【摘 要】在《貴婦人的畫像》這部小說中，所有的角色和情節(jié)都是圍繞著女主人公伊莎貝爾所展開。本文著重分析了導致伊莎貝爾悲劇的個人原因。

【關鍵詞】《貴婦人的畫像》；伊莎貝爾的悲劇；個人原因

【Abstract】The Portrait of a Lady， All the characters and plots in the novel exist around the marriage of the heroine Isabel Archer. The paper focuses on the personal reasons that lead to Isabel's tragedy.

【Key words】The Portrait of a Lady； Isabel's tragedy； personal reasons

1. Introduction to The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady tells about the pursuit of life and love experience of a young intelligent American girl named Isabel Archer who was brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Mrs. Touchett after her parents passed away. In London， she refused the nobleman Lord Warburton and the rich businessman Caspar Goodwood decisively. Then Isabel was attracted by the elegant and versatile Madam Merle who had already been fully Europeanized. After Mr. Touchett's death， Isabel started a travel to Italia. At the same time she was enchanted in the civilized Florence and Rome， she was caught in the trap that Madam Merle seriously organized. Madam Merle introduced Gilbert Osmond who had been living in Italia for quite a long time to Isabel. Apparently， Osmond showed to be knowledgeable and cultivated. Isabel was moved by his gentleman manner and his affection for art， including her love for the young Pansy. She even decisively married Osmond regardless of the persuasion and discontent from her friends and relatives. Miserably， she figured out she fell in to trap that Osmond and Madam Merle designed. Being aware of the deceit she has suffered， Isabel tried to hide her unhappiness of her tragic marriage to others. When Ralph was seriously ill， Isabel made decisions to go to England to see the dying Ralph ignoring the disapproval of Osmond. Unexpectedly， Isabel returned to Rome in the end.

2. Reasons of Isabel's character

2.1 Overconfidence

Isabel's overconfidence had a close relation to her erudition when she was in America and received the affection of so many suitors. But it is her such blind overconfidence that made herself lose in Osmond's trap， not realizing that all Osmond need was her money， and decidedly believed her own judgement regardless of Ralph and Henrietta's evaluation of Osmond.

2.2 Contradictory personality

On one hand， she liked to be addicted to the rationality， on the other hand， she is easy to get lost in the illusion which is naturally occurred to such an inexperienced young lady. Worse still， Isabel's abundant knowledge fosters such illusion.

2.3 Rich imagination

Isabel ignored the persuasion and warning from Ralph and Henrietta and pushily imaged Osmond as a perfect man although she was suddenly enlightened after her marriage with Osmond. Consequently， she paid the price for her illusion.

2.4 Tendency to aestheticism

Such trait made her regard money as nothing and refused Lord Warburton who was excellent in physical conditions. Isabel imaged Osmond as a genius artist but couldn't gain his reputation owing to the environmental restriction. It's her aestheticism that lied which was the primary cause can be explained why Isabel stopped in the third pursuer instead of going on with her dream of experiencing life as Ralph predicted.

2.5 The pursuit for freedom

Pursuit for freedom is one of Isabel's natural instincts. While the opposition between freedom and her shackle is perhaps the most basic： Isabel's quest for freedom and independence paradoxically leads her to lock herself up in house-prison.\" Beneath Isabel's error of judgment lies her contradictory idea of freedom originating from her contradictory personality.\"（Joel Porte，2007：36）

3. Family background

Isabel had never received formal education， whose knowledge was rooted in her intelligence and the pursuit of reason. However， such self-taught led much misunderstanding of knowledge and reason. In addition， Isabel's mother's untimely death also facilitated the forming of her characters. Isabel's father always met all the illusion that Isabel had. Isabel's illusion overgrew without restrain from her mother； her inharmony in soul with her sisters made her devote all her love to her father， which led to the excessive infatuation with her father. In mate selection， Isabel subconsciously regarded her father's features as the standard of the spouse selection without helpful suggestion from her mother.

【References】

[1] Henry James. The Portrait of a Lady [M]. Penguin Press， 2007.

[2] Joel Porte （ed.）.New Essays on The Portrait of a Lady [M].Beijing： Peking University Press， 2007.