The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady – It is a quintessential work of psychological realism that examines the clash between American “New World” ideals and European “Old World” traditions. The novel concludes with Isabel returning to Rome after visiting the dying Ralph in England. Critics and readers often debate whether she returns out of a sense of duty to her stepdaughter Pansy, a rigid commitment to her marriage vows, or a loss of her former spirited agency.