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"The Beast in the Jungle" is a novella by Henry James, published in 1903 as part of the collection The Better Sort. The story follows John Marcher, who believes his life is destined for a catastrophic or spectacular event, like a "beast in the jungle." Marcher is reacquainted with May Bartram, a woman he knew ten years earlier, who decides to spend her days with him, curiously awaiting what fate has in store for him. Marcher is a hopeless fatalist who takes May to the theater and invites her to occasional dinners but does not allow her to get close to him. The story has been read as a confession or parable about James' own life. Critics have almost unanimously agreed with the author's own high opinion of the tale, with some going so far as to put the story among the best short narratives in any literature. The novella has been adapted into several films and referenced in literature and television.
