Henry James's "The Aspern Papers" is a novella written in the late 19th century, focusing on an unnamed narrator who travels to Venice in pursuit of the personal letters and papers of the deceased poet Jeffrey Aspern. The narrator learns that Aspern’s former lover, Miss Juliana Bordereau, lives in a decaying palazzo with her niece, Tita Bordereau, and he devises a plan to make contact with them.
In the opening of the novella, the narrator discusses his scheme with his friend, Mrs. Prest, revealing his intense obsession with Aspern’s work and his desire to uncover the secrets hidden in the papers. He reflects on Miss Bordereau’s reclusive life, noting how she has long evaded literary scholars and admirers, and contemplates the delicate nature of his intentions to befriend her. The narrator revisits the historical context of Juliana’s relationship with Aspern, suggesting a mix of romantic entanglement and the preservation of literary memory.
As the narrator navigates the layered atmosphere of Venice and the complex social dynamics of the Bordereau family, the reader is drawn into a story that intertwines art, love, and the pursuit of truth. The novella explores how time obscures and reveals truth, delicately portraying the intersection of literary obsession and human desire.

CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX