Henry James-The portrait of a lady

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 fictional Isabel is an independent woman who knows her own mind. Yet she acquiesces to
marriage and suffers failure and disillusionment. Marriage particularly for nineteenth century
women determined their lifestyle and shaped their identity. Isabel accepts that for her, ‘Marriage
meant that a woman should cleave to the man with whom……. She had stood at the altar.(The
Portrait of a Lady p.575

Women in nineteenth century society were expected to lead passive lives, usually in a domestic
or nurturing role within marriage. Turning down two advantageous offers of marriage, Isabel
wants to travel and see life. She does not wish to be confined by the establishment as represented
by Lord Warburton or by the wealthy, American industrialist, Goodwood.
he visionary Isabel feels free from the encumbrances of society and thinks a person is not
represented by their belongings, disagreeing with Madame Merle that ‘we’re each of us made up
of some cluster of appurtenances’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.223).

Her freedom of expression and ideas becomes constrained as her acquaintance with Osmond
develops and she feels deprived ‘of all disposition to put herself forward’ (The Portrait of a Lady
p. 279). Interacting with overlapping European societies adding to the mystery and difficulties,
Isabel refuses to listen to advise from Ralph. Manipulated, overwhelmed and believing
Osmond’s knowledge superior to her own, Isabel marries him, not realizing that Osmond
embellishes his life by collecting art treasures and is adding the wealthy Isabel to his collection.
Her oppressed position is mirrored by her growing isolation and loneliness.

sabel searches for her sexuality which empowers but imprisons her. She lives in a male
dominated society that defines the double standards of sexual morality. Isabel is given financial
freedom usually enjoyed by men. Her aunt tells Isabel that she is ‘as free as the bird on the
bough’ because ‘property erects a kind of barrier’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.242).

Yet Isabel’s inheritance becomes her ‘burden’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.458); wanting ‘to do
something finely appreciable with her money’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.459) she marries a ‘man
with the best taste in the world’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.458) in order to give it to him.
Ultimately her marriage is an entrapment. When she finds herself in an unhappy marriage, she
knows she has not used her inheritance wisely.

Isabel fails to see that the man she loves wants to control her totally and believes ‘she had too
many ideas and that she must get rid of them’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.460).
To defy Osmond in order to visit her dying cousin gives Isabel a moral dilemma. A married
woman was supposed to obey and Osmond clearly states ‘If you leave Rome today it will be a
piece of the most deliberate, the most calculated, opposition.’ (The Portrait of a Lady p.570).

She leaves anyway as Osmond becomes the traditional gothic villain. She recognizes Osmond
‘had put the lights out one by one’ and ‘the shadows had begun to gather’ ( The Portrait of a
Lady p.456). Using the architecture metaphor that runs through the book, Henry likens Osmond’s
personality to ‘the house of darkness, the house of dumbness, the house of suffocation’ (The
Portrait of a Lady p.461).

The use of gothic conveys the male tyranny and female helplessness that could exist within a
nineteenth century marriage. A sense of menace emphasises the position of female confinement
within marriage. When Isabel decides not to take Goodwood’s offer of escape and returns to
Rome, the gothic villain, Osmond, is defeated.

The gothic convention is a panic stricken heroine fleeing from the enemy but in James’ book, it
is Isabel fleeing from rescue. James unites the gothic theme with Isabel’s new awareness that she
has at last found herself - the strong , independent woman she been looking for.