The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James is a literary realism novel centering on Isabel Archer, a spirited young American woman who inherits a fortune and travels to Europe in pursuit of independence and self-discovery. Initially rejecting marriage proposals from suitors like Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood to preserve her freedom, Isabel is drawn into a union with the manipulative Gilbert Osmond through the influence of the scheming Madame Merle. The story explores her disillusionment in an unhappy marriage, delving into themes of personal choice, betrayal, the clash between American innocence and European corruption, and the constraints on women’s autonomy in the late 19th century.