Virginia Woolf’s novel To The Light House is a piece of literature which belongs to the literary genre of modernism. The characters struggle to bring meaning and order to the chaos of their lives. Woolf chose an anonymous narrator who speaks in the third person and describes the characters and actions subjectively, giving us insight into the characters’ feelings. The narrative switches constantly from the perceptions of one character to those of the next. The tone is poetic, rhythmic and imaginative. The novel takes place during the years immediately preceding and following World War I on the Isle of Skye, in the Hebrides (a group of islands west of Scotland).
In my term paper I will focus on the two central women in the story. I want to show that Virginia Woolf created two totally different characters but with a very interesting and complex connection and that Lily is a brilliant example of modernism. The first one is Mrs Ramsay, a woman still belonging to the Victorian age, the second, Lily Briscoe, a so called “New woman”. I want to compare Mrs Ramsay and Lily by presenting similarities and differences. I will look on different aspects and reveal the attitude or the behaviour of the women towards them. This is possible because of the stream-of-consciousness-technique which Virginia Woolf chose for her novel. In this way it is possible for us to get to know the most privet thoughts of the characters. Additionally, with Lily we find some theories of feminism of those days.
The novel is divided into three sections, "The Window," "Time Passes," and "The Lighthouse”. The first and the last part each cover a day. The middle part covers ten year of war. Mrs Ramsay dies in this time span, which is why the focus in the last part is on Lily, whereas the first part focuses more on Mrs Ramsay.
To get an impression of the context of the novel, I commence with a short description of Modernism.
Table of Contents
O. Introduction
I. Characteristics of Modernism
II. Comparison of Mrs Ramsay and Lily
II.1 Social life vs. individual search for values
II.2 Harmony vs. Chaos
II.4 Men
II.5 Creativity & Art
II.6 Fears
II.7 Lily’s Vision
III. Conclusion
IV. Sources
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This term paper examines the dichotomy between the Victorian values embodied by Mrs Ramsay and the modernist identity represented by Lily Briscoe in Virginia Woolf’s novel "To the Lighthouse," exploring how Lily transcends her personal anxieties to find creative fulfillment.
- Comparison of Victorian traditionalism and modernist individualism
- Analysis of gender roles and the search for personal values
- Exploration of creativity, art, and the perception of chaos
- The psychological development of Lily Briscoe as a "New woman"
- The concept of "harmony" versus "modernist disjunction"
Excerpt from the Book
II.3 Relationships
Mrs Ramsay is loved and adored by many people around her (“It was this: she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. With stars in her eyes and veils in her hair, with cyclamen and wild violets “, p.21) and this adoring attitude towards her seems to be very common with every other person too. She herself states:
“She had not generally any difficulties in making people like her [...] they would come to her for an evening, quietly, and talk alone over her fire. She bore about with her, she could not help knowing it, the torch of her beauty; [...] She had been admired. She had been loved. [...]. Men, and women too, letting go the multiplicity of things, had allowed themselves with her the relief of simplicity (p.57-58).
Hence, it is not very easy to distinguish between these to ways of adoration for her. On the one hand people love her beauty (and might think that her outer beauty reflects an inner beauty – an opinion already common in the Shakespearean Days) and on the other hand people love her because of the favours she does to them.
Mrs Ramsay longs for community and there is another trait of her character which is her wish to help. She wants to help everybody and, what is especially notable in regard to her character, even if they do not want it. She is used to the fact that everybody asks her for help and advice and she feels good with it.
Summary of Chapters
O. Introduction: Outlines the literary context of the novel and introduces the comparative analysis of Mrs Ramsay and Lily Briscoe.
I. Characteristics of Modernism: Defines the aesthetic and cultural foundations of modernism, focusing on themes of fragmentation, crisis, and the search for new values.
II. Comparison of Mrs Ramsay and Lily: Provides a detailed contrast between the two protagonists regarding their social roles, fears, and approaches to creativity.
II.1 Social life vs. individual search for values: Contrasts Mrs Ramsay’s traditional family-centric life with Lily’s search for personal independence.
II.2 Harmony vs. Chaos: Discusses how Mrs Ramsay attempts to maintain traditional harmony against the encroaching chaos of modernity.
II.4 Men: Analyzes the female characters' perspectives on masculine intelligence and their differing relationships with men.
II.5 Creativity & Art: Examines how both women utilize creativity—either through domestic management or painting—to give shape to their experiences.
II.6 Fears: Explores the anxieties stemming from the collapse of traditional structures and the personal struggle for self-expression in painting.
II.7 Lily’s Vision: Describes Lily’s psychological journey toward overcoming self-consciousness and achieving her artistic breakthrough.
III. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, concluding that Lily represents the successful synthesis of modern sensitivity and traditional harmony.
IV. Sources: Lists the academic and literary references used in the paper.
Keywords
Modernism, Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse, Mrs Ramsay, Lily Briscoe, Victorian age, New woman, stream-of-consciousness, femininity, art, creativity, harmony, chaos, identity, feminist theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on comparing two central female characters, Mrs Ramsay and Lily Briscoe, to highlight the transition from Victorian traditions to the modernist period.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the conflict between traditional family values and individual independence, the search for harmony in a chaotic world, gender roles, and the nature of artistic creation.
What is the ultimate goal of the author?
The goal is to demonstrate that Lily Briscoe serves as a brilliant example of modernist evolution, moving from an insecure woman to an artist who finds personal and creative structure.
Which scientific or literary method is applied?
The author uses literary analysis, drawing upon the stream-of-consciousness technique inherent in the novel and integrating modernist theoretical frameworks.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers individual vs. social life, the dichotomy of harmony and chaos, perceptions of men, the role of art, personal fears, and the eventual realization of Lily's artistic vision.
Which keywords best describe the paper?
Key terms include Modernism, To the Lighthouse, femininity, identity, and artistic vision.
How does Lily’s relationship to Mrs Ramsay change throughout the book?
Lily begins with a mix of admiration and distance, but eventually, through her painting, she gains a deeper, more profound understanding of Mrs Ramsay’s essential nature.
Why does the author consider Mrs Ramsay an "artist of life"?
Mrs Ramsay is described this way because she possesses the unique ability to create peace, unity, and unforgettable moments for those around her, effectively "sculpting" social interactions.
What does the final brushstroke in the novel signify for Lily?
It signifies her successful integration of the past and present, asserting her identity as an artist and proving that women possess the capacity to create lasting, meaningful work.
- Quote paper
- Ann-Kathleen Kraetzig (Author), 2006, The women in To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/73872
