Daisy Miller: Quotes

“Never, indeed, since he had grown old enough to appreciate things he had encountered a young American girl of so pronounced type as this.” Pg. 10
“Some people had told him that, after all, American girls were exceedingly innocent; and others had told that, after all, they were not.” Ibid
“But this young girl was not a coquette in that sense; she was very unsophisticated; she was only a pretty American flirt.”
Coquet(te) – (French) – adjective meaning “vain”. In the case of James’ piece, simply refers to a seductive women who uses her appeal to exploit men.
“But I really think that you better not meddle with little American girls that are uncultivated, as you call them. You have lived too long out of the country. You will be sure to make some great mistake. You are too innocent.” Mrs. Costello to Winterbourne, pg. 15
“It seems as if there was nothing she wouldn’t undertake.” Mrs.Miller about Daisy, pg. 21
“He remembered that a cynical compatriot had once told him that American women – the pretty ones, and this one gave a largeness to the axiom – were at once the most exacting in the world and the least endowed with sense of indebtedness. “Winterbourne on Daisy, pg. 32
“I have never allowed a gentleman to dictate to me, or to interfere with anything I do.” Daisy to Winterbourne, pg. 36
“It was impossible to regard her as a perfectly well-conducted young lady; she was wanting in a certain indispensable delicacy. It would therefore simplify matters greatly to treat her as the object of one of those sentiments which are called by romantics “lawless passions.”.” Winterbourne, pg. 37
“Daisy …. continued to present herself as an inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence.” Ibid
“”What has she been doing?”
“Everything that is not done here. Flirting with any man she could pick up; sitting in corners with mysterious Italians; dancing all the evening with the same partners; receiving visits at eleven o’clock at night. Her mother goes away visitors come.” Mrs. Walker to Winterbourne about Daisy, pg. 40
“The young ladies of this country have a dreadfully poky time of it, so far as I can learn; I don’t see why I should change my habits for them.” Daisy Miller
“ “I am afraid your habits are those of a flirt” said Winterbourne gravely
“Of course they are,” she cried, giving him her little smiling stare again. “I’m a fearful, frightful flirt! Did you ever hear of a nice girl that was not? But I suppose you will tell me now that I am not a nice girl.”
“You’re a very nice girl; but I wish you would flirt with me, and me only.”” Pg. 44-45
“Flirting is a purely American custom; it doesn’t exist here.” Ibid
“She goes on from day to day, from hour to hour, as they did in the Golden Age. I can image nothing more vulgar.” Mrs. Costello about Daisy, pg. 48
Golden Age – the stems back to Greek and Roman poets, conjuring up images of the utopian, innocent world where men and women were naked and innocent. This clearly illustrates the view of Europe of 1870s being a lower level existence. It is a place unsuited to the innocent behaviour of someone from “utopia.” Is America presented as a type of utopia?

Image above is from the movie Daisy Miller (1974) starring Cybill Sheppard.