Character Analysis
As we find out at the beginning of this novel, Maria Gostrey considers it her job in life to greet new visitors of Europe and to show them the time of their lives. "I'm a sort of superior 'courier-maid,'" she says when she first meets Strether. "'I'm a companion at large. I take people, as I've told you, about. I never sought it—it has come to me'" (1.1.38).
We're not sure how many times she's actually done this tourist guide shtick before she meets Strether. But based on the sheer number of people she knows in this book, it's clear that she ain't the shy type.
For much of this book, Strether feels indebted to Maria for helping him come out of his shell. For example, Maria first approaches Strether at a hotel and asks him to go for a walk. Now that kind of move would be kinda forward today, but in 1903, it was really out of the ordinary. Even when Strether asks her if she's worried about her reputation, Maria shows that she doesn't care about what other people think of her, saying, "If what you're afraid of is the injury for me—my being seen to walk off with a gentleman who has to ask who I am—I assure you I don't in the least mind" (1.1.13).
Maria's got a knack for sizing people up very quickly. For example, she speaks to Strether for only a few minutes before she diagnoses him with "The failure to enjoy" (1.1.32). Rather than getting angry, Strether feels relaxed when he hears Maria say this, because now he feels like there's nothing he can (and nothing he needs to) hide from her.
For much of the book, Maria looks like she's totally in control of her relationship with Strether. But as we get toward the end, we begin to realize that Maria is totally infatuated with him (we're not sure why "failure to enjoy" has so much clout with the lady). She concludes the book by telling him, "I can't indeed resist you" (12.5.59). Um, really? The Strethmeister?
But by this point, she has ironically taught Strether to be his own man, so he decides to leave her and head back to America. It makes sense then that James would use the word "tragically" (12.5.59) to describe how Maria loves Strether. She has helped him become a more independent man. But now he's using that independence to leave her.
Oh the bitter, bitter irony.
Maria's Timeline