The Portrait of a Lady is regarded as Henry James’ s finest work of psychological realism. The novel is an eloquent work of literature realizing the distance between happiness and money.
Set in Europe, The Portrait of a Lady is the story of a beautiful, strong-willed young American woman, Isabel Archer, who upon her father’ s death is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Mrs Touchett. It is assumed that Isabela will soon marry, but instead the penniless girl inherits a large amount of money and chooses to enjoy her freedom. She turns down two eligible suitors but eventually gets drawn to Gilbert Osmond. Osmond is cultured, charming and a fortune hunter and sees Isabella as a trophy to be coveted . . . .
Would Isabella leave Osmond on realizing his decadence or would she succumb to her destiny. With this story of intense heartbreak, Henry James created one of his most brilliant and timeless heroines.
