Responding Imaginations

This study is an examination of James's attitude to affluence and leisure. Concentrating upon James's two major novels- The Portrait of a Lady and The Wings of the Dove- this study is an attempt to study the two facets - affluence and leisure-in all the shades as taken by Henry James. Affluence and leisure play a major role in almost all the novels of Henry James. The characters that James deals with belong to the affluent class having nearly total leisure. They are the sophisticated ones possessing fine intelligence and manners. Even the situations in the various works arise and take place in accordance with his theme of affluence and leisure. James's dealing with these two themes in major part of his works reveals his strength as a writer. In the context of these James explores the life of the affluent people having ample leisure to enjoy. He provides an insight into the life and psychology of these people. Affluence generally is associated with moral grossness, crass materialism and moral decadence. But for Henry James affluence has altogether a different sense. He tries to extract the best from affluence.