The Portrait of a Lady: Chapter 34 Summary & Analysis

One day, after returning from a meeting with Osmond, Isabel chances upon Ralph in the garden of his mother’s home. He appears to be sleeping; Isabel finds the scene to be a visual delight. However, her growing frustrations at Ralph’s lack of refusal to discuss her engagement stirs her anger. She keeps reminding herself of his frail physical health.

As Isabel approaches Ralph in the garden, he stirs and comments that was just thinking of her at that moment. To Isabel’s great relief, they finally discuss her engagement. Ralph states that he cannot share his feelings about her engagement to Osmond unless she breaks it off; otherwise he will be speaking rudely of her husband, which is socially unacceptable. This comment alone irritates Isabel.

Ralph does go on to speak his true feelings on the engagement. He trusts Isabel but he does not trust Osmond. Ralph believes that Osmond is a “small” man who has trapped Isabel into an unfavorable marriage, which Ralph likens to a “cage.” Isabel responds that there is no danger if she likes the cage. She thinks that her cousin’s criticism of Osmond as “small” is unfounded.

Ralph also reveals that he thought that Isabel would “marry a man of more importance.” All that Osmond has going for him is his taste; on the whole, he is an idle man with no prospects. He describes Isabel as having been a beautiful creature of flight who has now “fallen” to the ground. Isabel is confused by his impression of her.

Finally, Ralph accidentally admits that he has secretly always loved Isabel. Isabel is shocked and angry at this revelation. Realizing his error, Ralph tells Isabel that he knows there is no hope for them; because of his illness, he has always refused any thoughts of pursuing her.

Isabel defends her relationship with Osmond, finding herself wholly attracted to her fiancé and his values. She finds Osmond’s lack of importance attractive. She is also fascinated by her husband’s apparent worldliness and sophistication.

Ralph realizes that he cannot change Isabel’s mind. He believes that she has wrongly invested her time and emotion in Osmond because the man wears “his very poverties dressed out as honors.” Ralph is sickened by his sudden understanding that he has facilitated Isabel’s mistake by convincing his father to leave her a great fortune, thereby attracting the attention of a social predator such as Osmond.

Isabel is firm in her conviction to marry Osmond. Ralph feels terrible for her situation but knows he is too late to do anything about it. Isabel says that she no longer trusts her cousin and that she will never come to him in future if she is in fact in real trouble.