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Chapter 32
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Portrait of a Lady, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Female Independence vs. Marriage
The European Old World vs. the American New World
Art and Morality
The Dangers of Wealth
Summary
Analysis
An hour later, Isabel has ceased her weeping. She means to share the news of her engagement to Gilbert Osmond with Mrs. Touchett, although she expects that there will be a scene when she does. Isabel had waited to tell her family until after she spoke with Goodwood, feeling obliged to hear his objections before informing everyone else of her impending marriage.
Isabel’s decision to tell Goodwood about her engagement before her family demonstrates the high regard that Isabel holds for the businessman. She now commits herself to telling the Touchetts that she is engaged, but dreads their reactions.
Active
Themes
Isabel is surprised to find out that Mrs. Touchett already has some inkling of the engagement. In fact, Mrs. Touchett has realized that Madame Merle played her friend for a fool, convincing her that she would dissuade Osmond’s interest in Isabel when really Merle was encouraging it. Mrs. Touchett refers to Isabel’s fiancé as “Madame Merle’s friend” because she has done him a great favor in intentionally setting him up with Isabel. Isabel does not believe her aunt’s accusation that Merle was involved in Osmond and Isabel’s courtship.
Mrs. Touchett has been betrayed on two counts: firstly, her niece has decided on a poor choice of marriage despite her aunt’s disapproval, and secondly, it is Mrs. Touchett’s own friend Madame Merle who helped to engineer the match.
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Themes
Mrs. Touchett cannot understand why Isabel wants to marry Gilbert Osmond when he has no conventional marital advantages: no name, status, or wealth. She wonders if Isabel is marrying the man out of charity. Indeed, Isabel suggests that she wants to give her husband-to-be some of her money immediately. At Mrs. Touchett’s continued objections to the man, Isabel asserts that she need not explain her decision to her aunt.
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Themes
Two days later, Ralph arrives to Florence. He does not mention his cousin’s engagement, despite Isabel knowing that he has heard of it. In fact, his mother had shared the shocking news with him immediately. Ralph is “humiliated” by his poor judgment in having previously concluded that Isabel would never seriously consider Osmond’s courtship. He is devastated that she is now lost to him forever.
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Isabel grows impatient at Ralph’s lack of a response to her engagement to Osmond. She knows that he is likely to be disappointed at her choice of husband. However, she is also respectful of his poor health, for he has arrived to Florence looking extremely sickly.
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Themes
Isabel occupies her time with meeting Osmond in different places around the city each day. With their engagement now common news, they are free to meet in public.
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