Spirited, beautiful young American Isabel Archer journeys to Europe to, in modern terms, "find herself." But what she finds there may prove to be her undoing, especially when an infinitely sophisticated lady plots against her.
The Portrait of A Lady (Signet Classics)
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More About the Author
Henry James (1843-1916), the son of the religious philosopher Henry James Sr. and brother of the psychologist and philosopher William James, published many important novels including Daisy Miller, The Wings of the Dove, The Golden Bowl, and The Ambassadors.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"An Englishman's never so natural as when he's holding his tongue.",
By
This review is from: The Portrait of A Lady (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
When Isabel Archer, a bright and independent young American, makes her first trip to Europe in the company of her aunt, Mrs. Touchett, who lives outside of London in a 400-year-old estate, she discovers a totally different world, one which does not encourage her independent thinking or behavior and which is governed by rigid social codes. This contrast between American and European values, vividly dramatized here, is a consistent theme in James's novels, one based on his own experiences living in the US and England. In prose that is filled with rich observations about places, customs, and attitudes, James portrays Isabel's European coming-of-age, as she discovers that she must curb her intellect and independence if she is to fit into the social scheme in which she now finds herself.
Isabel Archer, one of James's most fully drawn characters, has postponed a marriage in America for a year of travel abroad, only to discover upon her precipitate and ill-considered marriage to an American living in Florence, that it is her need to be independent that makes her marriage a disaster. Gilbert Osmond, an American art collector living in Florence, marries Isabel for the fortune she has inherited from her uncle, treating her like an object d'art which he expects to have remain "on the shelf." Madame Serena Merle, his long-time lover, is, like Osmond, an American whose venality and lack of scruples have been encouraged, if not developed, by the European milieu in which they live. James packs more information into one paragraph than many writers do into an entire chapter. Distanced and formal, he presents psychologically realistic characters whose behavior is a direct outgrowth of their upbringing, with their conflicts resulting from the differences between their expectations and the reality of their changed settings. The subordinate characters, Ralph Touchett, Pansy Osmond, her suitor Edward Rosier, American journalist Henrietta Stackpole, Isabel's former suitor Caspar Stackpole, and Lord Warburton, whose love of Isabel leads him to court Pansy, are as fascinating psychologically and as much a product of their own upbringing as Isabel is. As the setting moves from America to England, Paris, Florence, and Rome, James develops his themes, and as Isabel's life becomes more complex, her increasingly difficult and emotionally affecting choices about her life make her increasingly fascinating to the reader. James's trenchant observations about the relationship between individuals and society and about the effects of one's setting on one's behavior are enhanced by the elegance and density of his prose, making this a novel one must read slowly--and savor. Mary Whipple
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a Portrait He Writes [35],
By Miami Bob "Resurgent Reading" (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Portrait of A Lady (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
The lady involved in the portrait is Isabel Archer, and the portrait is exquisitely ornate because of the literary genius of James. ". . . [A]fter strolling about for some time, in a manner at once listless and restless, had seated herself on a garden-bench, within sight of the house, beneath a spreading beech, where, in a white dress ornamented with black ribbons, she formed flickering shadows of graceful and harmonious image."
Orphaned when she is ripe for marriage, Isabel is shipped to England in 19th century custom to live with a rich uncle who resides outside of London - Daniel Touchett - and his wife and charming son Ralph. While staying as their guest, her American conceptions evolve with European sophistication and she is compelled to learn much for someone so young and naive. In the midst of this educational/cultural immersion, she becomes charmed by her cousin, his best friend Lord Warburton and others. It is then that her best friend from America, Henrietta Stackpole, comes across the seas to warn her not to marry a European. While testing the waters, Isabel sees another family member die, her uncle, who leaves her a pot of money which guarantees this young princess all the creature comforts for the remainder of her life as well as those of her heirs. In this book authored in the latter art of the 19th century, we must ask: is this good news or bad news? What does being rich mean? James defines rich as "I call people rich when they're able to meet the requirements of their imagination." At first, times are great. Isabel is also wooed by a wealthy American, Caspar Goodwood, and American turned European Gilbert Osmond. She is the cat's meow in London society. The battle for her hand gathers force, and she ultimately chooses the unanimously proclaimed poorest choice. And, from that moment forward, the book turns from gaiety of being wooed by extremely wealthy men, to a life of inhibition and oppression. Being the squelched subject of a totalitarian husband deprives anyone, even strong Isabel, to meet her imagination. But, the fight goes on. As badly as her daily events may be, she is not prisoner to her own vices or sins. The bad people around her are so imprisoned. The good people around are not. But, it takes hundreds of pages for our heroine to realize which people are good and which are bad. And, not until the final hundred pages does the reader receive information as to why the bad people are bad. And, then we and Isabel discover that they are even worse than we could have conjectured. Persistence abounds among her good people - who are the truest of friends. And amid that persistence lies tireless patience. Helping a good friend is not something done in a sprint, if the sprint derives the wrong result. Instead, James instructs us that ". . . she had given him the key to patience." A most valuable gift. Amid the brilliant prose and evenly valiant dialogue, this book's plot jives and swiftly turns - each portion not just keeping, but gluing, the interest of the reader. I have read a few other novels by James, and they are good, But, the give-and-take throughout this novel and the seemingly perfect prose, describing everything from the person's face to a tea cup, make this my favorite of this all-time favorite author.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece on human psychology,
This review is from: The Portrait of A Lady (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)
Reading this novel is like receiving a punch in the stomach - yet from an exquisitely gloved fist. If you like character-driven stories with explosive endings, this novel is for you.
James is a genius in charting the complexities of the human psyche. His predilection for characterization and psychological analysis over plot development is what drives this novel. In fact, there is a lot of "action" - yet confined to the emotional landscape of characters. James' literary style is very dense and requires a measured pace of reading. If this becomes frustrating (as it did to me occasionally), it's best to read it in spurts. The richness of the novel demands leisurely consumption, like an elaborate French meal, to be appreciated piece by piece. Here is an example of typical sentence construction: [QUOTE] Like his appreciation of her dear little stepdaughter it was based partly on his eye for decorative character, his instinct for authenticity; but also on a sense for uncatalogued values, for that secret of a "luster" beyond any recorded losing or rediscovering, which his devotion to brittle wares had still not disqualified him to recognise. Mrs. Osmond, at present, might well have gratified such tastes. The years had touched her only to enrich her; the flower of her youth had not faded, it only hung more quietly on its stem. [END QUOTE] Despite its density The Portrait of a Lady is more accessible than James' later novels - including The Ambassadors (Oxford World's Classics) - and is a good place to start with this classic author. The main delight of the novel is in the characters - they are all exquisitely crafted and richly draped. They each have their own set of vocabulary, nuances, visual imagery and body language - from the sharp tongued Henrietta Stackpole to the obedient and docile Pansy Osmond. The novel also has great moments of humour, thanks to James' alter ego Ralph Touchett. My only critique is the heavy handed analysis at times, which slows down the pace of the novel, as well as James peculiar aversion to paragraphing - the author will often cluster entire timelines, conversations and observations into a single paragraph which spans several pages without interlude. Ultimately, however the novel is a masterpiece of human characterization that touches on themes of duty versus independence, social custom versus freedom. Despite the lack of plot - or "architecture" as the author calls it - James is an extraordinary storyteller and the ending packs quite a punch. This novel is best enjoyed without prior knowledge of the plot - so skip the summary on the back and dive right in! 8/10
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