Biography – The Very Short Introductions Podcast – Episode 21

Henry James's "The Aspern Papers" is a novella that delves into themes of literary obsession, the pursuit of secrets, and the ethics of biography. The story centers on a nameless narrator, a literary scholar, who travels to Venice in pursuit of letters written by the deceased American poet Jeffrey Aspern to his former lover, Juliana Bordereau. The aging Juliana, now living in seclusion with her niece, Miss Tita, is believed to possess these valuable documents. The narrator's relentless quest to obtain the papers leads him to manipulate and deceive those around him, raising questions about the boundaries of privacy and the morality of uncovering the past. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Venice, the novella explores the complex interplay between art, life, and the corrosive power of ambition.