Other editions of book The Portrait of a Lady

I have always fondly remembered a remark that I heard fall years ago from the lips of Ivan Turgenev in regard to his own experience of the usual origin of the fictive picture. It began for him almost always with the vision of some person or persons, who hovered before him, soliciting him, as the active or passive figure, interesting him and appealing to him just as they were and by what they were. He saw them, in that fashion, as disponibles, saw them subject to the chances, the complications of existence, and saw them vividly, but then had to find for them the right relations, those that would most bring them out; to imagine, to invent and select and piece together the situations most useful and favorable to the sense of the creatures themselves, the complications they would be most likely to produce and to feel. "To arrive at these things is to arrive at my 'story,'" he said, "and that's the way I look for it. The result is that I'm often accused of not having 'story' enough. I seem to myself to have as much as I need -- to show my people, to exhibit their relations with each other; for that is all my measure. If I watch them long enough I see them come together, I see them PLACED, I see them engaged in this or that act and in this or that difficulty. How they look and move and speak and behave, always in the setting I have found for them, is my account of them -- of which I dare say, alas, QUE CELA MANQUE SOUVENT D'ARCHITECTURE. But I would rather, I think, have too little architecture than too much -- when there's danger of its interfering with my measure of the truth. The French of course like more of it than I give -- having by their own genius such a hand for it; and indeed one must give all one can. As for the origin of one's wind-blown germs themselves, who shall say, as you ask, where THEY come from?" -- Henry James

Considered one of the most prolific author of his time, Henry James is, first and foremost a realist – aiming to create stories that can be as easily identifiable by his readers as possible. The Portrait of a Lady is, without a doubt, one of James' most popular and well-received novels, even among modern readers. Focusing on the life of a young American woman known by the name of Isobel Archer, the novel depicts her journey through Britain and Europe, as well as her interaction with European society and her struggle to battle its tendency to restrict her freedom.After the death of her father, Isobel is initially invited to London by her aunt, Lydia Touchett. At the estate, she meets the rest of her family and draws the attention of Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood, both of whom extend their marriage proposal to the young lady. Unwilling to relinquish her freedom, Isobel declines both offers, and later sets out to travel through Europe. Her freedom is far from being kept safe, however, as she is soon found in a challenging situation that requires her to use her full strength of character in order to navigate through it.Henry James rises to new heights in this novel, as he uses familiar techniques to bring focus on the main character and her unique perspective. The narrative converges on Isobel, without, however, ignoring any of the other characters. A complex plot line, intelligent dialogues and characters whose psychological dimension defies any concept of predictability, are just a few of the outstanding elements that James uses to “paint” his novel into an inescapably fascinating and thrilling tale.Even readers from the modern age will be completely captivated by the strong heroine, whose strength and discernment are melded with several remarkably human qualities. Join Isobel in her journeys and pursuits throughout The Portrait of a Lady – a novel still considered by many to be one of the best ever written.

Following the death of her father, Isabel Archer leaves the comforts of Albany, New York to stay with her aunt Lydia Touchett at her London estate. There she meets Lydia’s rich husband, David, her cousin Ralph, and the Touchetts’s proud neighbor, Lord Warburton. Soon, too, come marriage proposals from Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood, the son of a wealthy mill owner. Although Isabel declines both offers, she eventually gives her hand to Gilbert Osmond, an American ex-pat in Florence.

Civility and society come head to head in Henry James’ seminal work.The heroine of this powerful novel is the spirited young American Isabel Archer. Blessed by nature and fortune, she journeys to Europe to seek her future, but what she finds may prove to be her undoing. She is courted by three men: an English aristocrat, an American gentleman, and a sensitive expatriate. Her invalid cousin becomes her benefactor and adviser.But it is after the ingenuous Isabel falls prey to the schemes of an infinitely more sophisticated older woman that her life takes shape. Rich in character and the interplay of tensions, The Portrait of a Lady is a brilliant, timeless, and essential American novel.This novel is part of Brilliance Audio's extensive Classic Collection, bringing you timeless masterpieces that you and your family are sure to love.

How is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Illustrated About The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James The Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880–81 and then as a book in 1881. It is one of James's most popular long novels, and is regarded by critics as one of his finest. The Portrait of a Lady is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who in "affronting her destiny", finds it overwhelming. She inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes the victim of Machiavellian scheming by two American expatriates. Like many of James's novels, it is set in Europe, mostly England and Italy. Generally regarded as the masterpiece of James's early period, this novel reflects James's continuing interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former. It also treats in a profound way the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, and betrayal.

Beautiful, spirited Isabel Archer, an American heiress newly arrived in Europe, is widely expected to quickly marry. But Isabel does not look to a man to furnish her with destiny; instead she desires, with grace and courage, to find it herself. Two eligible suitors are refused in favor of her pursuit of glorious independence. But then, Isabel becomes utterly captivated by the languid charms of the cunning Gilbert Osmond. To him, she represents a superior prize to be won; through him, she faces a tragic choice. A subtle and poignant psychological novel of love and betrayal, The Portrait of a Lady is widely considered to be James' masterpiece. F.R. Leavis declared that "we can't ask for a finer exhibition of James' peculiar gifts."