Guide Note

Henry James' The Ambassadors begins in London when Lewis Lambert sets out to retrieve his fiancé's estranged son, Chad, whose recent escapades with an inappropriate woman have brought scandal to the family.

In Paris, Strether attends a garden party with Chad, where he meets Marie de Vionnet and her daughter Jeanne. Marie has been separated from her husband and it seems obvious that there is something romantic going on between the older woman and Chad. Strether becomes so caught up in the eccentric lifestyle that he soon forgets why he was sent there. His fiancé sends more ambassadors, including Chad's sister Sarah Pocock, to retrieve the two of them.

Strether meets with Chad and Marie at a rural inn during a tour of the French countryside. He at once understands the depth of intimacy between them. After returning to Paris, Strether advises Chad not to leave Marie, and decides that he must return to the states himself, as the novelty of the European lifestyle has worn off.

Fast Facts:

1. Author: Henry James
2. Publication: 1903
3. Genre: Dark comedy, Social Study, Stream of Consciousness Narrative
4. Publisher: Harper & Brothers, New York City
5. Themes:
   1. The Importance of Place
   2. The Lived vs. Unlived Life
   3. The American Abroad
6. Narrator: Anonymous
7. Setting: Chester and London in England and Paris, France

About the Author

1. Born on April 15, 1843
2. Birthplace: New York City, New York
3. Settled permanently in England and became British citizen in 1915
4. Suffered a stroke in December of 1915
5. Died: February 28, 1916
6. Most popular works The Portrait of a Lady, The Bostonians, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors, and The Turn of the Screw