The Portrait of a Lady

James's most complex and memorable heroine ventures to Europe and turns down eligible suitors, instead finding herself drawn to a man whose charm conceals a darker, narcissistic greed, now freshly repackaged for the Union Square & Co. Signature Classics Line.

Widely regarded as Henry James's greatest work, The Portrait of a Lady follows a young American woman 'affronting her destiny.' When her wealthy aunt brings her to Europe, Isabel Archer is expected to find an eligible suitor to marry. Instead, she turns down two eligible suitors, relishing in her newfound freedom. She is drawn, however, to Gilbert Osmond, a charming young man whose civilized behavior only masks his cruelty.