![]() ![]() Portia’s only friend in the house is their housekeeper, Matchett. The Quaynes do not have children and do not particularly like children but do their duty. ![]() ![]() Thomas is her half-brother, the son of her father and his first wife (who divorced Quayne senior when she found out his mistress was pregnant). When first her mother and then her father die, she is sent to live with Thomas and Anna Quayne. In this book, Portia Quayne has lived in hotels for most of her sixteen years. Just when it looked as though he might be recovering, her mother died of cancer and Bowen was sent to live with various aunts. Bowen’s father had had a nervous breakdown and been sent to an institution. This is not to say it is a Jamesian novel but the author has clearly read her Henry James and learned some lessons from him both in terms of the structure – gradual exposition – and themes – innocence facing experience. This novel is a prime example of a novel influenced by James. However, if he did influence any twentieth century writers, Elizabeth Bowen is it. ![]() I always felt, despite the fact that he did write a few of his books in the twentieth century, that he was essentially a Victorian writer, a writer that looked back, rather than a modern looking forward, which is one of the reasons why you won’t find him on this site. I am not sure whether Henry James had much influence on twentieth century writers. Home » Ireland » Elizabeth Bowen » The Death of the Heart Elizabeth Bowen: The Death of the Heart ![]()
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