One of henry james' greatest novels, The Ambassadors is a dark comedy from 1903. Lewis Lambert Strether travels to Europe to find his widowed fiancée's son, planning to bring him back to the family business, but once there Strether meets with unexpected complications. Taken by perceived contrasts between European and American culture, The Ambassadors plays out a theme of liberation, from a stifled emotional life to a more abundant and gracious existence.