The Aspern Papers by Henry James
"The Aspern Papers" is a novella by Henry James that explores themes of obsession, deception, and the complexities of human relationships. The story follows an American editor who is fixated on uncovering the life and works of a deceased poet, Jeffrey Aspern. To achieve this, he adopts a false identity and secures a living arrangement with Juliana Bordereau, an elderly woman believed to be Aspern's former lover. Throughout the summer, the editor's obsession drives him to manipulate those around him, including Juliana's timid niece, Tita, whom he pretends to romantically interest in order to access Aspern's papers.
As the narrative unfolds, the editor finds himself increasingly entangled in a web of moral dilemmas and emotional conflicts. Juliana, who initially appears to be a mere obstacle, turns out to be a cunning figure who extracts high rents from him while maintaining control over her niece. The tension culminates as the editor's desperation leads him to consider theft, and he ultimately faces the consequences of his actions when Tita, embodying a newfound moral strength, destroys the very papers he sought. The novella leaves readers reflecting on the implications of obsession and the ethical boundaries one might cross in the pursuit of artistic legacy.
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The Aspern Papers by Henry James
First published: 1888
Type of work: Psychological realism
Time of work: Near the end of the nineteenth century
Locale: Venice, Italy
Principal Characters:
The Narrator , an American editor who never reveals his nameMrs. Prest , his American confidante in VeniceJuliana Bordereau , an elderly American lady, the former love of Jeffrey AspernTita Bordereau , Juliana's niece and companion in Venice
The Story
This is a tale of a man obsessed. The narrator, an American editor, is completely controlled by his desire to know all that can be known about Jeffrey Aspern, a deceased American poet. Determined to publish the definitive biography and collected work of his idol, the editor assumes a false identity in order to move into the dilapidated apartments of Juliana Bordereau, an elderly lady reputed to be Jeffrey Aspern's lover before 1825. Juhana lives in near isolation with only her niece and a maid for companions. Refusing the company of other Americans in Venice, including Mrs. Prest, the editor's confidante, Juliana is considered eccentric and stingy. Using these characteristics to his advantage, the editor offers to pay extravagant rent for her extra rooms, claiming that he is a writer who needs the inspiration of the garden attached to Juliana's property Juliana acquiesces, much to the surprise of her niece, Miss Tita Bordereau, and the editor begins his summer-long campaign to capture any of Aspern's papers that might be in Juliana's possession.
The editor embarks on this adventure expressly to deceive. Not only does he conceal his true name and vocation, but also he decides that if nothing else succeeds, he will feign romantic interest in the niece and steal the papers if necessary. His adoration for Aspern is so intense that he despises the women who may have been involved with him as inferior creatures. Indeed, one of his reasons for seeking out Juliana is to prove that Aspern, reputed to have treated her badly, behaved like a gentleman throughout their relationship. Yet he is also fascinated with Juliana and desires to touch the hand that once touched Aspern's; through her, the editor feels closer to Aspern than he ever has before.
So obsessed with his project is he that the editor only gradually comes to realize that he is being manipulated by Juliana. She extorts increasingly large amounts of rent from him as the summer progresses, encourages him to cultivate the garden at great expense, and finally suggests that he should entertain Miss Tita. This vaguely middle-aged niece has always lived in the shadow of her critical, domineering aunt. When the editor takes her into his confidence, she considers ways to make the papers available to him, yet even when her aunt becomes ill and lies semiconscious in her bed, Tita is controlled by her. Despite the editor's wooing, Tita is hesitant to look for the papers; her timidity frustrates the editor, whose impatience impels him to act.
Angry at Juliana's manipulations and Tita's cowardice, the editor disregards their privacy and makes up his mind to steal the papers. Already a liar and a con man, he does not scruple to become a thief. Aware that his actions are morally suspect, the editor nevertheless defends himself by claiming, "I think it was the worst thing I did; yet there were extenuating circumstances." He creeps into Juliana's room and approaches the desk where he knows the papers are concealed; as he reaches out to open her desk, he hears a noise and turns to find Juliana glaring at him furiously. She condemns him as a "publishing scoundrel" and falls into a dead faint.
Appalled, the editor flees from Venice, but returns after some days when he hears that Juliana is dead. He decides to appeal once again to Tita, and is surprised to discover that she has acquired some of her aunt's subtlety. Glad to see him, Tita explains that she has saved the papers from her aunt, who tried in her last moments to burn them. Yet Tita does not feel right about simply handing over the papers to the editor. She suggests that her aunt, who tried to provide for Tita's future by collecting exorbitant rent, would understand if Tita shared the papers with a husband. Faced with the implications of his romantic charade, the editor panics, leaving Tita in confusion. At last, he seems about to recognize the extent of his obsession: "I could not, for a bundle of tattered papers, marry a ridiculous, pathetic, provincial old woman." He wishes he had never heard of the papers and thinks himself strange for caring so much about them. Freed from his only desire, he becomes suddenly aware of Venice, for the first time acknowledging the delight of his surroundings.
Yet this reprieve from his fanatical idea is only temporary. He suddenly becomes more determined than ever to obtain the papers and returns to Tita determined to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal. In this frame of mind, he sees Tita—who receives him without reproach—as almost angelic, altered by her forgiveness into a younger, more lovely being. In short, he begins to believe he could marry her, and that Aspern, were he alive, would approve his actions. Tita, however, has finally recognized the hypocritical nature of the man. Humiliated by him, she rises above him morally at the end by destroying the weapon he has used against her—the papers. Slowly, determinedly, she has burned everything, taking a long time, she notes, because there was so much. Her revenge for being manipulated is complete, and the editor leaves Venice with nothing but bitterness and chagrin.
Bibliography
Bell, Millicent. "The Aspern Papers: The Unvisitable Past." In Meaning in Henry James. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1991. Insightful examination of James's own "second thoughts" as revealed in a preface written twenty years later for a revised edition. Bell's examination of James's revisions is particularly enlightening.
Edel, Leon. Henry James: A Life. Rev. ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1985. An acclaimed James scholar's biographical criticism is original and pertinent.
Hocks, Richard A. Henry James: A Study of the Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne, 1990. Contains a challenging exposition of critic Dennis Pahl's "deconstruction" of The Aspern Papers, relatively free of critical jargon. Good discussion of the story's "framing device."
Neider, Charles, ed. Short Novels of the Masters. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. A reliable introduction to the novella—sensible, concise, and literate.
Perosa, Sergio. "Henry James: The Aspern Papers." In Leon Edel and Literary Art, edited by Lyall H. Powers. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1988. A unique perspective from an Italian professor of Anglo-American literature.