Minutes April book: The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

The Portrait of a Lady

by Henry James

(chosen by Fairlie)





I chose this book because it is one of those books I've always meant to get around to, and I knew that by choosing it for Bookclub, I would ensure I finally read it!  I read James' Washington Square a few years ago, and really enjoyed it. It was however, a much smaller book than this one, and I apologised to the Ladies for unknowingly selecting such a weighty book.

One of the reasons I wanted to read it, is that several times over the past few years I've heard other authors refer to it as inspiring their own work, and I liked the idea of following through the genealogy of ideas within novels.

About the author:

Henry James was born in 1843 in New York City. He was the grandchild of one of the three richest men in New York and was raised in "an atmosphere of affluence". Shortly after his birth, James's father took the family on a trip to Europe. By the time he was fourteen, James and his family had traveled across the ocean twice.

James began studies in law, but withdrew from Harvard in 1863 and started writing. At the age of twenty-two, his first short story was published in Atlantic Monthly. By 1872,  he was able to live off the proceed of his writing, (fiction, travel essays and reviews) while living in Rome, Florence, and Paris.

From the mid-1870s until the end of his life, James lived abroad.

Henry James was thirty-eight when The Portrait of a Lady was published.

Possibly one of the greatest writers in the English language, James wrote twenty-two novels and one hundred and twelve stories. He died in 1916.
 
(General biographical details from here)
 
What the publisher says about the book:  

Henry James's magnificent heroine, a "young woman affronting her destiny"


When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy Aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. She then finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond, who, beneath his veneer of charm and cultivation, is cruelty itself. A story of intense poignancy, Isabel's tale of love and betrayal still resonates with modern audiences.

What we discussed about the book:

• Only two of us finished the book. Why did we find this such a difficult book to get through? The size? The nature of the writing? The themes? Relevance to current audiences?
• Is there any value in reading classics? Are the themes universal? eg: oppression vs freedom, free will vs destiny, the role of women in society, the clash of American and European cultures.
• Is this a feminist text? What does it tell us about the role of women in that society?
• How did the writing style differ from what we are used to in contemporary novels?
• Was Isabel a metaphor for "modern" (ie in 1870s) America.
• In what ways did James define freedom and maturity as the acceptance of one's destiny.
• Is this an elitist book? Does that matter?
• How did each of the men view Isabel? What did each of them want from her?
• What was the effect of the ellipses in the novel? (eg the jump in time through Isabel's marriage to Osmond.)
• Was Madame Merle pure evil or a figure of sympathy? What did she have to offer hosts in return for their hospitality (eg. wit, charm, good company)?
• Did Isabel meet Lord Warburton too early?
• Was Isabel afraid of passion?

And then we were sidetracked into:

• The differences (generalising!) between Australian and American women.
• The language used in this book - leading to the classic KE quote: "I  did enjoy it. The dictionary and I."

In other news:

• We discussed the demise of bricks and mortar bookshops. What can they offer to compensate for cheaper on-line options?
• We discussed and compared the laptops and schoolbags required by various high schools.
• We were envious listening to T-Rex's plans for a month in Paris.

Ratings:
Range of those finished: 9
Range of DNF: 6 to 8.5
Average (only finished): 9

Next book: The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry (chosen by Gypsy)