I began writing a sequel to “The Portrait of a Lady,” Henry James’s “big” work that he intended to be his masterpiece with more than a little trepidation. I don’t for a moment pretend to write like the master. Mr. James was far too eloquent to be glibly imitated and far too worldly to be replicated by myself. His was a work of the 19th century but his writing life was filled with many of the same modes and manners of 21st century publishing: Low sales, constant rewrites, bad reviews, failed stories, competition and the desire to live up to the greatest in literature. Add to it all, the ambition to create something grand and lasting when the culture was often shallow, venal and narcissistic.
For myself, it has always been one of my top five novels, possibly the top, along with "Middlemarch,” “Washington Square,” "Pride and Prejudice” and “Persuasion.” But it was with the fourth reading this past year that I realized I still do not know Isabel Archer Osmond though I should: James put so much into this character that we should know her perfectly. Still, I have many questions about her; her reactions and mostly her marriage. James said he was going to build a character "brick by brick" and see what would be the result. These days, a character has to be spelled out completely or the story would be said to be, unrealized or ambiguous leaving the reader with a sense of unfinished business. Critics also thought it to have an unsatisfactory ending, in fact no ending at all, to which he replied, I’ve given you a look at a character within a time frame. It is for others to answer the question of what happens outside of this frame, though I am not directly quoting him.
Since James left it open, I take that as a challenge to continue on with the life of Isabel Osmond, at least her weary return to Rome after her beloved cousin’s funeral and to what life will offer her after knowing the truth of her husband’s betrayal, Madame Merle’s part, his daughter’s maternity and her own “unhappiness” that now has a point of reference. I do not yet know how far this will take me into her life, maybe just a year or two. Maybe I just want to get even with Gilbert Osmond and Madame Merle. Maybe I want to see little “limited” Pansy saved from her father’s egomania. I’m beginning with an open mind. Maybe I will save this marriage. Or not. We’ll see. I plan to build it brick by brick as James did and see what we are learn. I have a no-nonsense newspaper style not given to flourish and ambiguity. Still, I wish to be true to the characters, their speech patterns, personalities and positions. It would be natural to make Gilbert Osmond the demon but is he necessarily and not just a snobbish European patriarch with an emotionally immature wife? Is Madame Merle a conniving witch or a mother seeking the best for her daughter? Is Isabel an innocent abroad or budding feminist seeking her own ideas and way? Is the marital struggle one of two egocentric personalities fighting for dominance? She is much loved and highly regarded by her friends and family but is she a warm and responsive wife? Does she even like men? She turned down two highly regarded specimens before settling on Osmond whom she thought less likely to consume her.
By the way, I'm already up to chapter six in my sequel. Not bad. I'm not at all sure where I'm heading with this. I've outlined some ideas but haven't gotten the real feel for where Mr. and Mr. Osmond will end up. That will be the purpose of this blog: trying to figure out just what Mr. James would do and what I can make of them. Stay with me, but I must tell you, I'm not going to post my sequel here. That will be for a publisher. But I will let you experience with me the laborious process of continuing where the master left off. It's off to Rome. Vel
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