The Portrait of A Lady – Chapter 31-45

Another summary post for the next fifteen chapters, following the first chapters 1 – 15, then chapter 16 to 30.

Chapter 31

A year after making the journey to see the world, Isabel took another journey to the East with Madame Merle where she found hints of her friend’s bad morality, which declined her friendship’s intensity with Madame Merle. Then Isabel returned to Florence to meet Mrs. Touchett and Ralph.

Chapter 32

Caspar Goodwood came as he had been promised by Isabel, to get final answer from the young lady two years after their last meeting. Isabel told him that she was going to marry Gilbert Osmon, and Goodwood then left in anger.

Chapter 33

 Mrs. Touchett disapproved Isabel’s intention to marry Mr. Osmond who possessed nothing, but she was angrier to Madame Merle for having deceived her. Ralph was very shocked when he heard the news; he had done a huge mistake in his calculation about Isabel’s future.

Chapter 34

Ralph uttered to Isabel how he thought it’s wrong to marry Osmond whom he believed was a villain but could not prove anything about it. He finally admitted that he had had a great design for Isabel’s future because, as he said: “I love you, but I love without hope”.  Isabel could not accept that argument, she had chosen Osmond because he was nobody and had nothing, that she loved his mind and his character.

Chapter 35

When no one agreed Isabel’s decision, it made her firmer of it, she felt that her marriage was to please herself, not anyone else.

Chapter 36

Mr. Edward Rosier re-appeared, he turned out to be falling in love with Pansy Osmond, and was asking Madame Merle’s favour to ease his way to marry the little girl—who now turned fifteen.

Chapter 37

Mr. Osmond didn’t want to have Rosier as his son in law, for he’s not rich and not good enough for Pansy. Mrs. Osmond—or our Isabel—followed her husband’s judgment while Madame Merle seemed to have her own plan for Mr. Rosier who was offended by the rejection.

Chapter 38

Lord Warburton came to visit the Osmonds in Rome; he had recovered from his old broken heart. He brought Ralph—whose health got worse—with him. Meanwhile Pansy confirmed Rosier that her love was for him.

Chapter 39

Ralph observed that Isabel has changed, the self-possessed young woman had become only a representative of her husband. Ralph’s health got better while in Rome because he was so excited to see what would happen next to Isabel, that he decided to stay in Rome, as well as Lord Warburton who suddenly became interested in Pansy… or her stepmother?....

Chapter 40

At first Isabel was sure that she has set up her marriage with Osmond by her own, without Madame Merle’s help; but as time went on, she became unsure. She knew she had a big mistake, but she just had to accept and live with that, and won’t put the blame on Madame Merle. One day she witnessed Madame Merle and her husband were talking in a very friendly and intimate manner. Meanwhile Isabel was reluctant and indifferent when Madame Merle was discussing Mr. Rosier’s proposal to marry Pansy; but she immediately approved Pansy’s marriage when she heard that Lord Warburton had somehow attracted to the girl.

Chapter 41

When Osmond was talking to Isabel, it’s obvious that he dominated his wife, and that Isabel became submissive. Osmond wanted to set up a marriage between Pansy and Lord Warburton; he asked Isabel to use her “influence” upon the Lord to manage it.

Chapter 42

After some reflections, Isabel became aware of Warburton’s true intention of marrying Pansy, was it not to renew his love to her? Other than that, sable realized how Osmond had hated her, which made her life miserable. She didn’t think she made a mistake on marrying Osmond, as she had been devoted to him. It’s just that Osmond didn’t like women with too many ideas as Isabel. He liked Isabel’s cleverness, but he expected her to follow his way of thinking. Osmond’s very conservative and Isabel—with her free mind and no traditions—suffered a good deal for being confined in Osmond’s principles. Her reflection lingered also to Ralph who was much more intelligent than Osmond. Isabel often visited Ralph whom she believed was dying.

Chapter 43

In a dance party to where Isabel escorted Pansy, she met Lord Warburton whom Isabel found still in love with her, not Pansy. Poor Edward Rosier pleaded Isabel’s help for him to marry Pansy; Isabel was indifferent at first but at the end she gave him a little hope.

Chapter 44

Countess Gemini—Osmond’s sister—Henrietta Stackpole and Caspar Goodwood were on their way to the Osmond’s, although they came for very different reasons. The Countess was invited by her brother, while Henrietta would like to help her dearest friend who was unhappy—especially when she heard that Lord Warburton was in a close approach to Isabel. Meanwhile Goodwood wanted to see Isabel again.

Chapter 45

Osmond dislike Isabel’s frequent visits to Ralph’s, whom he thought would infect her wife’s mind with his idea of freedom. On their meetings, Isabel often hid her feeling about her miserable marriage in front of Ralph. Isabel knew that Pansy would be happy if she married Rosier, but she mercilessly pushed her to marry Warburton instead, because Osmond wanted it. Pansy firmly believed that Warburton won’t proposed her if she didn’t want it.

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