First published in 1903 as part of the collection The Better Sort, The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James is a profound exploration of existential dread, missed opportunities, and the human fear of irrelevance. Often regarded as one of James's most accomplished and enigmatic works, this novella transcends its modest narrative framework to address universal themes of self-awareness, mortality, and the nature of love. A masterclass in psychological realism, The Beast in the Jungle delves into the mind of its protagonist, John Marcher, whose life is overshadowed by a nebulous sense of impending doom that he metaphorically refers to as "the beast."