Portrait of a Lady
By: Henry James
Summary:
In this novel Portrait of a Lady an independent young woman named Isabel Archer meets many men who fall in love with her. The first man is one named Caspar Goodwood. He is powerful and rich but she rejects him because she fears that she would lose all independence that she had if she were to marry him. Isabel’s father dies soon after (her mother died when she was young) and her Aunt Mrs. Touchett comes to visit and convinces Isabel to move to Europe with her. When they arrive in England Isabel’s cousin Ralph is dying and a Lord Warburton falls in love with her. She rejects Warburton for the same reasons she rejected Goodwood, for her sake of independence and freedom. Isabel’s friend Henrietta arranges for Goodwood to meet Isabel once again and he is rejected now as well by Isabel the same way as before. Mr. Touchett leaves his fortune to Isabel after she has had such a great impact on him through her personality and knowing him for the short time that she did. When Isabel inherits the money Mrs. Touchett’s friend Madame Merle takes a sudden interest in Isabel. These two become very good friends and Gilbert Osmond is introduced to Isabel now. Merle and Osmond have a secret relationship with each other that turns out to be a romance and despite everyone’s dis approval, Isabel marries Osmond before finding this out. Pansy is actually Osmond and Merle’s child and the mother claimed to be Pansy’s is really not. Isabel has the choice to run away with Goodwood or stay with Osmond and she decides to stay with Osmond because of her social and wifely duties that she has committed to instead of being happy.
Important Characters:
Isabel Archer- Isabel Archer is the lady in the story as well as its protagonist. She is twenty years old from New York and soon becomes a woman of her own. Isabel took on her role of independence after her mother died and she took care of herself and father. Her independence was something of a rare form at this time which made her very different from other women. Isabel shows the theme of the importance of putting yourself before others. Isabel faces the choice of being happy or staying with a man that makes her miserable and doesn’t love her. Isabel endures through many hardships as well as marriage issues as her relationship with her husband was a lie. In the end, Isabel chooses to stay with her marriage and returns to Rome with Osmond instead of doing what she wants with her free and independent spirit showing the true message and obstacles of a woman with two options and having to choose which decision is the right one.
Gilbert Osmond- Gilbert Osmond is an art collector from Europe who becomes Isabel’s husband. He doesn’t have any wealth or name to him but is “friends” with Madame Merle, which is how he meets Isabel. Osmond is a cruel man that tricks Isabel into marrying him only to take all of her wealth and show her as a piece of art like the rest of his art pieces. Gilbert likes to control and take advantage of the people around him, including his daughter Pansy and his secret lover Madame Merle. He lies and deceives to use people to show himself off and gain recognition from others. Osmond has a large amount of control over Isabel and doesn’t love her or treat her like a husband should. Osmond is a foil character to Isabel in forcing her to choose her independence or her social status and marriage along with her decision to be happy.
Madame Merle- Madame Merle becomes Isabel’s friend and is the one that convinces her to marry Gilbert Osmond. In is really Osmond’s secret lover but convinces Isabel to marry Osmond so that they could have access to her fortune. Merle is also a character used by Osmond to show how his character can manipulate others and show the evil that he is capable of in taking advantage of others. Merle ultimately betrays Isabel as well as Pansy in her trying to save her relationship with Osmond. Merle becomes close with Isabel as a friend and then turns back on her showing the importance of making sure you know who your friends are and what their intentions are as well.
Setting:
The setting in Portrait of a Lady begins and ends in Gardencourt. This is the Touchett’s family country estate. This place is a reflective and calm place but is also darkened by death of family and people close to the characters such as Ralph. Isabel settles in Florence for a while when staying with her Aunt and then eventually moves to Rome to live with Osmond. These places are nothing like England or America, what Isabel is used to. As her surroundings and settings change around her, so do some of her American and other values that have helped shape her as a person. Rome has made Isabel like a prisoner, even in her own home. She has no freedom from Osmond to do anything if she wanted to while she lives here, making it quite a miserable place to live. Having the feelings of being a prisoner like this could be because she does not have her friends, family, or the familiarity that she is used to. Isabel’s heritage, and having the background of being an American, is constantly re-visited while she is away in other countries to remind us that she is an American and her values are based on such principals. As the settings change Isabel’s life and decisions become more complex and difficult as she grows further away, as a person, from her roots. The setting affects the novel overall relating the geography closely to the characters and the complexity of Isabel’s life as she moves further and further away from her home.
Conflicts:
Man vs self- Isabel has the main conflict of her vs herself. She is a very independent woman who intimidates others, has strong values, and does what she wants. This all changes when Gilbert Osmond arrives in the story. Isabel is in conflict with herself on deciding whether or not she should leave Osmond to be independent and free again, or to be in good standings socially in her society. Isabel has the decision to make, all the while having conflicting feelings on which is right in the eyes of her society or what is right for her. In the end, she chooses the one looked at as right by society and stays with Osmond and sacrifices her happiness and freedom.
Man vs society- When Isabel married Gilbert Osmond she had been deceived and did not know events would go as they did in him using her for her wealth. Isabel was told by society and others around her that Osmond was not the right man for her, but she decided against what they had said and chose a path that would prove to not have been a good one for her. When Isabel considers leaving Osmond and going back to England to Goodwood a new conflict arises for Isabel against society once again. She debates whether being a good wife and staying with her husband is worth sacrificing her freedom and independence as a woman. She understands that society would say to stay with your husband as a wife should and so she does, forgetting her American values and conflicting with herself and old beliefs that have now been pushed aside ever so slightly.
Themes:
1. The main theme seen throughout the story of Portrait of a Lady is independence. Isabel shows that women want to have the right and the choice to make their own decisions and decide for themselves who and what they want to be and do with their lives.
2. Identity is also a major theme in which characters try and discover who they are and what not only themselves, but others truly want or desire in life.
3. Contrasting regions becomes a major theme when Isabel moves countries with her aunt and her values become slightly different. The American and European values are very different from each other and we see this as Isabel starts to change after living in Europe, now having two different backgrounds of values to choose from.
Symbols:
Gardens/flowers/landscapes- Anytime Henry James mentions a garden, flowers, or landscape it is to be looked at carefully and regarded to as a symbol. These all represent the ways that the characters can be changed or “cultivated” like plants and land. Isabel’s character is wild and free, and cannot be controlled by Gardencourt. When she is forced to live with Osmond and the landscape changes to a walled garden with tamed plans and land, her character is a reflection of the land around her.
Art/ objects- Objects obtained as art are a symbol of control and manipulation in this story. Isabel is used as a piece of art by Osmond, only showing her off as he pleases but having no emotional feelings for her. Madame Merle is also used as a tool and an object of ownership by Osmond to use not only her, but Isabel as he pleases.
Architecture- Many of the buildings and homes that the charters stay or live in portray themselves and their relationships throughout the story. Osmond’s house, original in the hills, is like his personality; dark, away from society, and “fascinatingly menacing”.
Image:
(above)
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRyRSiU_DWU
Sources:
"The Portrait of a Lady." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/portraitlady/summary.html>.
"The Portrait of a Lady Setting." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.shmoop.com/portrait-of-a-lady/setting.html>.
"A Literary Odyssey." : Book 122: The Portrait of a Lady and Book Stats. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://aliteraryodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-122-portrait-of-lady-and-book.html>.
"The Portrait of a Lady Trailer." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Mar. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRyRSiU_DWU>.
By: Henry James
Summary:
In this novel Portrait of a Lady an independent young woman named Isabel Archer meets many men who fall in love with her. The first man is one named Caspar Goodwood. He is powerful and rich but she rejects him because she fears that she would lose all independence that she had if she were to marry him. Isabel’s father dies soon after (her mother died when she was young) and her Aunt Mrs. Touchett comes to visit and convinces Isabel to move to Europe with her. When they arrive in England Isabel’s cousin Ralph is dying and a Lord Warburton falls in love with her. She rejects Warburton for the same reasons she rejected Goodwood, for her sake of independence and freedom. Isabel’s friend Henrietta arranges for Goodwood to meet Isabel once again and he is rejected now as well by Isabel the same way as before. Mr. Touchett leaves his fortune to Isabel after she has had such a great impact on him through her personality and knowing him for the short time that she did. When Isabel inherits the money Mrs. Touchett’s friend Madame Merle takes a sudden interest in Isabel. These two become very good friends and Gilbert Osmond is introduced to Isabel now. Merle and Osmond have a secret relationship with each other that turns out to be a romance and despite everyone’s dis approval, Isabel marries Osmond before finding this out. Pansy is actually Osmond and Merle’s child and the mother claimed to be Pansy’s is really not. Isabel has the choice to run away with Goodwood or stay with Osmond and she decides to stay with Osmond because of her social and wifely duties that she has committed to instead of being happy.
Important Characters:
Isabel Archer- Isabel Archer is the lady in the story as well as its protagonist. She is twenty years old from New York and soon becomes a woman of her own. Isabel took on her role of independence after her mother died and she took care of herself and father. Her independence was something of a rare form at this time which made her very different from other women. Isabel shows the theme of the importance of putting yourself before others. Isabel faces the choice of being happy or staying with a man that makes her miserable and doesn’t love her. Isabel endures through many hardships as well as marriage issues as her relationship with her husband was a lie. In the end, Isabel chooses to stay with her marriage and returns to Rome with Osmond instead of doing what she wants with her free and independent spirit showing the true message and obstacles of a woman with two options and having to choose which decision is the right one.
Gilbert Osmond- Gilbert Osmond is an art collector from Europe who becomes Isabel’s husband. He doesn’t have any wealth or name to him but is “friends” with Madame Merle, which is how he meets Isabel. Osmond is a cruel man that tricks Isabel into marrying him only to take all of her wealth and show her as a piece of art like the rest of his art pieces. Gilbert likes to control and take advantage of the people around him, including his daughter Pansy and his secret lover Madame Merle. He lies and deceives to use people to show himself off and gain recognition from others. Osmond has a large amount of control over Isabel and doesn’t love her or treat her like a husband should. Osmond is a foil character to Isabel in forcing her to choose her independence or her social status and marriage along with her decision to be happy.
Madame Merle- Madame Merle becomes Isabel’s friend and is the one that convinces her to marry Gilbert Osmond. In is really Osmond’s secret lover but convinces Isabel to marry Osmond so that they could have access to her fortune. Merle is also a character used by Osmond to show how his character can manipulate others and show the evil that he is capable of in taking advantage of others. Merle ultimately betrays Isabel as well as Pansy in her trying to save her relationship with Osmond. Merle becomes close with Isabel as a friend and then turns back on her showing the importance of making sure you know who your friends are and what their intentions are as well.
Setting:
The setting in Portrait of a Lady begins and ends in Gardencourt. This is the Touchett’s family country estate. This place is a reflective and calm place but is also darkened by death of family and people close to the characters such as Ralph. Isabel settles in Florence for a while when staying with her Aunt and then eventually moves to Rome to live with Osmond. These places are nothing like England or America, what Isabel is used to. As her surroundings and settings change around her, so do some of her American and other values that have helped shape her as a person. Rome has made Isabel like a prisoner, even in her own home. She has no freedom from Osmond to do anything if she wanted to while she lives here, making it quite a miserable place to live. Having the feelings of being a prisoner like this could be because she does not have her friends, family, or the familiarity that she is used to. Isabel’s heritage, and having the background of being an American, is constantly re-visited while she is away in other countries to remind us that she is an American and her values are based on such principals. As the settings change Isabel’s life and decisions become more complex and difficult as she grows further away, as a person, from her roots. The setting affects the novel overall relating the geography closely to the characters and the complexity of Isabel’s life as she moves further and further away from her home.
Conflicts:
Man vs self- Isabel has the main conflict of her vs herself. She is a very independent woman who intimidates others, has strong values, and does what she wants. This all changes when Gilbert Osmond arrives in the story. Isabel is in conflict with herself on deciding whether or not she should leave Osmond to be independent and free again, or to be in good standings socially in her society. Isabel has the decision to make, all the while having conflicting feelings on which is right in the eyes of her society or what is right for her. In the end, she chooses the one looked at as right by society and stays with Osmond and sacrifices her happiness and freedom.
Man vs society- When Isabel married Gilbert Osmond she had been deceived and did not know events would go as they did in him using her for her wealth. Isabel was told by society and others around her that Osmond was not the right man for her, but she decided against what they had said and chose a path that would prove to not have been a good one for her. When Isabel considers leaving Osmond and going back to England to Goodwood a new conflict arises for Isabel against society once again. She debates whether being a good wife and staying with her husband is worth sacrificing her freedom and independence as a woman. She understands that society would say to stay with your husband as a wife should and so she does, forgetting her American values and conflicting with herself and old beliefs that have now been pushed aside ever so slightly.
Themes:
1. The main theme seen throughout the story of Portrait of a Lady is independence. Isabel shows that women want to have the right and the choice to make their own decisions and decide for themselves who and what they want to be and do with their lives.
2. Identity is also a major theme in which characters try and discover who they are and what not only themselves, but others truly want or desire in life.
3. Contrasting regions becomes a major theme when Isabel moves countries with her aunt and her values become slightly different. The American and European values are very different from each other and we see this as Isabel starts to change after living in Europe, now having two different backgrounds of values to choose from.
Symbols:
Gardens/flowers/landscapes- Anytime Henry James mentions a garden, flowers, or landscape it is to be looked at carefully and regarded to as a symbol. These all represent the ways that the characters can be changed or “cultivated” like plants and land. Isabel’s character is wild and free, and cannot be controlled by Gardencourt. When she is forced to live with Osmond and the landscape changes to a walled garden with tamed plans and land, her character is a reflection of the land around her.
Art/ objects- Objects obtained as art are a symbol of control and manipulation in this story. Isabel is used as a piece of art by Osmond, only showing her off as he pleases but having no emotional feelings for her. Madame Merle is also used as a tool and an object of ownership by Osmond to use not only her, but Isabel as he pleases.
Architecture- Many of the buildings and homes that the charters stay or live in portray themselves and their relationships throughout the story. Osmond’s house, original in the hills, is like his personality; dark, away from society, and “fascinatingly menacing”.
Image:
(above)
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRyRSiU_DWU
Sources:
"The Portrait of a Lady." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/portraitlady/summary.html>.
"The Portrait of a Lady Setting." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.shmoop.com/portrait-of-a-lady/setting.html>.
"A Literary Odyssey." : Book 122: The Portrait of a Lady and Book Stats. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://aliteraryodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-122-portrait-of-lady-and-book.html>.
"The Portrait of a Lady Trailer." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Mar. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRyRSiU_DWU>.