A historical psychological novel by Stendhal which chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a combination of talent, hard work, deception, and hypocrisy--yet who ultimately allows his passions to betray him.
Gabriel Oak is only one of three suitors for the hand of the beautiful and spirited Bathsheba Everdene. He must compete with the dashing young soldier Sergeant Troy and respectable, middle-aged Farmer Boldwood. And while their fates depend upon the choice Bathsheba makes, she discovers the terrible consequences of an inconstant heart.
Travelling in Europe with her family, Daisy Miller, an exquisitely beautiful young American woman, presents her fellow-countryman Winterbourne with a dilemma he cannot resolve. Is she deliberately flouting social convention in the outspoken way she talks and acts, or is she simply ignorant of them? When she strikes up an intimate friendship with an urbane young Italian, her flat refusal to observe the codes of respectable behaviour leaves her perilously exposed. In Daisy Miller, James dramatizes the conflict between old-world manners and nouveau riche tourists, creating a great portrait of an enigmatic and independent American woman. The story explores themes of innocence, social expectations, and the complexities of cultural differences, ultimately questioning the nature of freedom and the consequences of defiance in a society bound by strict social codes.