Daisy Miller: A Female Prototype in a Patriarchal Society

Abstract

Henry James wrote Daisy Miller in 1878, portraying Daisy as a female prototype who flourishes in a patriarchal society that condemns women who rebel against its conventional norms. James’s portrait of Daisy revolutionized a new type of woman in late nineteenth century European society. This study conducts an analysis from a feminist perspective of stereotypes and beliefs of male-controlled cultures that judge women and misunderstand their attempts to free themselves from restrictions imposed upon them. The article demonstrates the novelty and heroism of Daisy, who endures hardships and rejects the chains imposed on her and her attempts to attain her freedom and independence in an anti-feminist world. It also reveals the inequality between males and females in society with an exploration of the images of both men and women. Finally, it discusses the struggle one woman endures to obtain her freedom and independence in a non-feminist world.