In the Cage

by Henry James

Overview

In the Cage by Henry James is a novella first published in 1898 that explores themes of class, imagination, desire, and emotional confinement through the lens of a nameless young woman working as a telegraphist in a London post office.

Trapped by her social and economic circumstances—"in the cage" both literally and metaphorically—she spends her days transmitting telegrams for the wealthy upper class. But through the coded messages she types and sends, she begins to piece together the personal dramas of her elite clientele, particularly a romantic intrigue involving a handsome officer named Captain Everard.

As the protagonist becomes emotionally entangled in their world, she constructs a fantasy life far removed from her own, one marked by elegance, romance, and possibility. Her fascination grows into an obsession, even as she remains bound by the physical limits of her booth and the social limits of her class.

James presents a deeply psychological portrait of a woman whose rich inner life is formed almost entirely from fragments and inference. The story is a quietly powerful commentary on the intimacy of modern communication, the voyeuristic nature of information work, and the invisible emotional labor of those who serve the privileged.

In the Cage is often praised for its subtlety, emotional restraint, and its early exploration of modernist interiority—a hallmark of James's late style.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940184354552
Publisher:	Henry James
Publication date:	04/18/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	467 KB

About the Author

Henry James (1843–1916) was an American-born British author, widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in literary history. Known for his psychological realism, complex characters, and deep explorations of consciousness, James helped shape the modern novel.

Born in New York City into a wealthy and intellectually vibrant family, James spent much of his life in Europe, eventually settling in England and becoming a British subject in 1915. He was the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James, and his transatlantic upbringing deeply informed his work—many of his novels explore the contrasts between American innocence and European sophistication.

James’s writing is typically divided into three periods:

Early period: More straightforward in style, with works like Daisy Miller (1878) and The Portrait of a Lady (1881), which brought him early acclaim.

Middle period: Marked by greater narrative complexity and themes of social intrigue and moral ambiguity.

Late period: Characterized by a dense, introspective style and a focus on the inner lives of characters, as seen in The Golden Bowl, The Wings of the Dove, and shorter works like In the Cage.

His interest in interiority, perception, and the limitations of perspective made him a precursor to literary modernists like Virginia Woolf and James Joyce. Though some of his late works were initially met with resistance due to their challenging style, they are now celebrated as masterpieces of psychological fiction.

James never married and lived much of his life in relative solitude, dedicating himself fully to his art. Today, he is remembered not only for his contributions to the novel and short story, but also for his influential literary criticism and essays on the craft of fiction.

Date of Birth:

April 15, 1843

Date of Death:

February 28, 1916

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Place of Death:

London, England

Education:

Attended school in France and Switzerland; Harvard Law School, 1862-63

Editorial Reviews

In the Cage exemplifies James's late style, where consciousness itself becomes the terrain of fiction. It reveals the imaginative life of an overlooked typist, demonstrating that no mind is too humble for serious art.

Cambridge University, Faculty of English: - N/A