The Continent, Zion's Herald, and The Times London respond to An International Episode

The Continent, Zion's Herald, and The Times London respond to An International Episode

At the time of its dissemination, An International Episode received both praise and scrutiny from readers. A look into the periodicals of the late 19th century showcase a world of critics deeply invested in James's work. As engrossed as they were, it was not reciprocated. James Lane Allen, whose critical response appears in The Continent, a weekly publication, compared James to the Scottish philosopher and economist, David Hume. He likens James’ disposition toward criticism to David Hume’s in that he “[pays] not the least attention to his critics.” This periodical was published on March 19, 1884, just six years after the original publication date of An International Episode. Furthermore, Allen goes on to say that James “is the most profoundly versed in the knowledge of national distinctions,” a high praise coming from a contemporary critic who lived during an age of cultural diffusion. On the contrary, a critic who wrote for Zion’s Herald in 1879, just one year after James’ novel began to circulate, concluded that contemporary novels have attempted to contemplate the relationship and interactions between European and American culture, and in doing so all have failed. His list of failures included two works by James: Daisy Miller and An International Episode, which complement one another. However, it is not uncommon for perhaps some of the most acute backlash to come during the immediacy or near immediacy of a work’s influence. A third criticism, in the The Times, London, comes almost 100 years later in 1962. The author gives the highest praise to all of James’ work, and says that they “are among the object lessons of the master.” It is interesting to observe how the transition of criticism from disdainful to laudatory correlates to the publications of the original work and of the periodical. Generally, James was not a repudiated writer of his time who only gained acclaim post mortem. Despite an observable shift in his esteem, he was still widely acknowledged for his talents in both breadth and depth, something that cannot be said of all great writers.

James Lane Allen, anonymous

C19, The Guardian Archives

The Continent, Zion's Herald, The Times London

1884, 1879, 1962

C19, The Guardian

Newspaper Periodical