The Portrait of a Lady
- Author Henry James
- Narrator Wanda McCaddon
- Publisher Craig Black
- Publish Date 3 December 2007
- Run Time 22 hours and 50 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Classic fiction.
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What to expect
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."
Critics Review
u201cRichly perceptive.u201d
u201cHow did this nineteenth-century male writer create Isabel Archer, one of thenmost intriguing women characters in all of literature, capturing her journeynfrom buoyant but nau00efve girl to wiser, more compassionate grown-up? Henry Jamesnwas an American-born genius, in love with Europe, and fascinated by theninteraction of the Old World (Europe) and the New (America). Where thesensensibilities clashed, James found drama, wisdom, tenderness. Few write aboutnthe path from openhearted to slightly more seasoned than this master stylist.u201d
u201cThis book isnu2019t about the disappointments that inhere in the traditional marriage plot. Itu2019s about what a woman does when she begins to acknowledge her own complicity in the life she has chosenu2026Isabel shows us that our bad decisions do not end our story. They begin it.u201d
“The masterpiece of the first phase of James's career…offers a shrewd appraisal of the American character and embodies the national myth of freedom and equality hedged with historical blindness and pride.”
u201cIsabel Archeru2026is an impressive figure, and one follows her in her free flight with so much admiration for her resolution and strong pinions that when she is caught in the meshes of Osmondu2019s net oneu2019s indignation is moved, and a noble pity takes the place of frank admiration.u201d
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