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23. Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1881)

  • Martin Klepper
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Handbook of the American Novel of the Nineteenth Century
This chapter is in the book Handbook of the American Novel of the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

Henry James’s novel The Portrait of a Lady is undisputedly one of the masterpieces of literary realism. Realism, in this context, means that the novel explores significant modern themes (a failed marriage, international relations, New Womanhood, psychological reality, the economies of mid-nineteenth century America and England, and dense social relations) and presents them from a variety of clearly defined observational perspectives. The Portrait of a Lady is acclaimed for the visual presentation of its material, which introduces specific spaces as meaningful frames for a more or less tragic plot. This plot is fired by protagonist Isabel Archer’s naivety and idealism and antagonist Gilbert Osmond’s exploitation of the women in his environment. It is also fired by a subtle social and racial position and a conspicuous queering of its figures. Above all, it remains an insightful treatment of fascinating characters and their efforts at observing and penetrating reality.

Abstract

Henry James’s novel The Portrait of a Lady is undisputedly one of the masterpieces of literary realism. Realism, in this context, means that the novel explores significant modern themes (a failed marriage, international relations, New Womanhood, psychological reality, the economies of mid-nineteenth century America and England, and dense social relations) and presents them from a variety of clearly defined observational perspectives. The Portrait of a Lady is acclaimed for the visual presentation of its material, which introduces specific spaces as meaningful frames for a more or less tragic plot. This plot is fired by protagonist Isabel Archer’s naivety and idealism and antagonist Gilbert Osmond’s exploitation of the women in his environment. It is also fired by a subtle social and racial position and a conspicuous queering of its figures. Above all, it remains an insightful treatment of fascinating characters and their efforts at observing and penetrating reality.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Editors’ Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Reading the Nineteenth-Century Novel in the Present: An Introduction 1
  5. Part I
  6. 1. Sentimentalism 17
  7. 2. Romance and Gothic 34
  8. 3. Realism and Naturalism 58
  9. 4. Race and Citizenship 74
  10. 5. Media and Print Culture 91
  11. 6. Transnationalism and Transculturation 108
  12. 7. Nature and Environment 130
  13. Part II
  14. 8. Charles Brockden Brown, Wieland; or, The Transformation. An American Tale (1798) 157
  15. 9. James Fenimore Cooper, The Pioneers, or The Sources of the Susquehanna; a Descriptive Tale (1823) 174
  16. 10. Lydia Maria Child, Hobomok, A Tale of Early Times (1824) 197
  17. 11. Catharine Sedgwick, Hope Leslie, or, Early Times in the Massachusetts (1827) 215
  18. 12. Edgar Allan Poe, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (1838) 230
  19. 13. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) 248
  20. 14. Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (1851) 266
  21. 15. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Or, Life Among the Lowly (1852) 281
  22. 16. William Wells Brown, Clotel; or the President’s Daughter (1853) 298
  23. 17. John Rollin Ridge, The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit (1854) 315
  24. 18. Martin Delany, Blake; Or, the Huts of America (1859–1862) 338
  25. 19. Elizabeth Stoddard, The Morgesons (1862) 358
  26. 20. John William De Forest, Miss Ravenel’s Conversion From Secession To Loyalty (1867) 378
  27. 21. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1868) 399
  28. 22. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, The Silent Partner (1871) 418
  29. 23. Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1881) 434
  30. 24. Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) 455
  31. 25. Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward 2000–1887 (1888) 474
  32. 26. William Dean Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890) 490
  33. 27. Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage (1895) 508
  34. 28. Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896) 525
  35. 29. Kate Chopin, The Awakening (1899) 543
  36. Index 559
  37. List of Contributors 575
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110481327-024

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Editors’ Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Reading the Nineteenth-Century Novel in the Present: An Introduction 1
  5. Part I
  6. 1. Sentimentalism 17
  7. 2. Romance and Gothic 34
  8. 3. Realism and Naturalism 58
  9. 4. Race and Citizenship 74
  10. 5. Media and Print Culture 91
  11. 6. Transnationalism and Transculturation 108
  12. 7. Nature and Environment 130
  13. Part II
  14. 8. Charles Brockden Brown, Wieland; or, The Transformation. An American Tale (1798) 157
  15. 9. James Fenimore Cooper, The Pioneers, or The Sources of the Susquehanna; a Descriptive Tale (1823) 174
  16. 10. Lydia Maria Child, Hobomok, A Tale of Early Times (1824) 197
  17. 11. Catharine Sedgwick, Hope Leslie, or, Early Times in the Massachusetts (1827) 215
  18. 12. Edgar Allan Poe, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (1838) 230
  19. 13. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) 248
  20. 14. Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (1851) 266
  21. 15. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Or, Life Among the Lowly (1852) 281
  22. 16. William Wells Brown, Clotel; or the President’s Daughter (1853) 298
  23. 17. John Rollin Ridge, The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit (1854) 315
  24. 18. Martin Delany, Blake; Or, the Huts of America (1859–1862) 338
  25. 19. Elizabeth Stoddard, The Morgesons (1862) 358
  26. 20. John William De Forest, Miss Ravenel’s Conversion From Secession To Loyalty (1867) 378
  27. 21. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1868) 399
  28. 22. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, The Silent Partner (1871) 418
  29. 23. Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1881) 434
  30. 24. Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) 455
  31. 25. Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward 2000–1887 (1888) 474
  32. 26. William Dean Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890) 490
  33. 27. Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage (1895) 508
  34. 28. Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896) 525
  35. 29. Kate Chopin, The Awakening (1899) 543
  36. Index 559
  37. List of Contributors 575
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