Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... The Portrait of a Lady (1881)by Henry
Work InformationThe Portrait of a Lady by Henry James (1881)
» 69 more Unread books (18) Favourite Books (159) 501 Must-Read Books (84) Female Protagonist (36) 20th Century Literature (122) Favorite Long Books (56) Books Read in 2022 (81) A Novel Cure (65) Books Set in Italy (41) 1,001 BYMRBYD Concensus (127) Best Love Stories (22) Top Five Books of 2022 (210) Five star books (292) Well-Educated Mind (16) Art of Reading (21) AP Lit (9) Out of Copyright (43) Elegant Prose (13) Books Read in 2021 (992) Read (23) One Book, Many Authors (138) Modernism (41) The Greatest Books (21) Victorian Period (25) Best First Lines (71) 1880s (1) Books Read in 2023 (4,589) 19th Century (166) Europe (170) Books Read in 2011 (106) SHOULD Read Books! (110) Realism (8) Americans Abroad (4) Books I want to read (21) Tagged 19th Century (36) Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. A very slow read, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story builds very slowly, but in the interim, several characters are developed fully with psychology and motivations. As complex a character as Isabel (the lady) was, she was also one of the simplest to understand. Those in her orbit were harder nuts to crack. A very satisfying read, but not one to rush through. I spent the better part of two months reading it and that was a good pace to embrace the characters as they are slowly revealed. ( ) I'm glad I finally got around to reading James, even if it was through a prompt in a mystery novel. I wish I'd known Isabel Archer when I was younger; not that we're alike, but that I could have learned some lessons from her. What a fascinating character study. Unfortunately I've met too many Osmonds in my time... Did you ever meet a character so charming and fun that you wished you knew them in real life? I would have liked to pal around with Isabel Archer, American heiress and orphan. When her father dies, Isabel makes the journey to visit her aunt, Mrs. Touchett. Despite being outspoken and extremely independent, Isabel makes fast friends with her European cousin, Ralph, an older woman named Mrs. Merle and a few eligible bachelors who express an interest in Isabel. Everyone bores Isabel until she meets dashing suitor, Gilbert Osmond. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what she saw in him. Ignoring the warnings of her family and friends, Isabel throws caution to the wind and marries Mr. Osmond, only to discover he control over her is fueled by jealousy and greed. When he forbids her to see her dying cousin, I just about lost my mind. Who does that? Obviously, this is not the end of the story, but The Portrait of a Lady is a classic so you know what happens next. This book is a character study about a woman who comes into money and values her freedom, but ironically chooses a husband who marries for money and limits her freedom. It uses travel and social gatherings as plot devices to further develop the characters. It was published in 1881, so be prepared for lengthy sentences written in the style of a past era. Makes me glad I didn't live back then.
The Portrait of a Lady is entirely successful in giving one the sense of having met somebody far too radiantly good for this world. Belongs to Publisher SeriesThe Bodley Head Henry James (Volume V) — 18 more dtv (14454) Penguin Clothbound Classics (2014) Penguin English Library, 2012 series (2012-12) Penguin Modern Classics (1921) The World's Classics (509) Is contained inHas the (non-series) sequelHas the adaptationIs abridged inHas as a studyHas as a supplementHas as a commentary on the textHas as a student's study guideNotable Lists
Classic Literature.
Fiction.
HTML: The Portrait of a Lady is perhaps Henry James' greatest novel. It tells the story of Isabel Archer, a young American heiress who "affronts her destiny". Dealing with one of James' recurrent themes, the American in Europe, and the differences between the two cultures, The Portrait of a Lady is a tale of the conspiracy to separate Isabel from her fortune and the value of autonomy and accountability. .No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.4Literature English (North America) American fiction Later 19th Century 1861-1900LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. Penguin Australia2 editions of this book were published by Penguin Australia. Editions: 0141441267, 0141199121 Tantor MediaAn edition of this book was published by Tantor Media. |