John Marcher and May Bartram, “The Beast in the Jungle”
The only two characters in this example of one of James’ long short story forms (around 50 pages) are Marcher and May. (Notice the allusion to the months of the year in their names as well as an intimation of action and contemplation.) They are not a romantic couple, but rather a man and woman who carry on a platonic relationship for a lifetime. John feels that his own life is being obstructed by a metaphorical “beast in the jungle” which he keeps waiting to show up. May dies first at an elderly age and John discovers what form the beast takes.
Spencer Brydon, “The Jolly Corner”
Wealthy expatriate American who returns to New York City after an absence of three decades to discover how much the city has changed and ponder what he might have become had he not chosen to leave. The story takes a supernatural turn when that potential alter ego takes on form and dimension which he spends much of the story unsuccessfully tracking through his home located on the titular property.
The Monarchs, “The Real Thing”
Major Monarch and his wife were once members of the aristocratic elite who have fallen on hard economic times. They arrive at the studio of the narrator looking for employment as models for his paintings depicting the upper society echelons with which they are familiar. While this would seem to make them perfect, they tend to imprint themselves upon his art, thus robbing him of his artistic perspective. As empty representatives of a social status they no longer can claim, the Monarchs become a metaphor for the collapse of the aristocracy despite the power it still wields over society.
Pemberton and Morgan Moreen, “The Pupil”
Pemberton is the tutor and Morgan the titular student. Their relationship has been variously interpreted as everything from homosexual to pedophiliac to sadomasochistic and the ending from ironic to tragic.
Morris Gedge, “The Birthplace”
Morris Gedge bored to death at a dull library and leaps at the opportunity to become the custodian of Shakespeare’s house in Stratford. After a time, however, the doubts about the validity of the story he must tell to tourists every day in light of the dearth of hard facts forces a conflict of conscience. Realizing that entertaining fiction is more important than factual realism, he takes things to their logical extreme. Naturally, attendance spikes in response.
