Henry James's "The Portrait of a Lady": marriage, liberty, and self-determination

¶ … Portrait for a Lady

Henry James\' \'The Portrait of a Lady\' is a conventional book that talks about marriage and courtship, at a glance. A part from applying traditional literary conventions patterns of his generation, he has also incorporated a variety of novelistic styles in his work and also amended a number of traditional items to a level that permits registration of a perfect break. The analysis of the book \'The Portrait of a Lady\' will involve a close study of the book whereby the reader meets \"a young woman insulting her fate.\" (Sunita Singhal). The novel takes place during 1870s in numerous regions - Gardencourt, England; Rome and Florence, Italy; several other locations in Europe; Albany, in New York (Shmoop Editorial Team). The book is a narrative of the bounds of self-adequacy is what, especially, makes it one of the finest American book\" and \"a review of the American exceptionalism\" (Michael Gorra).

The Body

Plot Summary

In the introductory part of the book, Isabel Archer, who is an American, visits an extended family living in England. She refuses marriage proposals twice during her visit, one from Warburton, a Lord who is an honorable person. Isabel doesn\'t have romantic feelings towards him. Another proposal made by Caspar Goodwood entices Isabel, but she fears that getting married will hinder her personal liberty. When her sick uncle passes away, he leaves her a small wealth, which she uses to move to Italy.

While in Italy in the city of Florence, Isabel becomes victim of a scam. A woman by the name Madame Merle, whom she came across in England in her uncle\'s residence, and a man by the name Gilbert Osmond have colluded to trick her into getting married to Osmond. They do this in order to steal Isabel\'s wealth. She discovers that Ralph, her late uncle\'s son and her beloved pal, is dying. Isabel wishes to travel back to England and visit her cousin. Osmond attempts to bar her, but she does not heed to Osmond. After bidding farewell to Pansy, whom she had just recently discovered to be Madame Merle\'s child and not Osmond\'s first matrimonial product, she goes to England. After the death of Ralph, Isabel has an opportune meeting with Caspar, the one who proposed at the start of the book. He tries to persuade Isabel to be with him, Isabel however maintains she must go back to Rome (Megan Pryor).

The Conclusion

The final part of the story does not clarify whether Isabel will go back to Rome since she fears that her husband is going to make Pansy marry Warburton by force, or if she will go back and snatch Pansy from Gilbert (Megan Pryor). Therefore, by the time the novel ends, James has examined and probed every ethical, psychological and moral factor of the main situation. The readers have also heard the opinions of several people regarding that subject. Therefore, James\' books have a structure that have a circular approach to the main subject, but each circle, in its own way illuminates the most important thing. Each happening is meant to talk more about the situation, or a character. Nothing in the story is extraneous or superfluous (Cliffnotes Editorial Team).

The Evaluation

a. The literary categorization of the book is done by analyzing and examining the conventional features used by James, or those which he breaks with, as well as the novelties that he introduces. With regard to the literary novelties, there will be special attention given to how the narrative perspective is treated, because Henry James shifted this presentation method while the story continued, from the storyteller to a \"consciousness center\" in the story. This book does not qualify to be considered a consciousness technique masterpiece; nonetheless, the book already shows features that prove that the author will commit himself to that method of narration in his next writings (Sunita Singhal).

b. The Portrait also talks about the relationships we have with things. It brings the question of whether we can be represented by our possessions, to ourselves or to others. Isabel discovers that things narrate her story with more details than she expected: she does not have as much freedom as she willfully and innocently attempted to maintain. According to Gorra, the Portrait\'s \"story of the restrictions of independence is the main reason why it is seen as a great American book\" and \"an analysis of the exceptionalism of Americans\" (Michael Gorra).

c. The novel is a kind of literature that brings together many popular and traditional literary factors. The title of the book tries to portray a picture of a heroine. It brings about an instant expectation that the story will talk about a development process. The Bildungsroman, showing basics of a life story, customarily deals with a heroine\'s or hero\'s development. The process of developmental is in most cases understood in terms of education; hence it often begins in the heroine\'s or hero\'s youth and talks about a period of many years. Furthermore, it shows the relationship of this growth with the influential surroundings confronted by the heroine or hero (Sunita Singhal).