In Henry James’s “Daisy Miller” and Edith Wharton’s “The Other Two,” the narrators each disclose the complications of their party’s social formalities during circumstances within their own society. In both short stories, Winterbourne and Waythorn try to figure out their adored ones character and motives but for different reasons. In “Daisy Miller,” it’s noticeable that Mr. Winterbourne ends up longing for Daisy Miller as he tries to fully categorize the character she’s carelessly ruining.
While in “The Other Two,” the narrator examines a society of how a married couple, Waythorn and Alice, adjust to an awkward situation in which Alice’s two ex-husbands happen to come in contact with their lives. The form of society James portrays with Daisy and Winterbourne’s situation differs to an extent as to the social situation with Alice, Waythorn and “The Two Others” that Wharton describes. Mrs. Costello wrote a letter to Winterbourne purposely mentioning, “The young lady, however, is also very intimate with some third-rate Italians, with whom she rackets about in a way that makes much talk.”(James 521)
In Mrs. Costello’s letter, we can get a good idea that the society Henry James implies, does not abide by unmarried couples being intimate in public. Unlike the society in “Daisy Miller”, the society Edith Wharton describes deals with circumstance that brings Waythorn and Alice to become proper during a time of awkwardness when dealing with two former husbands of Alice’s. For example, after Waythorn knows Alice spoke to Varick, Alice explains, “It’s the first time—he happened to be standing near me; I didn’t know what to do.
It’s so awkward, meeting everywhere—and he said you been very kind about some business. ” (Wharton 1035). In response, Waythorne reasons with Alice, “Yes—it’s better to speak to Varick. ” (Wharton 1036). Although both short stories are alike in which there are sociable issues, “Daisy Miller” has many people worrying about Daisy’s scandals while “The Other Two” deals with just Alice, Waythorn, and the two ex-husbands. In “Daisy Miller,” one can anticipate where Daisy’s falling reputation and Winterbourne teasing companionship with her will lead during their stay in Rome.
While Alice and Waythorn companionship is real since they recently been married, they must to learn how to deal with Alice’s two ex-husbands. Daisy and Alice are both from New York and both have dealt with men before. Although Daisy hasn’t been married and dealt with men in marriage like Alice, Daisy is perceived to be a big flirt and interacts with many guys. Americans are perceived to be flirtatious in “Daisy Miller”, but Alice does not seem to have those qualities, at least not since she’s been married.
Although Alice and Daisy both try to be friendly with others in their society, Alice tries her best to be “less awkward” when in presence of her former spouses but Daisy is friendly but seems to not care what her present society thinks of her improper behavior. For Example, at one point Mrs. Walker tells Winterbourne, “Everything that is not done here. Flirting with any man she could pick up; sitting in corners with mysterious Italians; dancing all the evening with the same partners; receiving visits at eleven o’ clock at night. Her mother goes away when visitors come.” (James 529)
Daisy knows everyone that notices her behavior will feel awkward but she is mostly in a quirky free-spirit with a sense of pride as if social expectancies do not concern her at all. On the other hand, Alice tries to be proper as “she neither avoided Varick nor sought him out. Even Waythorn could not but admit she discovered the solution of the newest social problem. ” (Wharton 1036). In both short stories, it is easy to discover that Winterbourne and Waythorn both are mysterious of who their adored ones really are besides what is normally perceived of them.
Throughout the story Winterbourne could not figure out Daisy as he tried to analyze all the unusual aspects of her character. Winterbourne becomes infatuated by Daisy, confused by her “mixture of innocence and crudity,” (James 520) and “mixture of audacity and puerility. ” (James 533). On the other hand, Waythorn becomes a bit curious as to who Alice really is now or was during her past two husbands who aren’t nearly as bad as Alice had informed him. Although Winterbourne is not married like Waythorn, Winterbourne desires Daisy a great deal but he is humble enough to avoid being disparate especially when she is accompanied by Mr. Giovanelli.
Compared to Winterbourne, Waythorn could not bear “to think that she had, in the background of her life, a phase of existence so different from anything with which he had connected her. ” (Wharton 1032). Although “The Other Two” ends much better than “Daisy Miller,” thanks to Mrs. Miller, Winterbourne learned that Daisy really did care about him. As for the very ending of both stories, “The Other Two” ends with Waythron, Alice and her former husband’s leaving enough room to bug in each other’s lives comfortably as hoped with a little humor.
“Daisy Miller” also ends with Winterbourne moving back to Geneva and getting back into his usual self and possibly meet another lady. In conclusion, each short story presents social issues in their society. “Daisy Miller” presents issues people in Europe deals with when conforming to social standards while “The Other Two” focuses on issues people would come across and deal with when a spouse has had former marriages. Both narrators examine a society of how a married couple, Waythorn and Alice, adjust to an awkward situation in which Alice’s two ex-husbands happen to come in contact with their lives.
“The Other Two” are still relevant in today’s society as many married couples with former spouses tend to be as mature as possible especially when offspring is at hand. The situation in “Daisy Miller” does not seem relevant as women in Europe’s society are free to conduct with anyone in public like in America but one can still speculate the same social standards in “Daisy Miller” occur in the Middle East today. Both authors also use romanticism as a basis in their story grab ones attention.
