All this made him uncomfortable, and seemed to portend a possible discord. Discord was not to his taste…the idea of finding himself jealous of an unsuspecting friend was simply disgusting.” (120) Even so, James increases the narrative tension with the introduction of a beautiful, elusive, young woman whose face “provoked, but startled submissive admiration” (109) in Roderick, who eagerly stares back. According to Roderick, she seems supernatural, which is made all the clearer in his speech to Rowland, “Beautiful? She’s beauty itself — she’s a revelation. I don’t believe she is living — she’s a phantasm, a vapour, an illusion!” (110) Roderick’s declaration tells the reader that this female phantasm will undoubtedly haunt the young artist’s mind, filling it with sexual desire as well as usurping Miss Garland from the privilege position of being loved by Roderick Hudson. Similarly, this will arouse the young sculptor’s aspiration in recreating a marble likeness of this captivating
All this made him uncomfortable, and seemed to portend a possible discord. Discord was not to his taste…the idea of finding himself jealous of an unsuspecting friend was simply disgusting.” (120) Even so, James increases the narrative tension with the introduction of a beautiful, elusive, young woman whose face “provoked, but startled submissive admiration” (109) in Roderick, who eagerly stares back. According to Roderick, she seems supernatural, which is made all the clearer in his speech to Rowland, “Beautiful? She’s beauty itself — she’s a revelation. I don’t believe she is living — she’s a phantasm, a vapour, an illusion!” (110) Roderick’s declaration tells the reader that this female phantasm will undoubtedly haunt the young artist’s mind, filling it with sexual desire as well as usurping Miss Garland from the privilege position of being loved by Roderick Hudson. Similarly, this will arouse the young sculptor’s aspiration in recreating a marble likeness of this captivating