Lambert Strether arrives in England as a representative of his benefactress, Mrs. Newsome, with the express purpose of convincing her son, Chad Newsome, to leave off the carefree life he has been leading in Europe and return to the family business in Woollett, Massachusetts. Strether, convinced at the start of his journey that his ambassadorial mission is a clear-cut one, soon recognizes the ambiguity of the situation.