Eugenia (the Baroness Münster) and her brother Felix fly the flag for
the Europeans. At the opposite end of the parade stand the Wentworths,
comprised of the staid Charlotte, her fluctuating, ambiguous sister
Gertrude, the shy Clifford Wentworth and a stern father. When combined
with the morally rigid Mr. Brand, the enigmatic Robert Acton and his
capricious sister, Henry James utilises these various ‘types’ to ensure
friction throughout the novel.
It must be acknowledged that Henry
James’ writing does not always actively challenge societal boundaries.
Married pairs abound in The Europeans, while James sometimes
strains to promote the suitability of each couple. The character of
Gertrude Wentworth, however, presents a fascinatingly ambiguous
portrayal of a young woman attempting to fulfil the constricting norms
of her surroundings, in which one may offend by the mere display of
passion. In settling with the emotionally impulsive Felix, Gertrude
rejects the religiously and socially appropriate marriage that her
family appear to have preferred.
Whilst James strives to convince
the reader that Gertrude’s family merely desired her general happiness,
however, this resounds as unconvincingly as the flippant Felix’s
protestations that he can maintain a ‘perfectly respectable’ living.
Nonetheless, James repeatedly emphasises throughout the latter half of
the novel that the artist Felix is capable of financially supporting his
wife. The reader is left with the impression that whilst Gertrude has
intended to act contrary to expectations, James has revolved the world
around her so that her actions ultimately echo familial expectations.