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 naïve, 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.