Beyond aesthetic consumption: Italy in Henry James’s early travel literature

This essay will examine, in particular, James’s response to the momentous event that took place between his first and second trip to Italy (respectively, in 1869 and 1872-73), namely the annexation of Rome into the Italian kingdom and its elevation to capital of the nation. It will highlight James’s recognition of that event as a great divide in Italian history and his keen awareness of having had the opportunity to witness the “before and after” of the advent of modernity in Italy. Although wary of the transformation that Italy would inevitably undergo as a result of unification and self-rule (first and foremost, the endangering of the picturesque that, in his view, invariably accompanied progress), James observed with great interest, and made illuminating comments on, the process through which modern Italy came into being. In a variety of registers and literary genres (letters, travel pieces, and fiction), and through a comparative evaluation of Italian, European, and American scenes and mores, James provided insight into the construction of Italian nationhood, the delineation of the Italian national character, and Italy’s new status on the international stage.