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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Portrait of a Lady - Questions (1)
Hello, everyone: Re: Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James Would appreciate any pointers on the CAPITALIZED terms. Sorry for the lengthy list, pls pick up whatever iterms you wish to clarify, it'll help me a lot anyway. ------- "To please you I'll be an Englishman, I'll be a Turk!" "Well, if you can CHANGE ABOUT that way, you're very welcome," Miss Stackpole returned. ------- [p. 71; Ch. 10, p. 3] Is this: changing oneself, changing one's appearance, behavior? ------- "I don't think I can marry lord Warburton." "Well, her uncle went on, "of course an old man can't judge for a young lady. I'm glad you DIDN'T ASK me before you made up your mind." [p. 96; Ch. 13, p. 2] ------- Shouldn't this be: "I'm glad you hadn't asked me ..." (past perfect) as asking precedes (see "before") the past moment of making up one's mind? ------- She was already liable to the incursions of one suitor to this place, and though it MIGHT BE pleasant to be appreciated in opposite quarters there was a kind of grossness in entertaining two such passionate pleaders at once, even in the case where the entertainment SHOULD CONSIST of dismissing them. [p. 100, Ch. 13, p. 6] ------- Shouldn't one be using more definite past tenses for the modal auxiliaries here, such as: "might have been pleasant" and "should have consisted", or is the original version enough in the past? ------- He returned this challenge a moment, consciously, resisting an inclination to frown as one frowns in the presence of larger luminaries. "Who's the gentleman you SPEAK of?" [p. 102, Ch. 13, p. 9] ------- How about using continuous present here: "Who's the gentleman you're speaking of?" Any interdiction on using continuous tenses with "to speak"? ------- [Helena Stackpole talking to Isabel Archer] She presently proposed to Isabel, at all events, that they should make and excursion to London together. "If I must tell the truth," she observed, "I'm not seeing much at this place, and I shouldn't think you WERE either" [p. 107, Ch. 13, p. 9] ------- While "you were" could be natural here (you hadn't seen/didn't see anything here before I came in), wouldn't a "you are" be better? (you don't see anything of interest around here even now), as they talk to each other about a current situation? ------- The party went more than once to the British Museum and to THAT BRIGHTER PALACE OF ART which reclaims for antique variety so large an area of a monotonous suburb ... [p. 119, Ch. 15, p. 3] ------- Which palace is this one (in London)? ------- ... some friends whom she not seen for a year: the MISS Climbers, two ladies from Wilmington, Delaware, who had been travelling on the continent and were now preparing to re-embark. [p. 122, Ch. 15, p. 6 ] ------- Any reason for not having here: "the Misses Climbers, two ladies ..." (as it should be a plural accounting for the two of them)? ------- [Caspar Goodwood talking to Isabel Archer] "You've given me no pledge of anything at all." "No, that's all that would be WANTING!" [p. 135, Ch. 16, p. 6 ] ------- Is this: that's the only thing missing? (said ironically). ------- For some time neither of these young persons spoke; Caspar lingered near the chimney-piece with the eyes ATTACHED [p. 136, Ch. 16, p. 7 ] ------- Is this: "with the eyes fixated (on something, like the chimney-piece?)?" ------- [Caspar Goodwood talking to Isabel Archer] Nevertherless he went on quickly with his questions. "And when SHALL you come back to America?" [p. 137, Ch. 16, p. 8] ------- Goodwood is an American. Any circumstance where "shall" is still used in this future tense context in American English? As far as I know, it's pretty much replaced by "will" in both informal and formal usage. ------- Mr. Touchett was much of the time unconscious; he slept a great deal; he rarely spoke. Isabel had a great desire to be useful to him and was allowed to watch WITH him at hours when his other attendants (of whom Mrs. Touchett was not the least regular) went to take rest. [p. 152, Ch. 18, p. 8] ------- As Mr. Touchett is unconscious, any reason for having "watch with him" and not "watch over" or "watch on/upon him"? Is this "watch with him" the right idiomatic usage? ------- Of painting she was devotedly fond, and made no more of brushing in a sketch than of pulling off her gloves. [p. 164, Ch. 19, p. 5] ------- Does this mean: "she was a natural at it?" ------- I know not whether it was on this occasion or on some other that the conversation had taken the turn I have just indicated she said to Isabel that she would some day A TALE UNFOLD. [p. 165, Ch. 19, p. 7] ------- Is this poetical usage? Why having "unfold" at the end, and not "she would some day unfold a tale"? Is this for poetical stress? ------- [Isabel Archer talking to Madame Merle] "My clothes may express the dressmaker, but they don't express me. To begin with it's not my own choice that I wear them; they're imposed upon me by society." "SHOULD you prefer to go without them?" Madame Merle enquired in a tone which virtually terminated the discussion. [p. 174, Ch. 19, p. 15] ------- Would "would" be preferred here in contemporary American usage? Thank you very much for your patience. Marius Hancu > Would appreciate any pointers on the CAPITALIZED terms. Sorry for the > lengthy list, pls pick up whatever iterms you wish to clarify, it'll > help me a lot anyway. [cherrypicking] > ------- > "To please you I'll be an Englishman, I'll be a Turk!" [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > [p. 71; Ch. 10, p. 3] > Is this: changing oneself, changing one's appearance, behavior? I think a better description might be changing one's role, as in a play or a game. Cf. "change round", "turn about", &c. > ------- > [Caspar Goodwood talking to Isabel Archer] [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > ------- > Is this: that's the only thing missing? (said ironically). Yes, or you might read it as "wanted"; along with "missing", "lacking", &c. this is an example of an idiom in which certain adjectival participles may be given an active form although the sense would usually demand a passive. Another example might be seen on an invoice: "balance owing", where "balance owed" would seem more logical. > ------- > For some time neither of these young persons spoke; Caspar lingered [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Is this: "with the eyes fixated (on something, like the > chimney-piece?)?" A little more context might help; is it a complete sentence? For your suggested reading I'd expect "his eyes" (more likely "his gaze" or some such); as it is "the eyes" seem to be features of the chimney-piece -- some (previously mentioned) sculptural ornament perhaps? > ------- > Mr. Touchett was much of the time unconscious; he slept a great deal; [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > with him" and not "watch over" or "watch on/upon him"? Is this "watch > with him" the right idiomatic usage? It seems odd to me: although "sit with", "stay with", &c. are quite usual, "watch" would normally appear alone or with another preposition, e.g. "(keep) watch over". > ------- > Of painting she was devotedly fond, and made no more of brushing in a > sketch than of pulling off her gloves. > [p. 164, Ch. 19, p. 5] > ------- > Does this mean: "she was a natural at it?" Perhaps, or that her training and practice had been so thorough that her technique was effortless or automatic. > ------- > I know not whether it was on this occasion or on some other that the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Is this poetical usage? Why having "unfold" at the end, and not "she > would some day unfold a tale"? Is this for poetical stress? Something seems wrong with that sentence: perhaps a missing "and" between "indicated" and "she"? At any rate "she would ... a tale unfold" certainly does affect a poetic or theatrical tone.  SignatureOdysseus > [cherrypicking] That's quite alright, thank you. > > [Caspar Goodwood talking to Isabel Archer] > > "You've given me no pledge of anything at all." [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > would usually demand a passive. Another example might be seen on an > invoice: "balance owing", where "balance owed" would seem more logical. Interesting. > > For some time neither of these young persons spoke; Caspar lingered > > near the chimney-piece with the eyes ATTACHED [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > some such); as it is "the eyes" seem to be features of the > chimney-piece -- some (previously mentioned) sculptural ornament perhaps? The novel is published on the Web: http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/j/j2p/chapter16.html and that para reads as pasted from there: ------ She turned away from him, walked to the open window and stood a moment looking into the dusky void of the street, where a turbid gaslight alone represented social animation. For some time neither of these young persons spoke; Caspar lingered near the chimney-piece with eyes gloomily attached. She had virtually requested him to go-he knew that; but at the risk of making himself odious he kept his ground. She was far too dear to him to be easily renounced, and he had crossed the sea all to wring from her some scrap of a vow. Presently she left the window and stood again before him. "You do me very little justice- after my telling you what I told you just now. I'm sorry I told you-since it matters so little to you." ------ > > ------- > > I know not whether it was on this occasion or on some other that the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > between "indicated" and "she"? At any rate "she would ... a tale > unfold" certainly does affect a poetic or theatrical tone. You're right about the potentially missing "and", but: http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/j/j2p/chapter19.html again straight paste ... ------ I know not whether it was on this occasion or on some other that the conversation had taken the turn I have just indicated she said to Isabel that she would some day a tale unfold. ------ Thank you very much, Marius Hancu [...] > "For some time neither of these > young persons spoke; Caspar lingered near the chimney-piece with eyes > gloomily attached." Ambiguous, I think: she is looking away from him, but he could either be looking away from her and at the chimney-piece or at her, unwilling to take his eyes off her. In context, the latter seems likelier. > "I know not whether it was on this occasion or on some other that the > conversation had taken the turn I have just indicated she said to > Isabel that she would some day A TALE UNFOLD." > [p. 165, Ch. 19, p. 7] > Is this poetical usage? Why having "unfold" at the end, and not "she > would some day unfold a tale"? Is this for poetical stress? It's an exact quotation from "Hamlet" - the late King's Ghost speaking of its dreadful experiences in Purgatory. So, yes, poetical in the original: as used by James, I suspect an attempt by the speaker both to suggest that her experience had been painful but also to make light of it - the quotation makes her remark seem jocular, even if the feeling underlying it is serious. Alan Jones > > conversation had taken the turn I have just indicated she said to > > Isabel that she would some day A TALE UNFOLD." [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > experience had been painful but also to make light of it - the quotation > makes her remark seem jocular, even if the feeling underlying it is serious. Indeed, thank you for quite a perceptive remark: --------- http://www.clicknotes.com/hamlet/H15.html HAMLET, Act 1, Scene 5 GHOST I am thy father's spirit, Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confined to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid To tell the secrets of my prison-house, I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, (1.5.16) Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part And each particular hair to stand on end, (1.5.19) Like quills upon the fretful porpentine: But this eternal blazon must not be To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love-- --------- A Web search (**after ** your post) indicated many using this quote as an inspiration. Marius Hancu > > A little more context might help; is it a complete sentence? For your > > suggested reading I'd expect "his eyes" (more likely "his gaze" or [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > you-since it matters so little to you." > ------ Well, "gloomily attached" would seem to rule out the eyes' being a feature of the chimney-piece; they must be Caspar's. To what they are attached is unclear to me. SignatureOdysseus |
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