Henry James in a Victorian Crowd: “The Birthplace” in Context

“Henry James in a Victorian Crowd: ‘The Birthplace’ in Context” examines the short story “The Birthplace” in light of Victorian cultural criticism of the town of Stratford, England, and its Shakespeare Birthplace Museum. By the end of the nineteenth century, a skeptical attitude regarding Stratford’s claim to represent Shakespeare was altogether matter-of-course. Focusing on the protagonist Gedge’s matured irony, criticism of the short story has made clear that “The Birthplace” is not merely a reiteration of such hackneyed skepticism. This essay argues that the short story further stands out from the Victorian crowd through the figures of the visiting American pilgrims, Mr. and Mrs. B.D. Hayes.