Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Portrait of a Lady

"One sure sign of a distinguished work of art is in the number and variety of interpretations that have been made of it," asserts Peter Buitenhuis, the editor of this volume. By this reckoning, Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady richly deserves its reputation. As the selections in this book show, James's novel has provoked a storm of critical opinion--a story that shows no sign of abating. "It should be no surprise to discover that The Portrait of a Lady was not always to celebrated," Buitenhuis states. "Like any major work of art, it explored new territory and succeeded in confusing and putting off many of its early readers.... Reviewers objected to James's aestheticism and to his book's length. Several critics complained that it was left unfinished." However most modern critics--but by no means all--concur with R. W. Stallman's judgment that The Portrait stands among "the richest perfection in American literature." The essays and view points in this volume assess James's style, his masterful psychological exploration of character, the structure, symbolism, and moral purpose of the novel. This collection includes writings by established Jamesian critics--Leon Edel, F. O. Matthiessen, and F. W. Dupee--and work by younger scholars such as Dorothea Krook, Tony Tanner, and Manfred Mackenzie. The essays provide an all-round view of a work which, in its largest sense, Buitenhuis contends, "is the story of an encounter between two civilizations, American and European.... prefiguring cultural encounters that have since taken place between Americans and representatives from other cultures all over the world." PETER BUITENHUIS, editor of this volume in the Twentieth Century Interpretations series, is Professor of English and McGill University. He has edited and authored several publications, and is a former Canada Council Fellow.