"The Portrait of a Lady" is the most stunning achievement of Henry James's early period--in the 1860s and '70s when he was transforming himself from a talented young American into a resident of Europe, a citizen of the world, and one of the greatest novelists of modern times. A kind of delight at the success of this transformation informs every page of this masterpiece. Isabel Archer, a beautiful, intelligent, and headstrong American girl newly endowed with wealth and embarked in Europe on a treacherous journey to self-knowledge, is delineated with a magnificence that is at once casual and tense with force and insight. The characters with whom she is entangled--the good man and the evil one, between whom she wavers, and the mysterious witchlike woman with whom she must do battle--are each rendered with a virtuosity that suggests dazzling imaginative powers. And the scene painting--in England and Italy--provides a continuous visual pleasure while always remaining crucial to the larger drama.
The Portrait of a Lady
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Novel by Henry James, published in three volumes in 1881. The masterpiece of the first phase of James's career, the novel is a study of Isabel Archer, a young American woman of great promise who travels to Europe and becomes a victim of her own provincialism. It offers a shrewd appraisal of the American character and embodies the national myth of freedom and equality hedged with historical blindness and pride. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By Cole Ansier
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Henry James has truly outdone himself with this book. While it is no longer my favorite James' novel, I still think it among the best novels written in the English language. The character of Isabel Archer is an indelible part of literature. The story begins with an American woman, left parentless and penniless, being discovered by an expatriate Aunt. The Aunt convinces her to go England with her so that she might meet her cousin, Ralph. Isabel eagerly agrees. She is idealistic and has always wanted to see Europe. Her aunt agrees to pay for the expenditures. Once there, Isabel falls in love with their house, Gardencourt, and grows to enjoy her frail, sweet, ironic, and funny cousin. Before Isabel knows it, she has become ensnared in a one-sided love affair with a handsome English nobleman, Lord Warburton, little knowing what to do. Despite the urgings of her aunt, Isabel rejects his proposal in the desire to wait for something better. Soon, her elderly uncle dies, but not before she charms him with her intelligence and subtle beauty. Ralph insists that his father leave Isabel a substantial fortune, so that she might be able to live as she wishes. When the uncle dies, Isabel is left with 70,000 pounds, or about 200,000 dollars. From here is where the true story begins. I will not reveal more of the plot, which unwinds slowly and with assurance. James, being a master of prose, knows how to manipulate a sentence in a multitude of ways. His lilting, ironic, verbose writing style lends class and charm to Isabel's ultimately tragic tale. Some modern readers aren't able to handle James' subtle style. Unfortunately, many of us have had to fight the effects of shortened attention spans. Reading a slow-paced and brilliantly conceived tale like this will surely help cure short attention spans. Once you begin the story, it grows on you and affects you greatly. James is difficult getting used to, but he grabs you with his excellent descriptions of passionate people. Finally, the brilliance of this book lies in its tragedy. Even though many readers can predict early on where Isabel's confidence and naivete will lead her, James makes the journey bumpy and fascinating. He also slowly injects the story with dread, as we begin to sense the true malevolence of Madame Merle's and Osmond's vicious plans. Their acts are pure Machiavellian glee. Only in the final third of the book does it become clear of the true nature of the scheming M. Merle's plans. James also leaves several important plot points until near the end of the novel. All of this leads to a long, engrossing, and sad story of a young woman "affronting her destiny", as James puts it. Rarely has so romantic or so devastating a book been written. The ending is the final kicker. Unlike the happy ending we suspect, James leaves readers with open interpretations and many possible questions regarding Isabel's TRUE feelings about men. It also most vividly presents her sexual repression and fear that dominate the entire book. James knew the reserves of the time dictated that such topics not be discussed, and he cleverly uses this theme discreetly. However, he also uses it as a sort of indictment on the times, with their lack of passion and sensuality. Many readers expect a conclusion to the story, but, as with real life, stories simply go on. The ending is perhaps the most modern thing about the book. It also makes certain readers know that Isabel's life will never be one of happiness. This is an exquisitely haunting masterpiece.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The best thing about 19th century novels is that they take so long to unwind, you know that you are guaranteed a long and satisfying trip into a story. I initially bought this book after seeing the Jane Campion film, (which I actually wasn't too crazy about)but I always think it's a good idea to read the source material. After a few false starts (warning: one needs to devote all their attention to James in order to enjoy him)I finally got into this book, and couldn't put it down. From the great settings of the novel, to the variety of fascinating characters (the liberated Henrietta Stackpole, the sinister Madame Merle, the beloved Ralph Touchett, Ralph's eccentric mother, the flighty Countess Gemini, the deadly Gilbert Osmond, and of course, Isabel Archer herself... James gives characters great names as well) "Portrait" is a great novel not only of self discovery, but self deception. How many of us in this world have liked to have thought ourselevs as free to make our own chocies, and were excited by a future full of "possibility" only to allow something (or usually someone) to get in our way and make us realize just how quickly we can lose our freedom and be in a cage that we need to get out of. (Pardon my bad grammar.) Those of you looking fora Jane Austen type ending, this may not be the book for you, but I think this book is more of a spiritual cousin to Austen than we may think. It all comes down to making choices, and teh effects of those decisions. Throw off any reservations that you may have because this book was written over a century ago, it's as fresh, funny, tragic and riveting today as it was then. (And hey, buy the film soundtrack which perfectly captures the mood of the story for accompaniment..that was a plug!)
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Henry James is one of my favorite authors and The Portrait of a Lady is one of his greatest works. In it, he creates a unique and unforgettable heroine, Isabel Archer, and then proceeds to let her make all the mistakes the young are capable of making. In fact, Isabel is so sure of herself that, at times, I found it difficult to have much sympathy for her poor choices. But one thing I never felt for Isabel Archer was indifference, all to James' credit.
The Portrait of a Lady is truly 19th Century literature at its finest, but that means it also contains elements that might be distracting for the modern reader. There are lengthy descriptions, the pace is rather slow and James never lets us forget we are reading a book. He makes liberal use of phrases such as "our heroine," and "Dear Reader." While all of this was expected in the 19th Century, some readers today might find it annoying.
Those who don't however, will find themselves entranced by a beautiful story of love and loss, unforgettable characters (there are many more besides Isabel, most notably the enigmatic Madame Merle) and gorgeous description, all rendered in James' flawless prose.
Anyone who loves classics or who wants a truly well-rounded background in literature cannot afford to pass this up.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Great Disappointment
I have never written a review before, but just couldn't help myself after trying to read this book. It was totally disappointing. Pathetic really. Nothing ever happened. Read more
Published 15 days ago by MareeM
2.0 out of 5 stars
Fake masterpiece and a complete waste of time
Imagine yourself sitting on a theatre seat and staring at the stage where a bunch of names handwritten on a piece of cardboard paper boldly by the same person, are going back and... Read more
Published 14 months ago by onur babanoglu
1.0 out of 5 stars
19th Century Soap Opera
Portrait of a Lady is similar to a modern day television soap opera. The characters, plot, and dialogue of the book reads much like a script for The Young and the Restless. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. Judgement
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Mill Of The Conventional"
When you pick up a book fully expecting the literary equivalent of beets or spinach, the result can be a self-fulfilling prophesy of mind-numbing boredom. Read more
Published on September 1, 2010 by Bill Slocum
2.0 out of 5 stars
Portrait of a Lady
The book is very wordy which tends to make it a slow read. Otherwise, I did enjoy the storyline.
Published on May 17, 2010 by Kathye L. Gregg
4.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece on human psychology
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... Read more
Published on September 22, 2009 by Lola. M
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
Isabel Archer is a pretty, kind, intuitive, and quite intelligent young American lady, who through circumstance and fate is brought to London, then to Rome, and to a stifling... Read more
Published on February 11, 2009 by scott89119
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's a good portrait
I read this, my first H. James novel, on the recommendation of a friend while I was commencing a trip to Rome. It was an excellent choice. Read more
Published on September 28, 2007 by Joseph M. Powers
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fiction writers, nota bene
Some fictional works retell the stories of other fictional works but from a different point of view. Read more
Published on June 17, 2006 by Edward T. Brading
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Money's a horrid thing to follow, but a charming thing to meet."
When Isabel Archer, a bright and independent young American, makes her first trip to Europe in the company of her aunt, Mrs. Read more
Published on January 25, 2006 by Mary Whipple
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