(Australian) Elite girls' school 'kills the study of literature' (Shakespeare goes Marxist)

The Australian ^ | April 15, 2006 | Justine Ferrari

[RepoGirl]

I haven't read Portrait of a Lady in almost fifteen years. I read both Portrait and Daisy Miller in grad school, and was struck with Jame's ability to render two very authentic and compelling female characters.

This was back in the early 90s, so the popular sentiment during those heady days of tolerance and enlightenment was essentially, "how dare this fat old white guy dare write female protagonists? of all the nerve!"

Now... my assertion back then was that they were both intelligent, independant women (Daisy was just too young and inexperienced to survive) battling for independance in a social setting that was even more constricting than any of my feminist classmates even dreamed. I dared suggest that he was revolutionary for such sensitivity and insight (and, dare I say it--feminist thought!) but of course, I encountered a lot of angry indignation from the silly broads.

I need to dig some of my old books up for a re-read. He was phenomenal.

I'm envious of your James pilgrimage. All I ever did was wander up to Asheville to see the Angel in the cemetary and tour Wolfe's house (which was one heck of a house!)