Bordereau herself, who is no wistful survivor of the past, but

a diabolical incarnation of it, greedy of its power to bargain

with the present, and wearing over her eyes, as celebrated in

Aspern's verse, a green eyeshade like a gamble's.

In Henry James' novel, The Aspern Papers, out the three main characters there is a woman whose mind, body, and spirit is filled with a lifetime of isolation, confinement, control, and reclusiveness. Juliana Bordereau is the strongest character in James' novel and throughout the entire novel has control over the rest of the characters with her diabolical and mysterious workings. Juliana is the backbone to the plot, and even though her actions and even her motives are underlining, her strong presence and domineering control are everlasting.

Juliana "lived obscurely in Venice...on very small means, unvisited, unapproachable, in a sequestered and dilapidated old palace" (1) where she was isolated from the world and holds unattainable in her prison-like home the desire of many greedy and money-hungry men: Jeffrey Aspern's letters that had never before been exposed to the outs

The constant struggle between the narrator and Juliana, as well as the overbearing control of Juliana over Miss Tina, are the key elements in the plot along with the prevalent themes of a quest, the past versus the present, and the evil which money can bring. The strong character of Juliana combined with her mysterious motives and secret lifestyle is the backbone to Henry James' novel The Aspern Papers. Whether Miss Bordereau is viewed as evil or good, her presence, impact, and actions are fully felt throughout the book and always keep the reader wondering what exactly the mystery is behind the mask.

Juliana holds extreme power not only over the narrator but also over Miss Tina, her niece. Her domineering presence is felt in Miss Tina's comments, her actions, and even her appearance. Miss Bordereau's authority has smothered Miss Tina's liveliness, and the repercussions have turned Miss Tina into a naive, innocent, and inexperienced girl whose mind has been so corrupted that she does not even remember if she is American. Juliana takes pride in her power over Miss Tina because it reinforces her ability to take control over Aspern's papers and also allows her to keep her appearance of a cold and shrewd old woman who still has the capability to control things despite her tremendously old age.

ide world. Miss Bordereau's relationship with Aspern put her at an advantage as well as at the same time putting her in an ever-present fight against distrust, lies, and greed. Juliana is the representation of the past, of its beauty but also of the melancholy of decay of it, with her emotions run dry and her imagination having dwindled away many years ago. Her interaction with the two other main characters attempts to reveal to the reader the mystery behind the mask, but the truth behind Miss Bordereau is never fully revealed before the

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Approximate Word count = 1245
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)