Roderick Hudson Post

“And although the machinery of what calls itself society seemed to him to have many superfluous wheels, he accepted invitations and made visits punctiliously” (112).

James’ use of the word machinery echoes Arnold’s diction of culture and society. Arnold and James are contemporaries (writing in 1875 and 1869 respectively) so it’s easy to presuppose that James was influenced directly by Arnold. In the novel there exists a dialogue that is influenced by Arnold’s conceptions of culture; specifically, the notions of Hebraism and Hellenism. Roderick considers himself a Hellenist, exclaiming, “Never! I mean never to make anything ugly. The Greeks never made anything ugly, and I am a Hellenist; I am not a Hebraist!” (123). James creates two main characters that are in pursuit of culture. Both men consider themselves artists. Roderick sculpts people out of clay; Rowland sculpts people with his guidance. According to Arnold’s binary definition of culture, Roderick exemplifies the Hellenist and Rowland resembles the Hebraist. Though these single words fail to encompass the totality of their pursuits of culture, they suffice to distinguish the differences in their endeavors.
Rowland resembles the Hebraist more than he does the Hellenist, although he does embrace culture. Growing up, Rowland was raised in a strict environment. “His father was a chip of the primal Puritan block, a man with… more frowns than smiles”(54). Arnold viewed Puritanism as an extreme version of Hebraism. Rowland tells Cecilia, “Heaven forbid…that I should set the examples of virtue! I am quite willing to follow them however”, indicating that his obedience overrides his spontaneity. (51) Rowland is not exclusively Hebraistic, his knowledge of culture places him under the Hellenist category, and yet, “he was an awkward mixture of moral and aesthetic curiosity, and yet he would have made an ineffective reformer and an indifferent artist”(58). Here, Rowland sits the fence, his aesthetic curiosity more Hellenistic than Hebraistic. As Rowland sculpts Roderick, he warns him against debauchery and praises Singleton’s “hard-earned results and successful economy”(140). This focus on results and acquired willpower resemble the obedience that defines a Hebraist. Rowland is a complex character who embodies the traits of both the Hellenist and the Hebraist. As Roderick’s foil, however, Rowland plays the role of the Hebraist.
Roderick is a self-proclaimed Hellenist. Until he meets Rowland, Roderick embraces the notion of submitting to his mother’s desires, as well as his own goals. Once Rowland permits Roderick to embrace his genuine interests free of pecuniary worries, he blossoms into a Hellenist. Immediately after learning about his opportunity with Rowland, Roderick, “strode across the room, seized a hammer that lay at hand, and before Rowland could interfere, in the interest of art if not of morals, dealt a merciless blow upon Mr Striker’s skull…’I have driven the money-changers out of the temple!’ he cried”(73). Though liberating, Roderick’s brash actions frighten Rowland’s customs of obedience and phlegmatism. Roderick admires beauty above his work, and worships Hellenism to the extreme. He wastes all of his money on gambling and lacks the Hebraistic discipline that Rowland tries to instill in him.

Who do you think Arnold would say is successfully pursuing “culture” in his sense of the word?
Do you agree that Arnold appears in Henry James’ work?
How do Roderick and Rowland define culture?
What other ideas of culture do you see being played with in the novel?

Katherine Smith and Aaron Weiss