She envied Ralph his dying, for if one were thinking of rest that was the most perfect of all. To cease utterly, to give it all up and not know anything more - this idea was as sweet as a vision of a cool bath in a marble tank, in a darkened chamber, in a hot land. ... but Isabel recognized, as it passed before her eyes, the quick vague shadow of a long future. She should never escape; she should last to the end.
In "The Portrait of a Lady," the protagonist Isabel reflects on the concept of death and its peacefulness as she envies Ralph's impending demise. She sees death as a final escape from the burdens of life, portraying it as an alluring rest from all struggles and knowledge, much like the refreshing relief of a cool bath in a stifling environment. This ideal resonates deeply with her yearning for liberation from her...
