Frederick Winterbourne is a young American has lived in Europe since he was twelve years old. He meets Daisy Miller at a Swiss hotel and is instantly captivated by her, though somewhat taken aback by her rejection of etiquette and manners considered proper by European standards. The novel is basically built upon Winterbourne’s quest to find out if Daisy really is innocent. Instead, what is really revealed is Winterbourne’s own prejudices.
Daisy constantly shocks Winterbourne: by talking with him despite being complete strangers; by accepting an invitation to tour a castle; by her open flirtation with him. Rather than considering this the
behavior of a woman of loose morality, however, Winterbourne considers Daisy’s
innocence and unfamiliarity with social customs. Winterbourne’s aunt believes the opposite, however.
Winterbourne says he will be leaving and Daisy asks him to visit her in Rome come the winter. Upon arriving, he soon hears stories about even more improper behavior by Daisy, including being seen in unacceptable places with strange men. In particular, he is distressed by Daisy’s relationship with a man named Giovanelli. Daisy arrives later for a party with this Italian man and causes a sensation. Afterward, she is ostracized from the society of American expatriates. Rather than being devastated, however, Daisy pretends not to care and goes about behaving in even more reckless and socially improper ways. She even says that she is
engaged to Giovanelli and is discovered in his company
late one
night by the Colosseum. This is the last straw for Winterbourne who had continued to defend her actions in the name of innocence. Not only is Winterbourne upset by Daisy’s social behavior, he is dumbstruck that she would risk her health by being out so late at night. And, indeed, Daisy contracts malaria.
An ill Daisy informs Winterbourne that she and Giovanelli were never engaged, but the denial means nothing to Winterbourne since it is obvious that Daisy is halfway to death. Daisy does die and at her funeral he blames Giovanelli for Daisy’s
death because he didn’t adequate look after her when they were together.
The story examines such themes as innocence, manners, elitism, power and man’s inhumanity toward fellow men or, in this case, women.
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