The Madonna of the Future and Other Early Stories

Ezra Pound found "emotional greatness" in these early stories, written between 1865-77. The fine art of James' writing has led many critics to consider him the master of the novel and novella form. He is primarily known for a series of major novels in which he portrayed the encounter of America with Europe. His plots centered on personal relationships, the proper exercise of power in such relationships, and other moral questions. His method of writing from the point of view of a character within a tale allowed him to explore the phenomena of consciousness and perception, and his style in later works has been compared to impressionist painting.