The Education of Henry Adams · Chapter
Rome (1859–1860) explained
Henry Adams reflects on his aimless European education, his transformation into a mere tourist, and the moral and political confusions of 1860.
What happens
Henry Adams reflects on his aimless European education, his transformation into a mere tourist, and the moral and political confusions of 1860. He recounts joining his sister in Florence, his letters to his brother Charles, and his emotional immersion in medieval Rome. The chapter also covers his earlier travels in Germany, the outbreak of the Franco-Austrian War, and his sister's influence in steering him toward Italy and away from Germanization.
Themes in this chapter
Education and Self-Formation
Adams grapples with the failure of his planned education, the value of accidental learning, and the contrast between formal study and lived experience.
Power and Force
The chapter examines the moral ambiguities of war and political power, particularly through Napoleon III's actions and the Guelph vs. Ghibelline dilemma.
The Role of Women
Adams credits his sister Mrs. Kuhn with superior moral sense and influence, leading him to conclude that no woman ever drove him wrong.
American Exceptionalism and Europe
Adams contrasts American political turmoil with European history, and reflects on the seductive but educationally corrupting influence of Rome.
Characters to notice
- Henry Adams
Narrator reflecting on his failed educational plan, his role as a tourist, and his moral dilemmas in Europe.
- Charles Francis Adams
Henry's father, who supported Seward and was preoccupied with the 1860 presidential election.
- William H. Seward
Supported by Charles Francis Adams for the Republican presidential nomination in 1860.
- Charles Francis Adams
Henry's brother, to whom he wrote letters that were printed in the Boston Courier.
- Louisa Catherine Kuhn
Henry's sister, who adored Italy, disliked Germany, and influenced his moral and educational direction.
- Napoleon III
Declared war on Austria, raising moral questions for Adams about European politics.
- Giuseppe Garibaldi
His Cacciatori were seen in the Valtellina during the war.
Key passages
“Nothing had been further from his mind when he started in November, 1858, than to become a tourist, but a mere tourist, and nothing else, he had become in April, 1860, when he joined his sister in Florence.”
Adams never intended to be a tourist when he began his European journey in 1858, but by April 1860, that is exactly what he had become.
Highlights the failure of his planned education and his shift to accidental learning.
“Women have, commonly, a very positive moral sense; that which they will, is right; that which they reject, is wrong; and their will, in most cases, ends by settling the moral.”
Adams observes that women often possess a decisive moral sense, determining right and wrong by their will.
Reflects his sister's influence and his broader view on women's moral authority.
“Rome was the worst spot on earth to teach nineteenth-century youth what to do with a twentieth-century world.”
Rome, with its medieval atmosphere, was the least suitable place for preparing a young person for the modern era.
Critique of Rome as an educational environment, contrasting its timelessness with the demands of the future.
