Roderick Hudson is a novel written by Henry James. It was first published in parts from January to December 1875 in The Atlantic Monthly. The story is a type of novel called a bildungsroman, which follows the growth and development of the main character, a sculptor.

Synopsis

Rowland Mallet, a wealthy man from Boston who loves art, visits his cousin Cecilia in Northampton, Massachusetts, before traveling to Europe. There, he sees a Greek statue he believes is a special piece of art. Cecilia introduces him to Roderick Hudson, a young law student who also sculpts in his free time. Rowland, who enjoys art but does not create it himself, offers to lend Roderick money to help him move to Italy for two years. He believes that living in Rome will allow Roderick to grow as an artist. Roderick is excited about the offer but worries his mother will disapprove. He asks Rowland to meet her and calm her fears. Rowland does this, and during the meeting, he meets Mary Garland, a distant cousin of the Hudson family who lives with them. Rowland is surprised by how kind and honest Mary is. At a farewell picnic, Rowland realizes he has fallen in love with her. However, he does not tell her because he is shy and must leave for Italy soon.

Later, during a trip across the Atlantic, Roderick tells Rowland that he had asked Mary Garland to marry him before leaving, and she agreed. Rowland feels as though he has been tricked by fate, as he had just found love but lost it because of his kindness.

In Rome, Roderick begins to succeed as an artist, gaining recognition for his work. Rowland tries to forget Mary by spending time with Augusta Blanchard, another American artist in Italy. When Roderick plans to visit Switzerland or Germany, Rowland travels with him for a while before going to England. There, Rowland writes to Mrs. Hudson to update her about the situation. She replies that she is happy with how things have turned out. However, when Rowland hears from Roderick, he asks for money to pay off debts from gambling in Baden-Baden.

The two return to Rome, where Christina Light visits Roderick’s studio. Christina is a very beautiful young woman who lives in Europe with her mother and an older man named the Cavaliere. Her mother wants her to marry a rich and important man. Roderick, who is poor, becomes very interested in Christina and eventually gets permission to sculpt her bust, which helps him gain favor with her family. Though Christina is not quick to show her feelings, she grows more attracted to Roderick and his artistic talent. Rowland is torn between trying to stop Roderick from pursuing a relationship with Christina to protect Mary and knowing that this might mean he can never marry Mary himself.

Later, Rowland meets Christina and Roderick at the Colosseum and saves Roderick from falling after he tries to reach a flower for Christina. He also meets Christina at a church and learns the relationship between Roderick and Christina is more serious than he thought. He encourages Christina to stop seeing Roderick.

Rowland writes to Cecilia about Roderick’s struggles. Later, Roderick refuses to finish a sculpture for Mr. Leavenworth, which frustrates Rowland. Rowland visits Madame Grandoni and meets Christina there. He decides to leave for Florence but changes his mind and returns to help Roderick, bringing his mother and fiancée to Italy. During a walk, Mary Garland admits she is afraid of change. They later run into Christina and Roderick, who says Christina might not marry the Prince after all.

Roderick creates a sculpture of his mother, who feels she owes Rowland for his help. After finishing the bust, Roderick says he will not marry Mary. Rowland and Gloriani witness another of Roderick’s outbursts. Later, Mrs. Grandoni tells Rowland that Augusta Blanchard is marrying Mr. Leavenworth, even though she loves Rowland. She throws a party, and Christina shows up to watch Mary and criticize her. The next day, Mary admits she thinks Christina is not genuine. After the Prince leaves, the Cavaliere asks Rowland to help Christina, as she has no father. Rowland checks on Roderick, who has been avoiding his mother, and talks to Christina. She says she does not like the Prince but sees Roderick as a friend. However, she has married the Prince.

Roderick tells his mother he cannot work and is in debt. With Rowland’s advice, they move to cheaper housing in Florence. When Roderick’s mood does not improve, his mother suggests returning to Northampton. Instead, Rowland convinces them to move to Switzerland. There, Rowland grows closer to Mary. He asks Roderick about Christina, but Roderick avoids the question. Later, they meet Sam, and Rowland sees Christina with the Prince. Roderick is shocked by her beauty and wants to join her in Interlaken, asking Rowland, his mother, and Mary for money. Rowland admits he loves Mary. Finally, Roderick dies in a storm while traveling to Interlaken. Rowland and Sam find his body the next day. Mrs. Hudson and Mary return to Massachusetts.

Characters

• Rowland Mallet is a rich man from Boston who is not married and has a strong interest in art.
• Cecilia is Rowland’s cousin. She is the wife of Rowland’s father’s nephew and has lost her money. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
• Roderick Hudson is a student studying law in Northampton, Massachusetts. He also carves sculptures in his spare time.
• Mrs. Hudson is Roderick’s mother.
• Stephen Hudson is Roderick’s brother. He died during the U.S. Civil War and is only mentioned a few times in the story.
• Miss Mary Garland is a distant relative of the Hudson family. She is poor and lives with the Hudsons to help care for Mrs. Hudson. Rowland feels a sudden interest in her because of her simple nature, honesty, and lack of pretense.
• Mr. Striker is a lawyer who gave Roderick books to help him study law.
• Mrs. Striker is Mr. Striker’s wife.
• Miss Petronilla Striker is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Striker.
• Mrs. Light is the mother of Christina Light.
• Miss Christina Light is a beautiful American woman who later becomes Princess Casamassima. Roderick Hudson falls in love with her.
• The Cavaliere is an Italian man who works as a companion to Mrs. Light. He is somewhat mysterious.
• Gloriani is an Italian sculptor in his forties. Roderick dislikes his work.
• Sam Singleton is an American painter and a friend of Rowland’s.
• Miss Augusta Blanchard is a young and attractive American woman who is friends with Rowland.
• Madame Grandoni is a neighbor of Miss Blanchard.
• Prince Casamassima is a wealthy man from Naples, Italy.
• Mr. Leavenworth is a man who made money mining borax in the Midwest. He is friends with Miss Blanchard and later becomes engaged to her.

Allusions to other works

Other writers and works that are listed include: Greek mythology (Hylas, Narcissus, Paris, Endymion, Juno, Olympus, Apollo, Phidias, Praxiteles, Hero, Aphrodite, Venus, Mercury, Bacchus, Medusa, Niobe), Faust, the Bible (Adam and Eve, David, Judas), William Makepeace Thackeray, Honoré de Balzac, Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Ludovico Ariosto, Dante's Inferno, Alfred Tennyson, Stendhal, Jean Charles Léonard de Sismondi's The History of the Italian Republics in the Middle Ages, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, William Wordsworth, Homer.

Artists and their works that are listed include: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Sandro Botticelli, Guercino, Michelangelo, Titian, Paolo Veronese, Antonio Canova, Johann Friedrich Overbeck, Fra Angelico, Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, Pinturicchio, the Dying Gladiator, Raphael, Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Place in James's oeuvre

The first book was published in 1876, and a second edition came out in 1879. In 1907, James thoroughly revised the book for the New York Edition of his fiction. In the preface of the revised version, he strongly criticized some parts of the novel. He believed the time period in the book was too short, and some story events were hard to believe.

James brought back Christina Light as the main character in his 1886 novel, The Princess Casamassima. In the preface, he admitted that Christina was too interesting to leave out after only appearing once.