Isabel Archer - Major Literary Characters Author:Harold Bloom Isabel Archer is one of the most curious heroines in literary history. A young American woman living in 19th century Europe, Isabel comes to life in the Henry James novel The Portrait of a Lady, though her first portrayal in 1881 was rewritten in what most consider the definitive version in 1908. This text looks to examine the full scope of crit... more »ical interpretation of this character. Isabel Archer is part of the Major Literary Characters series, edited by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University; Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Professor of English, New York University Graduate School. This series is the only major collection of criticism on widely studied fictional figures from world literature, bringing together a diverse array of the finest critical writing from around the world. Each volume includes Harold Bloom's essay "The Analysis of Character" and introductory essays on title characters.« less