The Real Thing by Henry James
"The Real Thing" by Henry James is a short story that explores themes of authenticity, class, and the complexities of artistic representation. The narrative centers around an artist who is visited by Major and Mrs. Monarch, a middle-aged couple who, despite their financial struggles, present themselves as embodiments of refinement and respectability. Initially, the artist hopes to use them as models for illustrations he is creating, believing their aristocratic background will lend authenticity to his work. However, he soon discovers that, while they are indeed the "real thing" in terms of class, they lack the skill and versatility of his established models, Miss Churm and Oronte, who represent a more raw and adaptable essence.
As the artist grapples with the challenges of capturing the Monarchs' likeness, he faces pressure from a fellow artist, who warns him that continuing to work with them could jeopardize his career. Despite his compassion for their situation, the artist ultimately chooses to dismiss the Monarchs in favor of his more reliable models. The story concludes with a poignant reflection on the nature of artistic integrity and the painful realities of social class, leaving readers to ponder the balance between genuine representation and professional success. "The Real Thing" thus serves as a commentary on the intersection of art and societal expectations, highlighting the often unrecognized struggles of individuals from different social strata.
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The Real Thing by Henry James
First published: 1892
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of work: The 1890's
Locale: London
Principal Characters:
The narrator , an artistMajor Monarch , andMrs. Monarch , a middle-aged couple who want to be modelsOronte , andMiss Churm , professional models
The Story
An artist is visited one day in his studio by a middle-aged couple, Major and Mrs. Monarch. At first the artist assumes that they have come to commission a portrait, but he soon learns that they want, instead, to pose as paid models. He observes that the Monarchs, though on the edge of poverty, are an eminently respectable pair, well-mannered, immaculately poised—in effect, as their name suggests, the very embodiment of taste, refinement, and class.
Hoping that they might prove ideal subjects for a series of illustrations he is engaged in creating for a publisher, the artist agrees to hire them, though their very authenticity causes him to have vague misgivings. They are the "real thing," but they are still amateurs, and the artist is more confident of his ability to work with his professional models, Oronte and Miss Churm.
Miss Churm is an ill-mannered cockney who "couldn't spell and loved beer" but who can represent anything from an aristocrat to a beggar. The artist regards her as an excellent model. As for Oronte, he is an Italian vagrant who found his way to the artist's studio and who has become as good a model, in the artist's eyes, as Miss Churm. He is, the narrator relates, as good at posing as an Englishman as Miss Churm is as an Italian.
Against these two, the Monarchs must compete for the artist's favor, though at first they assume that their own credentials as aristocrats will be warrant enough for their success. Try as he might, however, the artist cannot do anything with them. He draws Mrs. Monarch many times, in many ways, always failing to capture what he wants. With Major Monarch the situation is worse, his representation being always gigantic and out of scale. Eventually the artist manages several drawings with both husband and wife and sends them to the publisher for approval.
Meanwhile, a fellow artist and friend of the narrator has returned from Paris, where he has studied some of the great works and where he has, as the narrator says, "gotten a fresh eye." Viewing some of the artist's illustrations with the Monarchs as models, the friend expresses his disapproval. The artist insists that the illustrations are good, but his friend counsels him to get rid of the models or risk his career.
Despite his friend's remonstrances, the artist continues to keep the Monarchs as models, not so much out of respect for their gentility as out of compassion for their impoverishment. Ultimately the artist rejects them by working exclusively with Oronte and Miss Churm. "I can't be ruined for you," he tells the major, petulantly.
In a final humiliation, the Monarchs plead for a position, even offering to act as servants. For almost a week the artist keeps them on, but in the end, saddened by their failure, he pays them off and never sees them again.
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