On "Daisy Miller" and "Roman Fever" by Stefanie Chiu

Daisy Miller and Roman Fever

           Stefanie Chiu

Well, when I received this assignment, a question came up to my mind: What is the connection between these two short stories? After reading them carefully, I found some interesting points. Today, due to time limit, I’ll focus on just two major points.

        First of all, in Henry James’ story, literally Daisy Miller died of Roman Fever (that is, malaria瘧疾) at the end of the story. In the other words, the disease disrupts any prospect for romance to develop between Daisy and Winterbourne, who has been enchanted by Daisy. However, in “The Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton who regarded Henry James as her mentor, the disease is just an interim episode, which means it functions only as a middle point in the plot of the story that concerns the lives of two women, Mrs. Horace Ansley and Mrs. Delphin Slade.

In “Daisy Miller,” through Winterbourne’s final realization, Henry James assures the reader that the seemingly reckless Daisy caught roman fever and died from it, but she remained “innocent” at the end of her life.  In “Roman Fever”, visiting Colloseum with her male lover, the seemingly quiet and well-guarded Grace Ansley caught cold but took risk to consummate her love and thus conceive her child.  Henry James tells a story about an innocent American girl wrongly disgraced by society. Edith Wharton tells a story about a female revenge under disguise. Both are about woman as an enigma.  

        Second, I want to talk about the sharp judgment of woman behaviors by society. Obviously, even today, what women do is not measured equally when compared to men’s. It’s true that woman’s behaviors are judged not only more critically but also harshly than men’s. Such gender inequality is pronounced in “Daisy Miller” and “Roman Fever”. Take the example in “Daisy Miller,” when Mrs. Costello knows that Daisy will visit the old castle with Mr.Winterbourne, she blamed Daisy and refused to meet her. She herself is a woman. One assumes that she should be on the same boat with Daisy; however, out of cultural and class conflict (Europe vs. America, Old Privileged vs. New Rich) she despised and excluded Daisy. Ironically, she did not say anything negative about Mr.winterbounre’s action but just commented on Daisy being a “common girl” and she is so audacious as to “ go too far.”  The same situation happened in “Roman Fever”. Two women fight with each other because of a man. How ridiculous it is! Mrs. Slade spent all her energy to compete with and do harm to her friend but did not say any words against her husband. The vicious rivalry between two women is brought to light by this short story rich in subtle undertone.

         Based on jealousy and envy, competitiveness within women seems to push women to find fault with each other; but what about men? They are beyond blame. Nowadays, society tends to label women into good girls or bad girls, ladies or tramps. But most interestingly, it is women who judge women and disgrace woman. Well, the vicious rivalry between women is unraveled all the way in these two classic short stories.