The Aspern Papers

Henry James’s fascinating novella “The Aspern Papers,” tells the story of an unnamed American editor who becomes fixated on the poetry of the late great poet Jeffrey Aspern. The editor hires a room at Juliana Bordereau’s Venice villa because she thinks Juliana has a stash of Aspern’s letters. He is determined to obtain these letters even if it means seducing Tina, Juliana’s niece. But when he is discovered trying to steal the letters, his plans take a different turn. The narrative looks into themes of obsession, privacy, and the extent people would go to get literary treasures fascinatingly.