The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1
by Henry James
- First published
- 1881
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1" by Henry James is a novel first published in 1880-81. It follows Isabel Archer, a spirited young American woman who inherits a fortune and travels to Europe seeking independence. There she encounters marriage proposals, complex expatriates, and ultimately makes a choice that leads to entrapment rather than freedom. The novel explores themes of personal liberty, responsibility, and betrayal as Isabel discovers that wealth and marriage have drawn her into a web of manipulation and unhappiness.
- Inheritance and succession
- Psychological fiction
- Love stories
- Fathers and daughters
- Married women
- Triangles (Interpersonal relations)
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #2833. The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1 on Wikipedia.
