Tragic Muse and Nana

This study will examine and compare the characterizations of Miriam in Henry James' The Tragic Muse and Nana in Emile Zola's Nana. The study will first consider the ways James represents Miriam directly and indirectly, and will then compare and contrast James' portrayal of Miriam with Zola's portrayal of Nana directly and indirectly.

James from the first mention of Miriam shows her to be a remarkable, even mystical, woman. The author presents her in the words, thoughts and feelings of others as "the Tragic Muse," "that girl in Paris," "charming," and "the great modern personage" (James 33-35). Nick Dormer has a vague memory of her, but he met her some time ago before she became "interesting," an actress, a model, and a character of increasing grace and power in her own and others' lives. Now, Nash tells Nick, "She's really worth seeing. . . . You'll find her very suggestive. . . She is splendid" (James 35). James prepares Nick and the reader with such effusive mystery in describing Miriam that the reader and Nick are "charmed in advance" (James 36). Nash even tries to take credit for how interesting and splendid she has become: "I invented her. I introduced her. I revealed her" (James 34). These and other characters in the book from that point on are trying to understand her, love her, be loved by her, and/or take credit for her by "revealing" her or simply because they know her.

When Nick meets her to paint her, he is immediately taken with "the brave free rather grand

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is contrast has much to do with the different intentions of the authors. James uses Miriam as a sign that much is good in the world. He accepts the world as he finds it in his sophisticate's vision, a vision which is generally benign and non-political. Zola, on the other hand, portrays Nana as a lascivious, highly sexualized creature sent to be both abused and to wreak revenge on her abusers and all other beings---usually male---who have done wrong. His work is meant to be a political and social critique of the society in which he lives, and Nana is the symbolic power by which he works his revenge on that corrupt and unjust society. Certainly, there are similarities in the portrayals. Both Miriam and Nana are famous actresses who have strong effects on both men and women. Both have unusually great power for women in a world generally run by men. Both have a strong sexual presence. But they are obviously more unalike than alike in the ways people see, experience and describe them. Zola introduces us to Nana in her role as "The Blonde Venus" (Zola 2), in stark contrast to the sophisticated and almost mystical introduction by James of Miriam as "The Tragic Muse" and "the great modern personage." James tells us that Miriam is capa

Category: Literature - T