Abstract：Henry James is a famous American novelist, and he is also the world's important writer. He was the pioneer of western modern psychological novel. His novel occupies an important place in the world literature history .The Portrait of a Lady is the masterpiece of Henry James, which is the most famous works of his early period.

In The Portrait of a Lady , the author focuses on the description of the topic "free". Through the text theme, depicting the female protagonist Isabel's character and the marriage attitude. The article consists of four parts. The first part reviews the author's personal experience and understanding of novel creation background and the author's creation intention, the second part write Isabel's self view, divided into three small part— the concept of self in the eyes of Isabel and consciousness of self, self and realistic contradiction. The third part is Isabel's marriage concept,divided into two parts: the integration between self and marriage, the conflict between self and marriage. The last part is a summary of the fiction.This fiction are not explicitly proposed the finally ending. , but from the author's description we can still guess master public two options. One is Isabel goes to the United States with Caspar Goodwood and pursues freedom, the other is she goes back to Osmond to continue to have an unhappy marriage, to obey her husband and take care of her husband's daughter Pansy.

The Portrait of a Lady reflects the 19th century United States in Emerson's individualism thought under the influence of advocating free to "choose choice" spirit and moral consciousness and European feudal and conservative ideology of fusion and conflict. Author described a picture of the American people live in the Europe.The novel tells that the heroine Isabel has a sightseeing with her aunt from a developing American to ancient Europe . Because of her innocence, confidence and independence, she refused two rich gentlemen Warburton and American businessman Goodwood. Finally,because of Madame Merle’s trap,Isabel married with Osmond.

Key words: freedom; reality; marriage; contradiction

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction-1

    1.1About The Novel-1

1.2About The Author-2

1.3 About The Background-3

1.4 Thesis-4

2 Isabel's View of Self-4

2.1 The Self in Isabel's eyes-4

2.1.1 Consciousness-5

2.1.2 Action-6

2.2 The Reasons for The Formation of Isabel's View of Self-7

2.2.1 American Independent Spirit-7

2.2.2 A Wide Range of Book Knowledge-7

2.2.3 Ability to Think Independently-8

2.3 Freedom and reality-8

2.3.1 American Freedom-8

2.3.2 British bondage-9

2.3.3 Ideological Contradiction-9

3.Marriage view-10

3.1 The Integration Between Freedom and Marriage-10

3.2 The Conflict Between Freedom and Marriage-11

4.Conclusion-12

4.1 Isabel's Choices-12

4.2 Return to freedom or continue to bind and my point of view.-13

References:-15

Acknowledgments-16