Living a Shorn Life : On the Relationship between Men and Objects in Henry James’s The Spoils of Poynton

KAMO Hidetaka

doi:10.15057/85108

This essay, “Living a Shorn Life,” analyzes the relationship between human and objects in Henry James’s The Spoils of Poynton. The essay discusses how objects have played a symbolic role in the work, offering two major critical perspectives. One perspective views objects as abstracted and interpreted as fetishism in consumer society and imperialism, while the other is a phenomenological approach that understands the relationship between men and objects based on human life. 　The essay examines how the organic integration of men and objects has been lost and analyzes how the characters become obsessively attached to objects. In particular, it shows how Mrs. Gereth’s projection of her self onto antiques drives the story forward and how the relationship between men and objects collapses as these collectibles are portrayed as spoils. The essay also points out how the obsession with objects intersects with capitalism and imperialism, and how the influence of Swedenborgian thought, studied by James’s father, is reflected in the work. In contrast, the modest atmosphere of Ricks and the relationship between the departed and her belongings, which evoke memories of the dead, is thoroughly explored to highlight the difference from the former. 　This essay demonstrates that The Spoils of Poynton goes beyond the mere inheritance of antiques, reflecting broader social issues, and explores how the relationship between men and objects reflects James’s awareness of his time.

Living a Shorn Life : On the Relationship between Men and Objects in Henry James’s The Spoils of Poynton

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