『使者たち』 : ストレザーの奔放さが意味するもの <論文>

In the final scene of The Ambassadors, Lambert Strether chooses against accepting higher social status and a stable life, even though both would benefit him. A number of critics have noted a relationship between Strether's unselfish behavior and the New England consciousness. However, that consciousness reflects only a part of his state of mind. He is a middle-aged man who awakens in himself a passion for freedom and pleasure as a result of the Parisian experience he has after spending many fruitless years in Woollett, a small city in Massachusetts. This paper analyzes Strether's conflicted state of mind-his New England consciousness versus his passion for freedom, considers the influence of changing social situations in America, and explores James's use of certain narrative devices and picturesque descriptions.　　　

Upon leaving for Paris, Strether's mission is to rescue Chad-the son of Mrs. Newsome, a wealthy widow of Woollett-from the clutches of his Parisian lover so that Chad can take over his family's manufacturing business. In this way, Strether is expected to contribute to furthering the prosperity of the Newsomes' family business, and, after completing his appointed task, to marry Mrs. Newsome. The success of the Newsomes' family business is based on their belief in the conventional notion that value results from Puritanical diligence. Chad's sense of value-based on his pursuit of pleasure and interest in visual art-seems contrary to his family's belief in diligence: however, it is still likely to further the success of the advertising department of his family's manufacturing business. Strether's passion for freedom is also associated with Chad's sense of value, especially when he keeps the company of Maria Gostrey.　　　

James treats Gostrey as a confidante for Strether rather than a dominant character. She becomes the reader's friend because she conveniently reveals to him or her the history of Strether's life through her conversations with him. In earlier work by James, the narrative flow was sometimes interrupted by lengthy explanations made by an omniscient narrator, but by the time he wrote his major later novels, James had improved his use of confidantes. Furthermore, in The Ambassadors, Gostrey contributes to leading Strether to new experiences and sets him free from the constraints of the New England Tomomi Ushirokawa 41 consciousness.　　　

James elaborately depicts Parisian beauty, including the solemn sights of the Notre Dame Cathedral, the romantic air of Madame de Vionnet's residence, and Gloriani's glamorous garden. The pictorial world symbolically reflects Strether's passion for freedom in his sentimental journey to Paris. He is caught up in finding ideal situations there, because, by doing so, he can forget the burden of his duty. He cannot resist the attractiveness of the pictorial world, because it gives him passing pleasure and a feeling of nostalgia. However, the pictorial world differs from reality, which means he cannot stay there forever. Strether's decision in the final scene signals his acceptance of reality. James thinks that Strether needs to return to his New England consciousness. His excessive abandonment of himself to the pleasure of the pictorial world is thus critically noted.　　　

The Ambassadors was written during a period in which American wealth had been firmly established and the advertising business had begun to rise rapidly. James must have no longer felt a need to declare America's economic advantage and argue for the importance of diligence against European sophistication. Strether's passion for freedom seems to relate to James's acceptance of a new concept of value. In his depiction of Strether's passion for freedom, James alerts readers to an attitude that refuses to keep up with the changes of the times.