In the Cage: A Quick Read edition E-BOOK

Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.

This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.

- Reading time of the complete text: about 3 hours

- Reading time of the summarized text: 21 minutes


"In the Cage" is a novella by Henry James, published in 1898, that centers on an unnamed London telegraphist who deciphers clues to her clients' personal lives from the cryptic telegrams they submit to her. The telegraphist gets involved with a pair of lovers named Captain Everard and Lady Bradeen, and she manages to reassure Everard that their secrets are safe from detection. Later, she learns that Lady Bradeen is forcing Everard to marry her, as he is heavily in debt and not interested in her. The telegraphist eventually decides to marry her fiancé, Mr. Mudge, and reflects on the unusual events she was a part of. James got the idea for the story from his experiences at the telegraphist's office, and the protagonist can be seen as a version of the Jamesian artist. Critics have generally been kind to the story, praising the detailed and convincing portrait of the telegraphist. Some have compared the story to "The Turn of the Screw," but the telegraphist seems much better grounded in reality. The story is not one of class conflict, but rather a reflection on the protagonist's lively imagination and nearly photographic memory.