The Portrait of a Lady

Henry James's "The Portrait of a Lady" is the story of American Isabel Archer who after inheriting a large sum of money falls victim to the scheming of two American expatriates, Gilbert Osmond and Madame Merle. Originally serialized in "The Atlantic Monthly" between 1880-1881, "The Portrait of a Lady" is the story of a free-spirited woman who affronts her destiny and in so doing ironically loses the freedom that she cherishes.