Character of Isabel - a Portrait of the Lady

Ques - Give the character sketch of Isabel Archer from " A Portrait Of The Lady".

Ans - Introduction - This novel is the most stunning achievement of Henry James's early period--in the 1860s and '70s when he was transforming himself from a talented young American into a resident of Europe, a citizen of the world, and one of the greatest novelists of modern times. A kind of delight at the success of this transformation informs every page of this masterpiece.The characters in this novel are its most appealing feature; most of them, even the minor ones, are remarkably unique people.Isabel is the central concern of the novel. She possesses all the attributes of James' typical American. We can study her character under the following heads.

An Expansive Personality - Isabel has an expansive personality. Ralph Touchett and others are attracted to Isabel because she apparently has a great capacity for growth. This quality allows her to react spontaneously to any new experience. Her response indicates a depth of perception missing from other people. It is a compliment to Isabel's combination of these qualities that she is able to attract so many divergent types of personalities to her. She excites the admiration of people as different as Madame Merle and Henrietta Stackpole, or as different as Gilbert Osmond and Ralph Touchett. Furthermore, men as divergent in personalities as Caspar Goodwood and Lord Warburton both fall in love with Isabel. Therefore, part of her greatness lies in her ability to attract all sorts of people to her. As it is said for her, "Even though Isabel is not considered a great beauty, she is attractive enough to win attention. She possesses a natural charm and a sincerity that add to her looks."

Her Desire For Independence - Perhaps her most striking qualities are her desire for independence and her imagination.We discover that Isabel is a person who, according to Mrs. Touchett's telegram, loves her independence. This quality will be one of her most discussed and most influential qualities throughout the novel. It is her free and independent spirit which colours her in passion. As she says, "If there is a thing in this world I am fond of..... It is my personal independence..... I don't have a time to fall in love with anyone because there is none who is able for me so I will live alone." She believes strongly in her own opinion and cherishes the right to evaluate independently any person or situation. "This note of independence is struck in the first chapters of the novel. It is the trait which Ralph admires greatly."It is ironic that Isabel's desire for complete independence causes her to marry Osmond. In her determination to follow only her own evaluation, she refused to listen to her many friends who cautioned her against such a marriage. In conjunction with her independence, Isabel is also a very imaginative