Roderick Hudson (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Henry James
- First Published: 1876
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: 1870’s
- Setting: Primarily Rome, Italy; also Florence, Italy, and Switzerland
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
- Subjects: Gambling, Nineteenth century, Art or artists, Marriage, Beauty, Obsession, Ethics, Italy or Italians, Sculpting or sculptors, Switzerland or Swiss people, Rome, Debtors or creditors
- Locales: Florence, Italy, Rome, Italy, Switzerland, Northampton, MA
Characters Discussed
Roderick Hudson, who lives with his widowed mother in Northampton, Massachusetts. He is studying in a law office, reluctantly and ineptly. He is not stupid, but he dislikes the law and has artistic aspirations; in his spare time, he produces some promising sculpture, but he has no hope of becoming an artist. He meets Rowland Mallet, a rich young man who admires Hudson’s work and offers to help him financially. Mallet takes Hudson to Rome to work as a sculptor. Hudson proves to be a very good artist with the possibility of a major career. He is confident...
[The entire page is 968 words long]
