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Although he has been respectably popular for most of his life, by World War I Henry James was largely forgotten by the public. The first World War infamously began the decline of the aristocracy, and with it went popular interest for writings about the excesses of the upper class. Despite this, he continued to influence many of the greatest early 20th century writers. He had developed the idea of "stream of consciousness" writing, a style which writers such as James Joyce and Virginia Woolf later perfected. His friends, many of them great writers themselves, continued to campaign in his favor amongst an uncaring public and cold critics.
During the period after the Second World War, however, there came a resurgence of interest in Henry's writings. During the 1950's and 60's he achieved something of a cult status, and his work became to be considered among the "classics." Although he was refused burial in "Poet's Corner" in Westminster Abbey at the time of his death, and his plaque was not installed until 1976, Henry is now specifically mentioned amongst the notable sites on the Westminster Abbey home page.
The lasting popularity of his works can be seen quite plainly in several popular Hollywood movies produced in the late 1990's based on his novels. Although many people would never think to read The Portrait of A Lady, the 1996 movie starring Nicole Kidman grossed $3.7 million.
Despite his prolific writings, and those of many close friends and family members, relatively little is know about his own personal life. He is widely believed to have been gay, but homosexual behavior was accepted amongst his circle in London and there is no proof that he took part in it. His father, his brother William, and his sister all suffered from periodic mental and nervous breakdowns, and there is some question about whether Henry was plagued by similar mental health issues. Despite the incredible flow of critical and scholarly writings about Henry James, there is still a great deal for scholars to discover.
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