Madame Merle
An accomplished and worldly woman, a close friend of Mrs. Touchett, who takes an interest in Isabel's fate.
Core Belief
"Madame Merle believes in the importance of social success, personal influence, and the cultivation of taste and refinement. She values intelligence and accomplishment, but also recognizes the constraints and compromises that society imposes on individuals, especially women."
Worldview
Madame Merle sees the world as a stage on which individuals must play their roles with skill and grace. She is aware of the power dynamics that shape human interactions, and she seeks to navigate them to her own advantage, while maintaining a facade of elegance and charm.
Personality
Madame Merle is intelligent, sophisticated, and charming, with a vast knowledge of art, culture, and society. She is worldly and pragmatic, but also possesses a hidden ambition and a complex past. She presents a polished exterior, but her true motives are often obscured.
In Their Own Words
"I’m old and stale and faded; I’m of no more interest than last week’s newspaper."
"I’m very ambitious!"
"It’s the effort that makes them probable."
Discussions with Madame Merle
Other Characters from The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1
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