This book, which has to be one of my favourite books, centres on the life of Isabel Archer and the choices that she makes. In particular, it focuses on the tension between an individual and society. It is clear from the very first that Isabel is an independent spirit - her desire to explore the world and her refusal of Lord Warburton's offer of marriage make it clear that she is a stubborn, free-thinking lady.
However, when she marries Gilbert Osmond and enters an unhappy marriage, she must choose between satisfying her independence and feeling this marriage or meeting the demands of society by staying with her husband.
The novel bears the title A Portrait of a Lady because that is precisely what it is. The main purpose of the novel is to present, explain and explore her character and the decisions she makes. James is famous for his combination of psychology with literature and in this novel he uses his powers to present a plausible character to explore the tension between an individual and society.
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