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wynter 's review for:
The Portrait of a Lady
by Henry James
Having tried Henry James a decade ago and found his writing really dense, I approached A Portrait of a Lady with trepidation. Oh yes, this novel was just as wordy, but this time I had a much greater appreciation for the amazing use of language on James's part. His descriptions dragged, but whenever his characters interacted with brilliant humour and wit, or passionate discussions about life, his writing breathed with joy. I loved the colourful Mrs. Touchett, Henrietta, and Countess Gemini, who added the much needed spunk, frankness, and wickedness that the usual Victorian heroines often lacked.
I think a lot of modern women will find a bit of Isabel Archer in themselves. The Lady of this novel is smart, independent, and impossibly young. While I found myself relating to her idealism and desires for things in life beyond marriage, I think her character cannot be fully appreciated until one has matured past her foolish youth to put these ideals in perspective. She can hardly be blamed for her self-righteousness and naïveté, as we've all once thought ourselves all-knowing. It is only with age that we realise how much we have yet to learn.
I did not think Isabel made a right choice in the end, but it is almost as if she had surrendered herself to the fate she made. It is too bad, because I hoped she learned that nothing was set in stone.
I think a lot of modern women will find a bit of Isabel Archer in themselves. The Lady of this novel is smart, independent, and impossibly young. While I found myself relating to her idealism and desires for things in life beyond marriage, I think her character cannot be fully appreciated until one has matured past her foolish youth to put these ideals in perspective. She can hardly be blamed for her self-righteousness and naïveté, as we've all once thought ourselves all-knowing. It is only with age that we realise how much we have yet to learn.
I did not think Isabel made a right choice in the end, but it is almost as if she had surrendered herself to the fate she made. It is too bad, because I hoped she learned that nothing was set in stone.