Washington Square (1880) is a short novel by Henry James set in nineteenth-century New York. It tells the story of Catherine Sloper, a plain, sweet-natured heiress who falls in love with Morris Townsend, a charming but penniless young man. Her father, the shrewd and domineering Dr. Austin Sloper, is convinced that Morris is merely a fortune hunter and cruelly opposes their engagement, threatening to disinherit his daughter. Torn between love and filial duty, Catherine gradually develops quiet self-awareness and independence. A masterful study of character and moral complexity, the novel explores themes of money, manipulation, and the quiet resilience of a wounded heart.
