The Bostonians, Vol. I (of II)

by Henry James

"The Bostonians, Vol. I (of II)" by Henry James is a novel first published in 1885–1886. This tragicomedy centers on a battle for the heart and mind of Verena Tarrant, a young feminist speaker. Conservative Mississippi lawyer Basil Ransom and his cousin Olive Chancellor, a passionate Boston feminist, compete for Verena's allegiance. As Olive grooms Verena for a career in women's liberation, Basil pursues her with his own vision of a woman's proper place. The novel explores political tensions and personal desires in post-Civil War America.