The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

I’m going to start by making a particularly dry comment about how appropriate the title is. I think about book titles a lot, and especially appreciate Wendy Holden’s puns (Fame Fatale? Pastures Nouveaux?). But here, The Portrait of Lady was everything which the title suggests. This novel has all the grace of both ladies and portraits; James’ writing is sensitive and precise, and I couldn’t have wished for anything more.

Because, Isabel Archer, you had me at ‘hello’.

Of course, I’ll always love a protagonist who (almost) shares my name. Isabel Archer is indeed the ‘lady’ of the title – say what you want about the Americans (something about the systematic slaughter of Native Americans, or lack of conscience about Puerto Rico? or is that too close to the bone?), but Archer is beautiful and intelligent and has suitors falling at her feet. She is ‘rescued’ from a dreary American existence by Aunt Lydia Touchett, a woman of few words but huge action, and taken first to Gardencourt (think Longleat on steroids), and on to Europe. But the people that Isabel meets have a far more powerful effect on her life than originally believed – Isabel goes on, and on, about how she values her independence – and she makes what the blurb describes as ‘one disastrous error of judgement’, and the ensuing events are ‘genuinely tragic’.

I am always sceptical when I see something being described as ‘tragic’. Medea is tragic. Othello is tragic. But this? I wasn’t really certain until halfway through, when said error of judgement occurs and just !!! I sort of sensed the run-up to it, in the same way my cat knows when I have to de-worm him so just buggers off. It’s a shame that Isabel Archer didn’t sense it either (the phrase ‘love is blind’ works in more ways than one), but I guess without it, we wouldn’t have the novel or the weepy ending which tore at all two of my heartstrings.

The strength of The Portrait of a Lady is (apart from Henry James’ writing, which is the literary equivalent of sheets with a 600 thread count – simultaneously practical and luxurious) the characterisation. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Isabel Archer, but the other characters are similarly appealing. There’s Ralph Touchett, Isabel’s cousin (ill, but witty and highly lovable), the dashingly English Lord Warburton, literary lady of letters Henrietta Stackpole and, perhaps most importantly of all, Madame Merle and Gilbert Osmond. I’m not going to say too much about these two, because to do so would remove the ‘Isabel what have you DONE’ shock factor, but  (¬_¬)…

In all, this is a wonderful book which spans a couple of continents and has a lot of heartbreak. It’s a study in independence, love, femininity, power, and all the assorted baggage which comes with a newly rich woman who values her liberty but is also susceptible to a pretty face and smooth platitudes. And if you’re not into that stuff, then there’s also some death and some tragedy and the adorable Mr Bantling, or just read it for Henry James alone. It’s so good, I’m considering trying The Turn of the Screw again.

(honestly, I think The Portrait of a Lady is the classic which I’ve enjoyed most of all this year)

Have you read ‘The Portrait of a Lady’, or anything else by Henry James? want to recommend any other books with female protagonists? let me know!!