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Roderick Hudson
Roderick Hudson, novel by Henry James, published in 1876. The character Christina also appears in The Princess Casamassima.
Rowland Mallet, a wealthy connoisseur, struck by the genius of the amateur sculptor Roderick Hudson, takes the youth abroad to develop his art. Among their friends in Rome are Gloriani, a brilliant French sculptor; Sam Singleton, a modest American painter; Augusta Blanchard, an undistinguished American art student; and shrewd, benevolent old Madame Grandoni. Gloriani predicts that Roderick will “fizzle out,” but this does not disturb the confident youth, who studies enthusiastically and produces several fine statues in the intervals between “sterile moods.” He depends much on the stimulation of others and is considerably altered after meeting Christina Light, fascinating daughter of an expatriated American widow. He loses interest in sculpture, and Rowland summons from New England Roderick's mother and his fiancée, Mary Garland, who has also attracted Rowland. Roderick's fine bust of his mother is his last important work, for Christina, bowing to her mother's ambitious urging, marries the rich Prince Casamassima. The youth cannot overcome his infatuation, and after a time goes with his friends to Switzerland, where they meet Christina and her husband. With a sudden return of ardor, Roderick attempts to follow her, and for this purpose even attempts to borrow from Mary, at which Rowland angrily condemns him as an ungrateful egotist. Roderick walks off into the mountains, where he is caught in a thunderstorm. When his body is discovered, it is uncertain whether he fell or jumped from a cliff. |
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Cite this article
James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Roderick Hudson." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Roderick Hudson." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-RoderickHudson.html James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Roderick Hudson." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-RoderickHudson.html |
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Roderick Hudson
Roderick Hudson, the first novel of H. James, published in book form 1876. It is the story of a young man transplanted from a lawyer's office in a Massachusetts town to a sculptor's studio in Rome. Incapable of adjustment to his environment, he fails both in art and love, and meets a tragic end in Switzerland. The leading female character, Christina Light, was taken up again by the author in a later novel, The Princess Casamassima.
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Cite this article
MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Roderick Hudson." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Roderick Hudson." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-RoderickHudson.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Roderick Hudson." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-RoderickHudson.html |
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