" (James in: Phelan-Cox, 2004)
Through the analogies of Ralph, the reader is able to view the manner in which "male pleasure in spectatorship with interconnected with Western aesthetics generally." (Phelan-Cox, 2004) it is the argument of Laura Mulvey that the film of Hollywood is structured around "the voyeurism and scopopophilia of the male gaze by denying the existence of other viewing positions." (Phelan-Cox, 2004) James veritably denied other ways to view through his description of the scene "by consciously omitting Isabel's own perception of herself in that setting or any objective description of the scene that might include observations about Ralph." (Phelan-Cox, 2004)
VII. Portrait and the Implications
The title of this story is even misleading as noted by Phelan-Cox the word 'portrait' "implies that the novel is to be a neutral or passive observation of Isabel Archer, who constitutes the completed art-work. However, by limiting the novel's gaze to an omniscient narrator who favors a monolithic male view, James necessarily fashions action from observation." (Phelan-Cox, 2004) According to Phelan-Cox the character of Isabel "is thus created through an objectifying gaze that transforms portrait into plot." (2004) Stated for example is the moment of Isabel's greatest independence in Chapter 31 with Isabel parting from her sister at Euston Station and James writes "and then she walked back into the foggy London Street." (James, ) at this time Isabel has the world at her feet however, due to the power of James over his character Isabel simply walks home in the fog from the station. Phelan-Cox writes that James refuses to use the narrative of his novel "to reflect Isabel's perception of her freedom of choice.
Izzo writes that the story of Isabel is "fundamentally a story of closure, the story of an illusory opening and of increasing suffocation. That is, Isabel believes herself to be free but the very nature of the novel preemptively negates her self-perceived freedom." (Phelan-Cox, 2004) Isabel holds the belief that "nothing external expresses her; the reality is that she is only constituted externally." (Phelan-Cox, 2004) the desire of Isabel to be free and to not be defined by anyone or anything external results in her refusal to marry Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood however, as noted in the work of Phelan-Cox, the fortune of Isabel is her downfall, because "it provides the motivation for her oppressor, Gilbert Osmond to want to marry her." (2004)
Isabel is according to Phelan-Cox "objectified by both the characters within the novel, as well as by the omniscient narrator who describes her thoughts and actions from a monolithic male gaze. The narrator informs the reader that for Ralph "conscious observation of a lovely woman had struck him as the finest entertainment that the world now had to offer." (James, )
The work of Braden (2011) questions whether Isabel Archer in Henry James's novel can be read as proto-feminist characters in terms of evidence of independence, autonomy and frere will." Braden writes that the factors of "money, marriage and sexuality are central to understanding to what extent Isabel can be" read as an individual who possesses control of her own destiny or alternatively becomes a victim of a patriarchal society. The work of Ascari (nd) states that Gilbert Osmond "whose sinister charm has been recently flavored with a distinct propensity to lust and sadism embodies the cynical apologist of the 'objet d'art." (Ascari, nd) Osmond is reported to be such that there is no "stated career, no name, no position, no fortune, no past, no future, no anything." (Ascari, nd)
VIII. Osmond
It is reported that Madame Merle explains that all human beings "have their shell made up of one's house, one's furniture, one's garments the books one reads, the company one keeps" however Isabel absolutely refuses to be defined by her external attributes. Stated as the contrast existing between the naive presumption of Isabel and the ambition of Osmond is focused on the conception of
Madame Merle's opening diatribe -- or at least, her lengthy monologue of dissatisfied pronouncements -- makes it clear that gender had a great deal to do with personal definition and constraint, in her view, and though Isabel protests it must be acknowledged that there is some truth to her assessment. At the same time, Madame Merle fully adopts and thus allows herself to be constrained by the notion that she
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Works Cited Boehm, Deborah A. "Our Lady of Resistance: the Virgin of Guadalupe and contested constructions of community in Santa Fe, New Mexico." Journal of the Southwest. March 22, 2002. Retrieved November 27, 2006 from HighBeam Research Library. Bowen, Jennifer A. "Our Lady of Guadalupe: New devotional site dedicated to Mary at Our Lady of Snows." Belleville News-Democrat. September 4, 2005. Retrieved November 27, 2006 from HighBeam Research Library. Coleman, Patty. "Guadalupe caught
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