Henry James’ renowned novel The Ambassadors is a timeless classic, using the backdrop of Europe to provide an intimate, sophisticated insight into the nature of human connection and the tangled web of relationships between individuals from different cultural and economic backgrounds. The story is set in the early 1900s in the grand cities of Paris and London and follows two American main characters, Lambert Strether and Chad Newsome, who find themselves tangled in a complex series of relationships and circumstances that test their sense of morality, identity, loyalty and freedom.
The novel begins in Woollett, Massachusetts, where Lambert Strether is sent on a mission from Mrs. Newsome, the wealthy mother of Chad Newsome, who worries that her wayward son has become involved with a French woman while abroad in France. Strether, who is more than happy to leave the mundane life of Woollett and a woman of whom he is fond but not in love, sets off to Europe with one mission in mind: to bring Chad back to his mother and an arranged marriage in the United States.
Strether soon discovers upon his arrival in Paris that his mission is more complicated than he initially anticipated. Despite the fact that Chad is constantly surrounded by an array of glamorous people, an endearing quality of earnestness shines through, a quality that Strether soon recognises. Mrs. Newsome’s vision of Chad’s “rescue” begins to sound hollow to him, and with this realisation, Strether’s mission turns into something else entirely: a quest for self-discovery.
One of the main themes of the novel is the conflict between individual autonomy and the standards of society. Strether begins to question his own understanding of freedom as he gets to know Chad and his lover, Madame de Vionnet. It is his growing friendship with the couple that forces Strether to recognise that there is a certain beauty in being able to pursue one’s own desires. His journey leads him to a better understanding of moral ambiguity and an appreciation of the complex, intimate relationships that come with a life of artistic and intellectual discovery.
The setting of The Ambassadors not only provides a setting of sophistication and cultural discovery, but also a sense of nostalgia. Paris and London offer a contrast between new-world life and old-world codes, and the differences between the two are a constant reminder of the contrast between Strether’s mission and his newfound sense of freedom.
The Ambassadors is an engaging, classic novel. As we follow Strether on his mission, we gain insight into the importance of self-discovery, human connection and, ultimately, the value of living freely. James’ narrator allows us to explore the complexity of moral ambiguity and to appreciate the beauty of the grand cities of Europe, without ever losing sight of the immense importance of human relationships and the alternative forms of happiness that are waiting to be discovered.
