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5.0 out of 5 stars A young American woman's visit to Europe in the late 19th Century and her trip to self-discovery.
Sydney M. WilliamsThe Portrait of a Lady, 1908, Henry James (1843-1916)February 16, 2025“I’m very fond of my liberty.”Isabel speakingThe Portrait of a Lady, Henry JamesI like to read but am no expert on literature. Nevertheless, in my opinion, this novel ranks with Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. The title is interesting, as we learn about Isabel Archer, because a person is more than an artist’s rendition. In the last few pages, Isabel slips from the frame we had thought enclosed her. Writing the “Introduction” to the Oxford Word’s Classic edition, Professor Roger Luckhurst concludes: “From this busted frame Isabel evades final determination, and James leads us toward the era of the modern novel.”The story opens at Gardencourt, an early Tudor mansion on the Thames, about 40 miles west of London, home to the American expatriate Daniel Touchett, his wife Lydia and their sickly son Ralph. Lydia Touchett had visited her sisters in Albany, New York and returns with her niece, Isabel Archer, who is in her early 20s. She displays “a great deal of confidence,” is “slim and charming, and “unexpectedly pretty.” She is a breath of fresh air in an English society locked in a class struggle. It is significant that her first marriage proposal in England comes from Lord Warburton whose home Lockleigh, with its 50,000 acres, is adjacent to Gardencourt. She rejects him on the basis that she wants to be free, to see more of life, just as she had earlier rejected Casper Goodwood, an old flame from the U.S., a suitor who reappears in the story.The scene shifts to Florence and then Rome, where most of the story takes place. In Florence, she meets the impoverished, deceptive American ex-patriate Gilbert Osmond – an older man, with a beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Pansy, who has been schooled by Catholic nuns – and the duplicitous Madame Merle who serves as nemesis to Isabel. At first the two women are thrown together, and the naïve Isabel opens up to her. “Sometimes she [Isabel] took alarm at her candour: it was as if she had given to a comparative stranger the key to her cabinet of jewels.” Once Madame Merle convinces Osmond he should marry the heiress Isabel, she goes to work on Isabel. Isabel marries Osmond, but as time progresses, she is unhappy and realizes Madame Merle does not have her interests: “She carried her flag discreetly, but her weapons were polished steel, and she used them with a skill which struck Isabel as more and more that of a veteran.”Roughly five years pass from Isabel’s arrival in England until her return alone to Gardencourt to see her dying cousin. It is Ralph who advises Isabel: “Take things more easily…Don’t question your conscience so much…Spread your wings; rise above the ground. It’s never wrong to do that.” She had spread her wings in Florence, then found herself in an uncomfortable nest. She knows she does not belong in her marriage nest and senses wisdom in her dying cousin’s words.James does not tell the reader how Isabel’s search ends, what the finished portrait looks like. But then, do any of us know how our stories will end? We suspect Isabel is wiser, and we also know she is both loyal and fond of liberty. Will she return to her husband in Florence, go back to the U.S. and marry Casper, or will she continue to travel, to investigate, to learn more about herself? We don’t know. It is an unfinished portrait.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good books
Nice quality books
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Educational
If you need a brain exercise, and wish to expand your knowledge of Victorian writers, this is a good book.However, if you read on the level of a 8th or 9th grader, don't choose this book. It is typical of the erain which it was written. I appreciated the glossary in the back to explain archaic words and phrases.The story is about an American woman who is taken to England by an aunt after her parents aredeceased. She is blessed to receive a large sum of money that enables her to live "free," or sheso believes. She eventually learns differently. It doesn't end the way books of today would, but verymuch typical of that time and era. It made me realize how much attitudes have changed in the past100 years.
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the most stunning novels ever written
If you adore fine writing, deep characterization, a story that does not offer up easy answers...and one that sets the tone for fine endings in a modern sensibility...read this novel...James sympathized with women and their dilemmas in a world that offered few options...and opens a window to the soul's yearnings for more....
5.0 out of 5 stars An English master at work
Henry James uses his mastery of the English language to parse out intimate human nature and regret. Profound and memorable.
3.0 out of 5 stars Earlier work from James with poor character development
This work is considered to be part of the essential canon of Western literature. Yet, if feels like an unpolished work from a young writer. It is possible that James was still a writer in progress when he wrote Portrait of a Lady.Though he had a great writing style, very few of the protagonists are fully developed in this novel. The thought process and the decisions of the key players are not explained. Why did Isabel ever choose Osmond, the least attractive option? Why did she return to him, supposedly? Osmod and Madame Merle maintain a secretive, complicated relationship which is the nail on which everything hangs. Even in the nineteenth century, it is unlikely that people behaved this way or could be manipulated this easily.If you are new to Henry James, you are better off starting with The Ambassadors or the Golden Bowl.
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice edition.
What a great novel! Start here if you're reading Henry James. Oxford uses the New York edition, which I prefer, and is good in the notes about signaling some of the more significant change that James made in his revisions.
1.0 out of 5 stars Defective File!
The book starts jumping to footnotes at about 50%. I was reading this on a Galaxy Note 10 with latest Kindle reader. Somewhere near 50% through the book, tapping to move to the next page took me to a footnote. Tapping again --> another footnote. Scrolling forward using the little scrollbar, I found some more regular text, but skipped unknonw number of pages in the process.Most classic novels are available for free elsewhere. I purchased this so I could count on the quality of the digital conversion. Now I am out the money (too late for a refund) and have to find the book elsewhere. I'll probably forget it. I think Henry James is pretty boring. I assume that's why this error was not discivered before.
The greatest English novel of the nineteenth century
This is Henry James’ masterpiece. An exquisite story of a doomed marriage; the scene between Isabel and Ralph near the end is one of the very great scenes in all literature. I cannot recommend this novel too highly and the Oxford edition has a good introduction and helpful notes.
Quelle belle écriture
L anglais bien écrit de cette période. La tournure des phrases comme on les a appris à l ecole et non pas comme on les dit au quotidien. Quelle érudition.
Bella edizione
Bella edizione
Free on the kindle
Heard this book is really good
Quick delivery
Good
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Visit the Oxford University Press Store
The Portrait of a Lady (Oxford World's Classics)
BHD1038
Quantity:
Order today to get by
Free delivery on orders over BHD 20
Imported From: United States
At bolo.bh, we stand behind the authenticity and quality of every product we sell. We guarantee that all items offered on our website are 100% genuine, sourced directly from authorized distributors, trusted partners, or the original brands themselves.
We do not sell counterfeit, replica, or unauthorized goods. Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support . We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, including images, descriptions, and reviews, is provided by third-party vendors. bolo.bh is not responsible for any claims, promotions, or representations made within product content or images. For more accurate or detailed product information, please contact the manufacturer directly or reach out to Bolo Support.
Unless otherwise stated during checkout, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
bolo.bh operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of Bahrain. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in Bahrain are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Review:
5.0 out of 5 stars A young American woman's visit to Europe in the late 19th Century and her trip to self-discovery.
Sydney M. WilliamsThe Portrait of a Lady, 1908, Henry James (1843-1916)February 16, 2025“I’m very fond of my liberty.”Isabel speakingThe Portrait of a Lady, Henry JamesI like to read but am no expert on literature. Nevertheless, in my opinion, this novel ranks with Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. The title is interesting, as we learn about Isabel Archer, because a person is more than an artist’s rendition. In the last few pages, Isabel slips from the frame we had thought enclosed her. Writing the “Introduction” to the Oxford Word’s Classic edition, Professor Roger Luckhurst concludes: “From this busted frame Isabel evades final determination, and James leads us toward the era of the modern novel.”The story opens at Gardencourt, an early Tudor mansion on the Thames, about 40 miles west of London, home to the American expatriate Daniel Touchett, his wife Lydia and their sickly son Ralph. Lydia Touchett had visited her sisters in Albany, New York and returns with her niece, Isabel Archer, who is in her early 20s. She displays “a great deal of confidence,” is “slim and charming, and “unexpectedly pretty.” She is a breath of fresh air in an English society locked in a class struggle. It is significant that her first marriage proposal in England comes from Lord Warburton whose home Lockleigh, with its 50,000 acres, is adjacent to Gardencourt. She rejects him on the basis that she wants to be free, to see more of life, just as she had earlier rejected Casper Goodwood, an old flame from the U.S., a suitor who reappears in the story.The scene shifts to Florence and then Rome, where most of the story takes place. In Florence, she meets the impoverished, deceptive American ex-patriate Gilbert Osmond – an older man, with a beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Pansy, who has been schooled by Catholic nuns – and the duplicitous Madame Merle who serves as nemesis to Isabel. At first the two women are thrown together, and the naïve Isabel opens up to her. “Sometimes she [Isabel] took alarm at her candour: it was as if she had given to a comparative stranger the key to her cabinet of jewels.” Once Madame Merle convinces Osmond he should marry the heiress Isabel, she goes to work on Isabel. Isabel marries Osmond, but as time progresses, she is unhappy and realizes Madame Merle does not have her interests: “She carried her flag discreetly, but her weapons were polished steel, and she used them with a skill which struck Isabel as more and more that of a veteran.”Roughly five years pass from Isabel’s arrival in England until her return alone to Gardencourt to see her dying cousin. It is Ralph who advises Isabel: “Take things more easily…Don’t question your conscience so much…Spread your wings; rise above the ground. It’s never wrong to do that.” She had spread her wings in Florence, then found herself in an uncomfortable nest. She knows she does not belong in her marriage nest and senses wisdom in her dying cousin’s words.James does not tell the reader how Isabel’s search ends, what the finished portrait looks like. But then, do any of us know how our stories will end? We suspect Isabel is wiser, and we also know she is both loyal and fond of liberty. Will she return to her husband in Florence, go back to the U.S. and marry Casper, or will she continue to travel, to investigate, to learn more about herself? We don’t know. It is an unfinished portrait.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good books
Nice quality books
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Educational
If you need a brain exercise, and wish to expand your knowledge of Victorian writers, this is a good book.However, if you read on the level of a 8th or 9th grader, don't choose this book. It is typical of the erain which it was written. I appreciated the glossary in the back to explain archaic words and phrases.The story is about an American woman who is taken to England by an aunt after her parents aredeceased. She is blessed to receive a large sum of money that enables her to live "free," or sheso believes. She eventually learns differently. It doesn't end the way books of today would, but verymuch typical of that time and era. It made me realize how much attitudes have changed in the past100 years.
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the most stunning novels ever written
If you adore fine writing, deep characterization, a story that does not offer up easy answers...and one that sets the tone for fine endings in a modern sensibility...read this novel...James sympathized with women and their dilemmas in a world that offered few options...and opens a window to the soul's yearnings for more....
5.0 out of 5 stars An English master at work
Henry James uses his mastery of the English language to parse out intimate human nature and regret. Profound and memorable.
3.0 out of 5 stars Earlier work from James with poor character development
This work is considered to be part of the essential canon of Western literature. Yet, if feels like an unpolished work from a young writer. It is possible that James was still a writer in progress when he wrote Portrait of a Lady.Though he had a great writing style, very few of the protagonists are fully developed in this novel. The thought process and the decisions of the key players are not explained. Why did Isabel ever choose Osmond, the least attractive option? Why did she return to him, supposedly? Osmod and Madame Merle maintain a secretive, complicated relationship which is the nail on which everything hangs. Even in the nineteenth century, it is unlikely that people behaved this way or could be manipulated this easily.If you are new to Henry James, you are better off starting with The Ambassadors or the Golden Bowl.
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice edition.
What a great novel! Start here if you're reading Henry James. Oxford uses the New York edition, which I prefer, and is good in the notes about signaling some of the more significant change that James made in his revisions.
1.0 out of 5 stars Defective File!
The book starts jumping to footnotes at about 50%. I was reading this on a Galaxy Note 10 with latest Kindle reader. Somewhere near 50% through the book, tapping to move to the next page took me to a footnote. Tapping again --> another footnote. Scrolling forward using the little scrollbar, I found some more regular text, but skipped unknonw number of pages in the process.Most classic novels are available for free elsewhere. I purchased this so I could count on the quality of the digital conversion. Now I am out the money (too late for a refund) and have to find the book elsewhere. I'll probably forget it. I think Henry James is pretty boring. I assume that's why this error was not discivered before.
The greatest English novel of the nineteenth century
This is Henry James’ masterpiece. An exquisite story of a doomed marriage; the scene between Isabel and Ralph near the end is one of the very great scenes in all literature. I cannot recommend this novel too highly and the Oxford edition has a good introduction and helpful notes.
Quelle belle écriture
L anglais bien écrit de cette période. La tournure des phrases comme on les a appris à l ecole et non pas comme on les dit au quotidien. Quelle érudition.
Bella edizione
Bella edizione
Free on the kindle
Heard this book is really good
Quick delivery
Good
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Coming of Age”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.bh/products/U0199217947