The Dreadnought hoax

Virginia Stephen (Woolf) in disguise on the far left, William Horace de Vere Cole in tophat on the far right

Something a little lighter for today...

On February 7, 1910, the HMS Dreadnought hosted a hastily arranged tour of four Abyssinian princes, or so they had been told. It turns out to have been an elaborate hoax. From Wikipedia:

The hoax involved Cole and five friends— writer Virginia Stephen (later Virginia Woolf), her brother Adrian Stephen, Guy Ridley, Anthony Buxton and artist Duncan Grant—who disguised themselves with skin darkeners and turbans. The disguise's main limitation was that the "royals" could not eat anything or their make-up would be ruined. Adrian Stephen took the role of "interpreter".

On 7 February 1910 the trick began. Cole had an accomplice send a telegram to HMS Dreadnought which was then moored in Weymouth, Dorset. The message said that the ship must be prepared for the visit of a group of princes from Abyssinia and was purportedly signed by Foreign Office Under-secretary Sir Charles Hardinge.

Cole with his entourage went to London's Paddington station where Cole claimed that he was "Herbert Cholmondeley" of the UK Foreign Office and demanded a special train to Weymouth. The stationmaster arranged a VIP coach.

In Weymouth, the navy welcomed the princes with an honour guard. Unfortunately, nobody had found an Abyssinian flag, so the navy proceeded to use that of Zanzibar and to play Zanzibar's national anthem. Their visitors did not appear to notice.

The group inspected the fleet. To show their appreciation, they communicated in a gibberish of words drawn from Latin and Greek (notably, "Bunga, bunga!"). They asked for prayer mats and attempted to bestow fake military honours on some of the officers. One officer familiar with both Cole and Virginia Stephen failed to recognise either.

Beside the bad publicity for the navy and government, the worst fallout was reserved for the real Abyssinian Emperor, Menelik II, when he visited England after the hoax. People followed him yelling "Bunga! Bunga!" and his request to see a navy facility was denied. According to the same Wikipedia article, "In 1915 during the First World War, HMS Dreadnought rammed and sank a German submarine. Among the telegrams of congratulation was one that read 'BUNGA BUNGA'."

The HMS Dreadnought was sold for scrap and broken up in 1923. Cole went on to pull many more pranks but would die broke at the age of 50 in France (in 1936).

Update: For more on Cole, the article at the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography provides additional information on this... ahem... colorful character.

Horace De Vere Cole was a striking man with piercing blue eyes, bristling white hair, and stiff moustaches. His advanced deafness prevented him from realizing that his carefully timed coughing was inadequate to cover his explosive breaking of wind. Potentially a generous friend (when visiting someone ill he brought neither flowers nor books but the loan of a picture by Augustus John), in low moods he was pugnacious, abusive, or malicious. Always he was both conceited and lustful: Who's Who excluded him after he filled in his recreation as ‘f—g’.

Mrs. Dalloway summary

Links to the Mrs. Dalloway posts are below, but I thought I would spend a little space on some works that pay homage to the novel and to Woolf herself. I'm sure there are more, but I'm aware of three works that tie in directly to the Mrs. Dalloway:

• Mr. Dalloway: A Novella by Robin Lippincott,
• The Hours by Michael Cunningham, and
• Saturday by Ian McEwan.

The Hours was also made into the 2002 movie with Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep. While I haven't read any of the books, I have seen the movie recently and will comment on it. I won't rehash the movie (which you can find more information at IMDB), but a few points stood out for me.

The theme of an entire life played out in a day is illustrated very well, as is the tie-ins between all three stories. There is even a To the Lighthouse reference when Richard Brown (played by Ed Harris) wonders if his work will live on past his death. Also emphasized are the moments that make life worth living and which may change everything. Richard Brown's quote on trying to capture any moment in writing (hopefully this is accurate) shows the difficulty an artist faces: "No matter what you start out with, it ends up being less." Even thought the moment can not be fully captured, the moment itself is still real and intense. In the movie there were no flashbacks but several allusions or stories told about previous times. In addition, the section on Woolf flashes forward to her suicide. I wish the movie would have added flashbacks to flesh out the allusions, but I can see where that would have been confusing. As in Mrs. Dalloway, death is never far away and the question of what keeps us living is raised repeatedly. The answers are different, but communication and interaction with other people factor in all of them (even if it is their rejection). My main complaint would be that the concerns of some characters wondering 'why stay alive' variesand some feel trite compared to Mrs. Dalloway. I recommend the movie even with the reservations.

Here are my posts related to Mrs. Dalloway:

Mrs. Dalloway resources online
Mrs. Dalloway discussion: one
Mrs. Dalloway discussion: two
Mrs. Dalloway discussion: three

Mrs. Dalloway, 1997 movie

Mrs. Dalloway, 1997 movie

A woman throws a party, sees some old friends, and thinks of times gone by. The storyline by itself of Mrs. Dalloway makes for a challenging transition from book to screen. Factor in the novel's use of n internal dialogue to represent consciousness and I didn’t expect much from the movie. Fortunately the film was extremely well done and a true delight to watch. I usually have to watch a movie over several evenings, but I stayed up late in order to watch this in one sitting.

The screenplay is by Eileen Atkins and directed by Marleen Gorris and their teaming up proved to be a great combination. But the movie ultimately rests on Vanessa Redgrave as Clarissa Dalloway and she admirably fills the role. So much so that the younger Clarissa, played by Natascha McElhone who does a fine job, is overshadowed. The movie cuts back and forth in time just like the book, which may cause some confusion for those unfamiliar with it as well as slowing down the first part of the movie. The transitioning effect becomes more seamless as the movie rolls along, fortunately. I think that people who have read the book will enjoy hearing and seeing some of the sensory effects the movie adds, while those who haven’t read Woolf will have a bit more of a challenge but will take pleasure in it nonetheless.

As usual, I expect some changes from the book, which I have no problem with as long as the tone and meaning of the original is followed. A few of the changes I noted:

• Clarissa sees Septimus through the flowershop window when a car backfires,
• there is no dignitary’s car winding through the crowd (before they note the skywriter),
• Miss Kilman takes Elizabeth to see Reverand Whittaker (and they leave the house in the morning, plus Clarissa is much more openly callous to Miss Kilman), and
• there is dancing at the party, something Clarissa specifically wished she could have done in the novel.

The changes are mostly minor (except for Clarissa seeing Septimus) and for the most part they add to the movie. The dancing during the party, for example, makes things much more lively and allows added touches like Richard and Elizabeth to pair up for a dance. Some of the sensory things that benefit include the chiming of the clocks, a constant foreboding from seeing spikes on the fences, being able to see all the flowers, and seeing Peter’s constant play with his knife (which was used to communicate some of his thoughts). The physical and behavioral change between the old and young Sally are highlighted so much easier in the movie. Some of the additional touches, like the insertion of war veterans around London (a man on crutches hobbling by or a blind beggar) add quite a bit to the theme regarding the toll of the Great War without resorting to hitting the viewer over the head.

Maybe even more than the demands of the older Clarissa, I thought the role of Septimus would be the hardest to pull off and Rupert Graves does about as well as could be expected. His face was able to express the torment that would suddenly descend on him. Without the constant look at his thoughts, however, the power of his madness is less personal. The role of Rezia was much less sympathetic than the book, which disappointed me somewhat. Probably the only other complaint I have is that Redgrave is so pale and washed out, at times her face looked like a death mask (which also makes her look much older than her supposed early 50s).

There were two extended voiceovers by Redgrave which, done at the beginning of the party and after hearing of Septimus’ death, felt like the right amount and at the perfect moments. Clarissa’s affirmation for living and her visual connection with the old woman across the way (not specifically mentioned in the book) was definitely the high point of the movie for me. Even the music was enjoyable. All in all, highly recommended whether or not you have read the book.

Mrs. Dalloway discussion: three

Draft for Mrs Dalloway
Picture source

This post covers the last third of the book, starting from the narration returning to Septimus and Rezia in the late afternoon and going through the end. Septimus briefly returns to some semblance of sanity, content at home and making Rezia happy as well. His reflections on marriage provide an interesting contrast: he goes from describing being with Rezia as “alone together”, encompassing their collective happiness, to “alone forever” where his “doom” was sealed in Milan, isolated before his madness even happened. Sir William weighs in on marriage when mental illness occurs: "The people we are most fond of are not good for us when we are ill." (Interestingly enough, Woolf always recognized the assistance she received from her husband Leonard during her illnesses) The ineffectiveness of the doctors is highlighted further when Holmes, his presence enough to drive Septimus to dive out of the window, cannot comprehend why Septimus did it. Holmes calls Septimus a coward, echoing Rezia’s earlier musing that “it was cowardly for a man to say he would kill himself”.

In addition to Septimus’ madness, I’ve touched on Clarissa’s mention of her occasional depression. Peter Walsh’s self-description hints at symptoms of depression as well: “It became more and more difficult for him to concentrate. He became absorbed; he became busied with his own concerns; now surly, now gay; dependent on women, absent-minded, moody…”. One question that is implied for most of the book and then explicit at the end is why these characters go on living…what keeps them choosing life? Septimus, for a while, said it was the pleasures in life that kept him going. His view of human nature, unable to discern between the evil man is capable of and being inherently evil, drives him over the edge. Peter also concentrates on his pleasures. His flings and female problems would probably be included on that list since the pain would not be possible if he didn’t receive some joy from them as well. Preservation stays in the forefront of his mind during the day, culminating in the terror and ecstasy he receives from Clarissa. “(T)he soul must brave itself to endure” is an appropriate motto for him. And Clarissa? She despairs when Lady Bradshaw mentions Septimus’ suicide, introducing the subject of death at her party. But it gives her a chance to affirm life and the reasons she chooses to live. His death helps her to focus on life and its beauty. She realizes she loses “herself in the process of living”. But she feels no pity for Septimus, recognizing that his suicide was a form of communication, imperfect though it may be and should be recognized as such. During this musing, she sees an old woman in a window across the way preparing for bed. Her privacy and loneliness are on display and Clarissa finds it fascinating. She repeats the words from Cymbeline, implying that Septimus need fear death no more, nor should those living stop “assembling” or enjoying life.

At one point, Peter Walsh reflects on one of Clarissa’s ‘theories’

to explain the feeling they had of dissatisfaction; not knowing people; not being known. For how could they know each other? You met every day; then not for six months, or years. It was unsatisfactory, they agreed, how little one knew people. But she said, sitting on the bus going up Shaftesbury Avenue, she felt herself everywhere; not "here, here, here"; and she tapped the back of the seat; but everywhere. She waved her hand, going up Shaftesbury Avenue. She was all that. So that to know her, or any one, one must seek out the people who completed them; even the places. Odd affinities she had with people she had never spoken to, some woman in the street, some man behind a counter--even trees, or barns. It ended in a transcendental theory which, with her horror of death, allowed her to believe, or say that she believed (for all her scepticism), that since our apparitions, the part of us which appears, are so momentary compared with the other, the unseen part of us, which spreads wide, the unseen might survive, be recovered somehow attached to this person or that, or even haunting certain places after death . . . perhaps—perhaps.

In other words, we can never truly get to know someone but have to fill in the blanks to feel as if we do. In addition, we are connected to people we don’t even know without realizing it. In Mrs. Dalloway, the influence people have on each other stretches over the years, even if they have lost touch with each other. Sally Seton mentions that she owes Clarissa “an enormous amount” because “(t)hey had been friends, not acquaintances”. Distance (physical distance or time) does not matter in these connections. Clarissa's connection with Septimus, someone she never met but slid past during her walks in London, is very real.

There are so many themes in the book and I feel a little overwhelmed to tackle them here. Generational differences play an important part, going in both directions (the main characters and those younger than them as well as older). There is much more on the different types of love and communication that I haven’t even touched on—my favorite contrast is Richard’s bracelet he bought for Clarissa which she wouldn’t wear versus the necklace Elizabeth is wearing at the party (as well as his ability to tell his daughter he loves her but can’t say that to his wife). Reflections on aging are peppered throughout the book, with Peter Walsh’s ruminations about being able to savor and appreciate things more as you get older (a delightful irony as he twists and writhes in his self-induced torture). The use of external items link characters together physically (Clarissa and Septimus when the car backfires, for example) as well as provide the impetus for internal ruminations that provide the reader with comparisons and contrasts. An additional motif I enjoyed was keeping track of the characters’ response toward literature and reading.

While enjoying the book, there are two items I’ll delve into here that distracted me a little bit. The first is relatively minor. Just like in To the Lighthouse, Woolf reveals the consciousnesses of many characters. The astounding thing with Lighthouse is that each consciousness is unique, while in Mrs. Dalloway they all sound similar. Again, a minor point and I would not have noticed it if I had not read Lighthouse recently. I am still trying to work through the second point, but it touches to the core of the book instead of techniques used. So here’s a first pass at trying to explain the point that bothered me…

A major theme in the book questions the old order, looking to England as a country and empire that is diminishing. Also, the social hierarchy is repeatedly questioned and made fun of. The social critique is actually quite amusing, with accusations of snobbery being thrown about so often it soon loses all meaning. Not to mention the projection of people like Sally Seton, demeaning some characters because of their background and then accuses Clarissa of being a snob at heart. The comments on the depth of intelligence versus social status are deliciously mean. After World War I, however, I’m sure there was a feeling that the lower classes fought and suffered for the benefit of the top tiers. Septimus’ wondering of what he actually fought for captures this extremely well, which should be asked in any war. War always entails high costs and the more disproportionate the sacrifice and benefit, the more disillusioned people will be. The ordinariness of the Prime Minister at Clarissa’s party is in contrast to how people responded to him and his office (again, delicately undermined by Woolf highlighting the public’s short attention span—from awe over an official’s car to being distracted by a skywriter). But there are several things that cause her theme not to connect with me. One is the conflation of the government with the country, letting symbols of “what they all stood for” override what the country actually stands for. The imperfections don’t necessarily negate everything achieved. The “triumphs of civilisation” (as Peter Walsh muses) don’t occur in perfect societies, nor do they occur everywhere. And while the benefits of those triumphs may not be shared equally, can they filter down so that everyone benefits to some extent? Characters like Hugh and Richard highlight the gratification comes from levels other then wealth or status. I guess my question is one of the baby and bathwater…OK, granted the (then) current situation isn’t ideal. What would you substitute it with? The second disconnection for me is a little unfair since I have the benefit of history since the book was published. Not trying to trivialize what Woolf highlights, but major events occurring after the book’s setting puts the inequities in a different perspective. Woolf even seems to acknowledge the improvements (although glacially) by drawing attention to changes in social mores and mobility that positively address some of the issues.

These complaints weren’t enough to take away my pleasure in reading the book but they did generate the niggling thoughts I tried to convey here. The exploration of relations and connections and their association with individuals’ search for the meaning of life and death is what made the book enjoyable for me.

Mrs. Dalloway discussion: two

The London Walks of Mrs. Dalloway
by E.K. Sparks, Clemson University

This post will cover from the old woman singing outside the Regent’s Park Tube station at approximately noon to the narration leaving Elizabeth on the Westminster bus in the late afternoon. This middle third of the novel fleshes out many of the themes and begins to bring them together. [The map above traces the various characters' walks through London, highlighting the random encounters, near misses, parallel paths (separated by time), and original treks. Click on the link for the color key.]

The old woman opposite the Regent’s Park Tube station, ignoring everyone passing by, sings a song celebrating enduring love and life. She herself, we are told, “would still be there in ten million years” singing her song, escaping the effects of time. Peter Walsh pities her and gives her a coin, completely ignoring the song’s lyrics. Rezia feels sorry for her as well, but the song makes her happy. Many times in the book people define themselves or others by comparing themselves with others. Woolf repeatedly sets up comparisons and contrasts, such as the reaction of Peter and Rezia to this old woman. But she also illuminates the inner thoughts of characters as they define who they are in comparison to others. There are many parallels between the characters, and it is constantly pointed out that Septimus and Clarissa are “doubles” of each other, resembling the other in key ways. Yet it is where they diverge and are different that is of more interest to me.

Septimus’ madness is illustrated in much more detail in this section. His descent (often described as a descent into hell, directly or in allusions to Dante’s Inferno) into madness comes after he begins to process what has happened in the war. He had numbed himself to his friend Evans’ death, but as he comes to terms with it he loses all bearing and “overfeels”. The allusions to Dante seems fitting since Septimus even though not at the middle of life, has found himself in a dark wood and has lost his path. Septimus begins to see human nature as solely evil, believing people capable of good deeds only in order to feel pleasure. Because he can reason, he reasons, the fault must lie with humanity in general. Humanity’s evil, to him, is essential…as primary and defining as the fact that we all must die. Dr. Holmes, the first doctor Septimus agrees to see, believes nothing is wrong with the patient other than needing to think beyond himself. Septimus sees Holmes as the personification of evil human nature, more interested in Rezia than he is his patient who is only in a "funk". Sir William Bradshaw believes Septimus only lacks a sense of proportion. Rezia has unreasonable expectations that there is an immediate cure for her husband. Woolf does not shy away from the poor treatment of the mentally ill, where doctors are lauded for segregating patients from families and society.

Septimus is a stark contrast with the other characters, but the similarities he shares with them highlights the thin line between sanity and madness while his insights call many of their actions into question. Clarissa admits to herself that she feels some depression now and then, but she is able to muddle through. Both characters are damaged by the war, Septimus from losing his close friend and Clarissa from the influenza outbreak after it. Yet there is a divergence between the two characters: Septimus tries to stand outside any connections with people (turning deep within himself as well as communicating with his dead friend Evans) while Clarissa believes that a connection with other people is the very essence of life. The pleasure she felt at the start of the book was from the bustle of London, the life that the movement and noise represented. Her parties are a celebration (“an offering”) recognizing that outlook. With the human connection, death is “unbelievable”…not that it won’t happen but that the recognition and relationship with others buoys us up and keeps us going. Death is also unbelievable because people and events still live on in our memory regardless of what has happened since then. Clarissa does good acts “for the sake of goodness”, not because of Septimus’ cynical pleasure principle. He may not be completely wrong, but his focus is on the motives and not the actions, denigrating positive outcomes even though they might come from questionable intent. Are the benefits from Lady Bruton’s causes or Hugh Whitbread’s humble reforms or Lady Bradshaw’s interests negated because they might be done for selfish reasons?

The ties between people are thin threads (at best) “which would stretch and stretch, get thinner and thinner as they walked across London; as if one's friends were attached to one's body…by a thin thread, … as a single spider's thread is blotted with rain-drops, and, burdened, sags down.” So if we accept Clarissa’s belief that human connections are the essence of life, does Lady Bruton’s thin thread theory threaten that essence? Woolf seems to be saying yes but there are ways to strengthen or reinforce the thread. Clarissa obviously believes increased connection or interaction helps, her parties are a prime exhibit. Communication is an important part of that connection…the misassumptions, misunderstandings and misjudgments of the characters threaten various connections. Characters often misunderstand themselves, making recognition of others much more difficult. Unspoken communication plays an important role at several points since the motive or meaning of the spoken word is questioned. [One suggestion for those new to the book—if you read Mrs. Dalloway, highlight every time roses appear and see what they have to do with contact between people or anchoring a character with reality.]

These ties between people are also important since the influence of other social institutions appears to be waning. Marriage, one of the ultimate connections between people, has many more negative examples than positive. Since Woolf uses Shakespeare as a major motif in the novel, I guess it only appropriate that she echoes him in her examples. The gulf between many of the partners leads to isolation, turning love to "a destructive force". Religion is almost non-existent in the book as most characters announce their atheism or at least hint at it. Miss Kilman is both the most religious and most repellant character. While I don’t believe she is intended to symbolize religion, she does highlight the oppression possible from perverting it. Christianity has a calming influence on her, but only to tolerable levels. Presented in a similar manner is the potential replacement for religion—science, in the guise of psychiatry. Sir William Bradshaw, a likeable enough person, becomes more monstrous as you read his inner thoughts. His insistence on control and dominance distorts what he really intends by proportion. As far as problems of the state, I’ll save that for the next post. Strengthening the ties between people, as Clarissa tries to assist with her parties, substitutes for the social institutions failing the human condition. The darkness just beyond our own consciousness needs blunting in order to avoid Septimus’ complete dissolution.

Time continues to be a major factor, “shredding and slicing, dividing and subdividing,” nibbling at the day. The rhythm of the day as well as the image of the clocks emphasizes the circular nature of time, yet time moves forward as well. Time is the definitive glacier, picking up debris as it moves and carves, depositing things far away from their original source. Once again, characters reflect back on a particular point in the past, highlighting how much has changed over the years. Time erases the memory of those who have died, as Richard reflects that the “thousands of poor chaps, with all their lives before them, shoveled together” were “already half forgotten.”

And time is what I’m out of, so I will try and pull together a few more of the major themes and motifs in the last post on the book. I also hope to review the 1997 movie version and see how successfully it conveys the messages or the book.

Mrs. Dalloway discussion: one

Big Ben clock tower from Westminster Bridge
Picture source

Guidedrius: Fear no more the heat o’ th’ sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages,
Thou thy worldly task has done,
Home art gone and ta’en thy wages.
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Arviragus: Fear no more the frown o’ th’ great,
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke,
Care no more to clothe and eat,
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, leaning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
--Cymbeline, William Shakespeare, (Act IV, Scene ii, lines 258–269)

Work and home have been incredible busy lately so I have had trouble finding the time to read or post. I’ll try and at least cover the first third of Mrs. Dalloway (up to the old woman singing outside the Regent’s Park Tube station—approximately noon) with this post. I’m not sure why I’ve been so resistant to reading this book, pushing it back in my ‘schedule’ several times. At first the book seemed like a first draft of To the Lighthouse, with many of the same themes and a similar approach as the subsequent work. It took a few pages to realize the work definitely stands on its own. For those coming to Woolf for the first time, I would suggest saving To the Lighthouse for later and start with an earlier work like this. I think I also dreaded writing up something about the book…I have trouble condensing Woolf and never get the feeling that I will do her justice.

Like To the Lighthouse, time is a major focus. Weaving back and forth through time in both consciousness and narration, characters live in the present while keeping the past active. Clocks are an omnipresent symbol of time passing, whether through the chiming of Big Ben, the presence of commercial clocks, or people consulting their watches. Most of the characters presented in this section allow their minds to wander back in time, usually to one major point in their lives. Peter Walsh and Clarissa Dalloway look back to a particular summer at Bourton, while Septimus Smith focuses a lot on his time in “The Great War” (WW I). At one point Peter asks “For why go back like this to the past?” as if it were possible not to do so. These looks back evoke not just memories but actively influence emotions.

The passing of time also ties into a major theme involving death. In this section death is mentioned or alluded to in many forms, from the dying words of Carissa’s uncle to Clarissa’s own musings about what will continue after her own death. This post’s opening quote, phrases and lines repeated often by Clarissa, are an excerpt from Cymbeline which directly addresses death as almost a comfort or relief from life. Septimus’ existence is a constant reminder of death, whether those he saw in war or his own suicide threats. Peter’s thoughts of death rattle him, causing him to wander aimlessly through London. It is almost as if living or dying has gone beyond a possibility for several characters and has become a choice.

As in To the Lighthouse, watery images play an important role but in this work the images do not have the same central focus or quite the same meanings. My favorite image so far has to do with ripples, appearing in many forms throughout the book. The “leaden circles” of Big Ben’s chimes send ripples through the air. Past events ripple over time and influence current thoughts and actions, alternatives not taken still weighing on characters. The passing car of someone important leaves “a slight ripple” along Bond Street. The wave imagery also occurs in rhythmic descriptors, whether a “flow of the sound”, a pulsing of the he heart, or the bustle of London. Woolf’s style even takes on a rhythmic nature, repeating phrases close together as well as expressions appearing many pages apart. There is a constant feeling of flow, whether in imagery or style.

Shakespeare appears often in the book, with references to Cymbeline, Antony and Cleopatra and Othello in this section. Cymbeline is especially telling, not just in the reference to death, but the nature of the play itself with the multiple disguised characters resolved by the many revelations at the end. The play resonates here because many characters have trouble recognizing themselves and/or others. Clarissa, claiming that “she would not say of herself, I am this, I am that”, does precisely that. Septimus, suffering from shell-shock and focused deep within his mind, does not recognize himself or others (mistaking Peter for his friend Evans as one example). Peter, able to examine Clarissa dispassionately at times, is unable to take the full measure of himself or others. He constantly measures his success or failure through the eyes of others. It becomes clear early on that self-assessments cannot always be trusted, nor can opinions about other characters be accepted at face value. Even the recollections are suspect, questioned by even those doing the reminiscing. The choices for quotes or allusions from Shakespeare also provide irony—Richard’s ideas about reading Shakespeare’s sonnets, for example. The mention of Antony and Cleopatra and Othellosets a sour tone for the possibility of the book’s couples.

Married life and relationships in Mrs. Dalloway are presented as less than nurturing alliances, but the characters’ thoughts are not always supported by their actions. Rezia muses “To love makes one solitary”. She has chosen a life with her husband away from her original home and family, yet his growing madness is what isolates her and not her departed love. “Every one gives up something when they marry” Rezia thinks, but that is the nature of intimate relationships. The relevant questions are how much of “something” do they give u and how willingly. Peter’s thinks that “one of the tragedies of married life” was that one spouse had to see through the eyes of the other, in effect losing the self. Clarissa even refers to love as “that monster” in response to Peter’s confession of loving a married woman. Marriage comes in for a brutal evaluation—as with many Modernist texts, Mrs. Dalloway questions the utility of society’s institutions to give meaning or assistance in the modern world. It is interesting to focus on the utility of marriage for Clarissa as well as her thoughts on her husband. The imagery of her room as a nunnery and Clarissa as a nun highlights her asexuality.

Yet she was not always that way, the kiss she receives from Sally Seton is responsible for “the most exquisite moment of her whole life”. While she burned with excitement and ecstasy for part of that summer in Sally’s presence, that flame was soon extinguished. Clarissa apparently still has some longings toward other women but it seems to be more akin to her reading memoirs than anything sexual. The changing nature of people over time is constantly highlighted. Socialist rhetoric gives way to traditional roles. Revulsion at being called a “perfect hostess” yields to planning and hosting perfect parties. Grand schemes to achieve great things are replaced by small-scale acts of kindness or assistance. While it is tempting to wonder why things turned out the way they did, why Clarissa married Richard instead of Peter for example, I think that approach can lead the reader down a blind alley. More important is what did happen and the associated ripples through time, following the choices made and their subsequent impact.

There are many other themes and motifs in this first section but I will try and cover them in other posts: madness and man’s essential nature, generational differences, freedom, flowers, nationalism, looking but not seeing, and some more I’ve forgotten over the course of writing this epic-length (for me) post…

The Windrush River through Bourton-on-the-Water
Picture source

Mrs. Dalloway resources

Mrs. Dalloway, London: Hogarth Press, 1925. Dust jacket designed by Vanessa Bell.
Picture source

It is difficult--perhaps impossible--for a writer to say anything about his own work. All he has to say has been said as fully and as well as he can in the body of the book itself. If he has failed to make his meaning clear there it is scarcely likely that he will succeed in some pages of preface or postscript. -- Virginia Woolf, Introduction to Mrs. Dalloway, The Modern Library edition, 1928.

I have already posted some online Virginia Woolf resources (including To The Lighthouse links)

The only resources I posted in the above link for Mrs. Dalloway:

University of Alabama in Huntsville seminar page
      Notes on the lecture

And a few more links, in random order:

Mrs. Dalloway free e-text

Adrianna Bayer, Humboldt State University: class notes on Clarissa and other characters

ReadingGroupGuides' discussion questions for Mrs. Dalloway

Dr. Elisa Kay Sparks' Links for Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway

Mrs. Dalloway, New York: The Modern Library, 1928.
Picture source

To the Lighthouse summary

Many posts related to Woolf and To the Lighthouse, so here goes...

Virginia Woolf online resources

Woolf’s “Modern Fiction” and How Should One Read a Book?” essays

Audio recommendation

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapter 1

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 2 – 9

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 10 – 16

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 17 - 19

To the Lighthouse: Time Passes

To the Lighthouse: The Lighthouse

To the Lighthouse: 1983 movie (TV)

"Experience, already reduced to a swarm of impressions, is ringed round for each one of us by that thick wall of personality through which no real voice has ever pierced on its way to us, or from us to that which we can only conjecture to be without. Every one of those impressions is the impression of the individual in his isolation, each mind keeping as a solitary prisoner its own dream of a world."

Walter Pater, The Renaissance

To the Lighthouse: 1983 movie (TV)

The IMDB page for the movie can be found here. An adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s work is going to be a challenge. How to capture the consciousness of the characters that fills the majority of the book?

Despite the massive changes to storyline, wholesale additions and omissions, and a pared down character list, the movie does a decent job at conveying the spirit of the novel. The setting is changed to Cornwall, where the Stephen family would vacation. Mr. Ramsay is given plenty of time to rage, bluster and tyrannize his family while still adding some of the sympathetic glances toward him. Rosemary Harris does a good job as Mrs. Ramsay, but I was not quite sold on the character as I was in the book. More time is given to Charles Tansley and a young Kenneth Branagh is admirable. The rest of the characters (two children, Minta Doyle and William Bankes are not included) fill out the solid cast.

The strains of family life definitely shine through, with the struggle for Mrs. Ramsay’s attention from the different family members shown very well. The competing view between Mrs. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe regarding the role of a woman in society is played up very well, with the addition of scenes and modern language to augment Woolf’s nascent feminism. There is little surprise that the strongest section of the movie was covering the ten years of the “Time Passes” section. Since this part was relayed from the outside, the views of the deteriorating house, rough weather, and family deaths were superficially covered well.

Several things suffered, unfortunately, and one omission was Mr. Ramsay’s apprehension about his legacy and questioning the enduring nature of art. In the movie he is concerned about the decline in the quality of his books and his inability to say anything new, but that is as far as it goes. But the biggest disappointment for me was that the dinner party never achieves the transcendent level as in the book. The characters switch to a voice-over during the party, which played much better than several stiff (and fortunately short) monologues meant to convey a character’s thoughts. Yet even then by the end of this scene I was somewhat tired of the technique, which gives me more appreciation of what the writers were up against in translating this to the screen. Even so, the sense of community and binding together against the watery destruction of time and nature was never developed.

One of the most difficult thoughts to put aside in watching a movie like this (besides going “that’s Aunt May Parker and Alfred the butler”) is “that’s not like the book.” There are many moments like that in this movie. Yet it is still an enjoyable film and I think a worthy adaption of the novel. Unfortunately it leaves me wanting something better, something that captures more of the questions and responses from Woolf’s book.

To the lighthouse discussion: The Lighthouse

Godrevy Island lighthouse (Source)
"The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark; here was one. This, that, and the other; herself and Charles Tansley and the breaking wave; Mrs Ramsay bringing them together; Mrs Ramsay saying, "Life stand still here"; Mrs Ramsay making of the moment something permanent (as in another sphere Lily herself tried to make of the moment something permanent)--this was of the nature of a revelation. In the midst of chaos there was shape; this eternal passing and flowing (she looked at the clouds going and the leaves shaking) was struck into stability. Life stand still here, Mrs Ramsay said."
(The Lighthouse, Chapter 4)

Let us not take it for granted that life exists more fully in what is commonly thought big than in what is commonly thought small.
(Modern Fiction)

The last section of To the Lighthouse reverts to narrating the consciousness of the characters. The family struggle is brought even more to the foreground—without Mrs. Ramsay, there is no more fighting for her attention. Instead the fighting is more direct between characters. The similarity between James and his father guarantees there will be friction. Cam’s love for her father holds up through all his cruelties and tyrannies. Along with Mrs. Ramsay’s abiding love despite everything, it paints a picture of strength that I’m sure can be misconstrued as weakness. Even Lily has to reconcile with the dead Mrs. Ramsay on this issue. The loss of the mother affected everyone including Lily. She is shown working through her grief, befuddlement and anger turning to anguish.

The characters that strike the reader as less likeable are given a sympathetic portrayal at some point. Just as the revelation in the first section of Charles Tansley’s poverty gives some understanding of his actions, Mr. Ramsay (despite his tyranny) is given a sympathetic touch at times in “The Lighthouse.” The sympathy that is shown between characters mostly comes from the females and is usually indirect. After the dinner Mrs. Ramsay gives her husband what he needs but not what he was (silently) asking for. Lily gives Charles Tansley help during the dinner. And in this section you see Lily unable to give Mr. Ramsay the sympathy he requested, instead bestowing him with pride regarding his boots.

A major focus in this section is the mutability of people and things, the self and how we view things. The distance from where things are viewed makes a difference—the waves looking tranquil from afar may be dangerous while in them. Cam looking back at the house while sailing thinks how peaceful it all looks, as compared to the hive-like activity while actually there. The same difference can be applied to time. How different everything looks when viewed years later. As James thought while looking at the lighthouse, “For nothing was simply one thing.” And this leads into the aspect of knowledge that Woolf addresses in the book. By showing the internal world of the characters, you see how little actually gets communicated to others. Others fill in the gaps of their knowledge as they see fit, as Lily does with Minta and Paul Raley. And this combination of experience and invention becomes a new “truth.” The desire for fifty pairs of eyes, and the recognition that even that isn’t enough, to understand someone shows the necessity of filling in the gaps.

The difficulty Lily has with her painting demonstrates the challenge in the artistic endeavor. “All that in idea seemed simple became in practice immediately complex,” thought Lily as she struggled with capturing her vision on the canvas. In the same way, she struggled with words to convey what she was thinking and became frustrated. She knows her work will only be hung in attics or stowed away somewhere, but that fact does not lessen the moment she is inspired to paint…the inspiration that makes life bigger and fuller than our limited consciousness can comprehend. The hypothetical beachcomber in “Time Passes” and Lily in this section continue to ask “What does it all mean?” The answer is given in those moments of transcendence, when we can escape ourselves and our limitations. Mrs. Ramsay attempted to do this by making time stand still, “making of the moment something permanent.” Lily attempts this with her painting, as does Mr. Ramsay with his work. Mrs. Ramsay realizes she can provide a stay against that “waterily” confusion and destructive elements that threatens family and friends. For a woman constantly described as placing “this with that,” she is able to provide order and stability for those around her and bridge the gap between various inwardly-focused lives.

To the Lighthouse discussion: Time Passes

The first chapter of “Time Passes” highlights the difference in narrative style for this section. Events after the dinner are conveyed through a third-person approach rather than the stream-of-consciousness in the “The Window.” This change in technique mirrors the shift in focus regarding the impact of time. The first section, which viewed the world through the consciousness of individuals, highlighted the effect time has on people. This middle section mostly concentrates on the effect time has on things. Events in people’s lives over the ten-year period are presented mostly as asides, without elaboration or emotion.

Once again there are many themes and motifs so I’ll only be able to mention a couple of them. One recurrent thing is the use of someone on the beach and asking philosophical questions. The waves and the sea have (among other things) signified time in its continual wearing down of physical things. The surface of the sea hides the power and beauty underneath, presenting a mirror to those that walk beside it. Likewise, the answers it yields will be a reflection of the beachwalker himself…in both form and content.

Toward the end of “The Window” Mrs. Ramsay symbolically protects her children from a death symbol by wrapping her scarf around the boar’s skull. With the passage of time, the shawl falls away revealing the meager protection that she (and all parents) actually provide. There is nothing that she could have done to prevent Prue’s death in childbirth or Andrew’s death in the war. While they were adults at the time of their death, Mrs. Ramsay’s feeling of impotence regarding protecting those out for a walk was a harbinger of how far her influence actually carried. Even so, her power was great in bringing people together, providing a stay against the elements outside and instigating events that would remain with them. This force she provided is echoed in “Time Passes” as the house's refusal to ultimately yield to the destructive elements attacking it (through forces it didn't control, but benefited from nonetheless).
The destructive nature of time in this section does lend credence to Mr. Ramsay’s concern about the lasting nature of his work, or of any work of art. As time passes, the forces working to destroy the books are only concerned with the physical component of a work. The essence of what is behind those works will live on..maybe wildly popular or alone in obscurity, but they do continue. Witness the emergence of Mr. Carmichael’s work, supposedly due to the war, in regards to what is popular at any point in time. As in relation to the house, there are other forces to help art survive.

I think it is a safe bet that the flower imagery in To the Lighthouse has provided several scholars their dissertation topic. Whether the use was with regard to actual flowers (in the garden, for example, and the constant vigilance to make sure they are planted and not destroyed by the wildlife), flower imagery (the flower in the tablecloth pattern that inspires Lily to ‘fix’ her painting), or simple allusion (Mrs. Ramsay’s reverie as she listened to the poem at dinner), the use of flowers saturate the book. I’ll pass on delving into it more, but did want to highlight their usage at some point.

Time and darkness are presented as engulfing elements in “Time Passes,” factors that swallow us up in a pool despite our best efforts. Along with nature, one day…one night does not always play a deciding factor in our lives. It is the accumulation of nights, of time, unveils what will happen and wear down our being. Here, the house does not deteriorate overnight but over the space of ten years. However this approach toward time has to be augmented with the recognition that things do happen in one evening, or in one moment. The deaths of the characters did not happen “over time” but in discrete moments. The passage of time yields these decisive moments.

The personification of the air early in this section lends itself to a wonderful metaphor on knowledge. These airs have “time at their disposal” and question everything they pass. They learn everything that is available, able to visit when and where they would like and read people or events at their leisure. The airs may be driven away with the recognition that they “can neither touch nor destroy,” but they obtain knowledge regardless. One major theme in the final section investigates the meaning of knowing another person. The use of “certain airs” in this section demonstrates one method of learning.

To The Lighthouse: audio recommendation

I saw the CD version of To the Lighthouse with Phyllida Law as reader at my local library and decided to give it a try. This in spite of my general misgiving about books on tape (I'm rarely able to give my full attention to them) and the specific worry about the adaptability of this work (can you keep track while listening to a sentence that has a dozen clauses between subject and verb?).

I need not have worried on either count. Phyllida Law does a wonderful job of bringing the book to life and keeping the sentence structure understandable. There is a lyricism and rhythm within the text that I was not aware of until hearing it read out loud. Very highly recommended.

General information: 8 CDs, just over 7 ½ hours, BBC Aduiobooks.

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 17 – 19

Cover of To the Lighthouse by Vanessa Bell
Source

The last three chapters of “The Window” section takes place during the dinner and later that evening. I will briefly look at the dinner and some topics covered then and afterwards.

The dinner starts off with weariness and dissatisfaction of many of the participants. Several characters wish they weren’t there, feel something is lacking and that they have nothing to say. The turning point is when the candles are lit—while the narration didn’t note it, you realize the twilight made the room dark and uninviting. The diners feel physically closer together as “uneasiness changed to expectation…anything can happen." The food, the fruit and then the main course, cement the positive change in atmosphere. “(F)or the night was now shut off by panes of glass, which, far from giving any accurate view of the outside world, rippled it so strangely that here, inside the room, seemed to be order and dry land; there, outside, a reflection in which things waved and vanished, waterily.” (my emphasis) The outside represents the passage of time, the fleeting nature of life. “Some change at once went through them all, as if this had really happened, and they were all conscious of making a party together in a hollow, on an island; had their common cause against that fluidity out there.” The sense of community they achieved represents one stay against that danger. The difficulty in drawing everyone together was simply one of inertia—the distance we ordinarily feel makes it hard to overcome, but once overcome it continues to have a life of its own. The glimpses into the consciousness of the characters reveals the difficulty in connecting with others, yet the self can change and adapt to make things more inviting.

During the meal, the language used invokes a religious overtone that the participants feel. The language starts with references to pagan rituals but gradually adopts Catholic overtones. The poetry, quoted and then chanted, helps seal the religious feel with its rhythm, tone, and subject.

At the start of the dinner, the thoughts of several characters are less than generous. Mrs. Ramsay pities William Bankes for no longer having a wife and not having any children. Yet he is happy to be alone, feeling there is a sacrifice that has to be made in order to be around other people. Mr. Bankes looks at Mrs. Ramsay as one of his oldest friends but has nothing to say to her, feeling that there was a great distance between the two. Charles Tansley derided the silliness of the host family, mostly regarding the women. However it is the women who draw him into the group, including him in order to be social (and as Lily put it, at great cost). It is their “silliness” that helps make the evening a success. There was much communication between characters without words being spoken: between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, Mrs. Ramsay and Lily, Paul and Minta with everyone else (as they radiated their love), showing that the connection can be made at several levels.

Lily looks at Mrs. Ramsay and contrasts “that abundance with her own poverty of spirit”. Mrs. Ramsay is able to ‘control’ others and make things better by being so social. Lily reflects on the assumed engagement of Paul and Minta: “For any rate…she [Lily]need not marry, thank Heaven; she need not undergo that degradation. She was saved from that dilution.” She feels conflicted between what she feels and what she sees others feel, which parallels her frustration in not capturing a scene appropriately in her painting. Her questioning of marriage is echoed by Mrs. Ramsay at the end of “The Window” section: “(W)hy is it then that one wants people to marry? What was the value, the meaning of things?” While there is no answer given, part of it appears to be that two people can create what just one person cannot.

The creation theme carries over into Mr. Ramsay’s concern that his work will not last. The irony is that he constantly quotes, reads, or alludes to other works. A particular example is his reactions in reading Scott after recently saying “the arts are merely a decoration imposed on the top of human life; they do not express it.” Scott “made him fell so vigorous, so relieved of something that he felt roused and triumphant and could not choke back his tears.” He “forgot his own bothers and failures completely.” The arts are hardly a mere decoration for him. Mr. Ramsay feels some works will last for him and he realizes that his books will last for some people but not for others. At least for this evening, that is acceptable to him. One other example of what art can do as seen by Mrs. Ramsay after the poem was recited: “(T)he words seemed to be spoken by her own voice, outside her self, saying quite easily and naturally what had been in her mind the whole evening while she said different things…”. The collective recitation by the people at the table was “their own voice speaking.” Art doesn’t just speak to us, it can speak for us.

The passage of time weighs heavy in this section. Mrs. Ramsay reflects on a stay with Carrie Manning twenty years ago, how “there was no future to worry about.” She remembers it while current events keep slipping into "the past," making the present have an ephemeral feel. Mrs. Ramsay knows about her changes in the twenty years since elapsed, but feels “she did not know this Carrie who built a new billiard room.” It is the same person, of course, but one that she lost touch with over the years and is not consistent with her memory of that special weekend. How many people at the current dinner will look back in twenty years? She feels Paul and Minta will always come back to this evening, yet she realizes she has probably only thought of the weekend with the Mannings once since it happened. As highlighted with all the old friends, people drift apart and do not always look on them the same even if they stay in touch. What is passed between generations is compared as well. The undercurrent of comparing the brooch that Minta’s grandmother left her versus the recipe that Mrs. Ramsay’s grandmother gave her pivots on what they mean outside the person who receives it. Both gifts are highly valued, but only one can be effectively shared with others.

Unfortunately the symbolism of the boar’s head felt heavy-handed, the specter of death that Mrs. Ramsay protects her children from with the use of her own shawl. The role of motherhood is emphasized as is the cost of its performance. Much more in tune with the rest of this section was when she “pulled the window down another inch or two, and heard the wind, and got a breath of the perfectly indifferent chill night air and murmured good night…”. Shortly after that, Mrs. Ramsay was acting like a child when talking with Prue, Paul and Minta about their proposal to watch the waves on the beach. The swings in time and thought parallel her feelings of jealousy when looking at Paul and Minta—they have their whole lives together to experience, while much of hers is behind her. Yet her importance to the family and the party is continually emphasized, especially with the description of the party disintegrating once she left. Earlier she had described her own contributions as negligible, but we constantly see that isn’t so. “But what have I done with my life?” she asks at the beginning of this section. What she gives to her children is made clear over and over again. She is able to give her husband what he needs, sometimes directly and other times indirectly. She wishes that it wasn’t necessary, yet it seems to make her happy when she nurtures him. She feels frustration at times since “It was only that she never could say what she felt.” Yet she is able to convey much without speaking and with other actions. “(F)or though she had not said a word, he knew, of course he knew, that she loved him. He could not deny it. And smiling she looked out of the window and said (thinking to herself, Nothing on earth can equal this happiness)…”. For someone who wanted to keep her children at the same age since they would never be happier, Mrs. Ramsay has found the accumulation of the small moments can overcome the hostility of life.

A reminder that the poems that are referred to in the book can be found here

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 10 – 16

Talland House, where the Stephen family spent their summers. From Leslie Stephen's photo album at Smith College Libraries site.

This section covers up to the dinner party and allows the reader to meet more of the Rasmay family and guests.

Mrs. Ramsay expresses her desire to spare her children from what she views as the hostility of life. She thinks they will never be happier than they are right now, while at the same time recognizing they all go through stages. The unasked question is when do people stop going through stages? Woolf shows the volatility of the characters’ nature and feelings, regardless of their age. Mrs. Ramsay recognizes that little things make the children inordinately happy, but doesn’t apply that to adults or note that little things also make young and old inordinately unhappy. She views life as “terrible, hostile, and quick to pounce on you if you gave it a chance,” yet I don’t think it a mistake that she only asks for the children to remain the same and not herself. Only by making time stand still or standing outside of time does she seem to say that happiness can be achieved. She wishes this for her children, particularly the youngest ones, even though she and her husband feel that the children will be “better” than the parents in certain ways, which will “stem the flood a bit.” One later quote that "one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forward" may also provide an additional impetus to Mrs. Ramsay's wish.

…(I)t was a relief when they [the children] went to bed. For now she need not think about anybody. She could be herself, by herself. And that was what now she often felt the need of—to think; well, not even to think. To be silent; to be alone. All the being and the doing, expansive, glittering, vocal, evaporated; and one shrunk, with a sense of solemnity, to being oneself, a wedge-shaped core of darkness, something invisible to others. … When Life sank down for a moment, the range of experience seemed limitless. … Not as oneself did one find rest ever, in her experience…but as a wedge of darkness. Losing personality, one lost the fret, the hurry, the stir; and there rose to her lips always some exclamation of triumph over life when things came together in this peace, this rest, this eternity… .

So we have two contradictory ways to triumph over time: “being oneself” by oneself, and the community of family and others (as shown in the upcoming dinner party). In the sense of community you only see bits and pieces of others (“Beneath it is all dark, it is all spreading, it is unfathomably deep; but now and again we rise to the surface”), but that is all we have to work with in dealing with others. Woolf demonstrates this complexity while also showing the silent communication between Ramsay husband and wife, able to generate an entire conversation with only a glance. The quiet conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay as daylight faded shows a remarkably tender side of their relationship, even when they feel they can’t speak. Because of her concern of the evanescent nature of life and happiness, Mrs. Ramsay makes such quiet moments rich and satisfying…transcendent because of her concerns.

We may only touch at the rough boundaries of others, but Mrs. Ramsay shows how much influence one can have on others, whether real or imaginary. She inspires soaring internal rhapsodies from Charles Tansley and William Bankes. Paul and Minta get engaged from the feeling that Mrs. Ramsay has somehow “made” them do it. Mr. Ramsay may have achieved his greatest work before he got married, but he is able to have a long graceful decline thanks to his wife’s nourishment. Even the family’s fight for Mrs. Ramsay’s attention demonstrates her value to them.

I noted the contrasts between characters and items in the previous post, but the similarity between such pairings increases as this section progresses. Lily and Mrs. Ramsay approach the roles of a woman in society from opposite ends of the spectrum, yet many of their thoughts mirror each other even if they lead in different directions. Mrs. Ramsay regrets not having traveled and seen more, as well as not seeing the societal improvements she would like to see. She knows she will not be able to accomplish either until the children are grown, making the regret palatable. Lily reflects on not seeing more artwork and comes to the conclusion that she would never be content with her own paintings if she were exposed to more. Mr. Ramsay is called to mind in comparing this discontent of Lily. She is unhappy with her work, unable to successfully translate what she sees to the canvas. Mr. Ramsay worries about the ability of his work to last and peremptorily makes it even harder to create something that is meaningful. In contrast, however, Lily is trying to create based on what she sees and feels while Mr. Ramsay is working through a logical progression of thought that is apparently meant to be universal (what his work actually is trying to be accomplish is deliberately vague). The complex relationships between Lily and the Ramsays simultaneously calls into question roles while not judging what is satisfying beyond works for the individual. Just as Minta’s (lost) brooch bridges across time and connects her to her grandmother, Lily is a bridge between the elder Ramsays. She has much in common with the couple, even though she is completely her own person. The emphasis is highlighted between Mrs. Ramsay and Lily, each using the other to define what they believe their role to be. I mentioned earlier that it would be interesting to see how characters define themselves, especially how they do so in comparison to others. This dynamic is most prominent with the two women and you realize it has an impact in how they treat those around them.

Next—the dinner.

Picture of Virginia Woolf and her younger brother Adrian (from the same source as the picture at the top), c. 1886

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 2 – 9

“…she felt…how life, from being made up of little separate incidents which one lived one by one, became curled and whole like a wave which bore one up and threw one down with it, there, with a dash on the beach.”
Picture--Hebridean Sunset

While there are many things going on in this section, the use of contrasts stands out. While people or things are played off each other (or even itself), many times there is an undercurrent showing their similarity. A few that I noticed (definitely not a comprehensive list) are noted below:

• Lily Briscoe and Mrs. Ramsay—there is a conflict of roles between the two women, or rather a difference of opinion on what a woman’s role should be. Mrs. Ramsay thought “an unmarried woman has missed the best of life.” While Lily enjoys being with the Ramsays, Mrs. Ramsay in particular, she had no “sexual feeling” and enjoyed being alone at times. Yet both women ponder their feelings of inadequacy and insignificance.
• Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay—Mr. Ramsay depends on Mrs. Ramsay for support as well as adoration. He wonders if his work will be significant enough to last beyond his lifetime. Mrs. Ramsay nurtures him as well as the rest of the family, feeling subordinate to his intellect even while providing what he requires (or rather demands). Both are self-seeking in their own ways, Mr. Ramsay through his work to build his ego while Mrs. Ramsay helps other for self-satisfaction and praise.
• James Ramsay and Mr. Ramsay—both fight for the attention of Mrs. Ramsay. Yet both are lost in their own worlds. James, because he is only 6 years old with the related consciousness of that age, is unable to completely understand feelings or express himself. Mr. Ramsay has a superior ability to communicate and understand, yet chooses to slam “his private door” on his family at times. Both James and Mr. Ramsay display a volatile nature, their attitude radically changing and dependent on what is going on around them.
• William Bankes and Mr. Ramsay—old friends who have drifted apart over the years, yet Mr. Bankes still vacations with the family apparently out of habit (“repetition”). Both men adored Mrs. Ramsay, although in differing ways—Mr. Ramsay for what she provides him, Mr. Bankes simply because Mrs. Ramsay was a wonderful person that he viewed with “rapture.” The Ramsay children appear to treat both men similarly, avoiding them if at all possible.
• The Charge of the Light Brigade and The Fisherman and His Wife—two stories mentioned in this section that are very different. The Light Brigade memorializes the bravery and daring of soldiers in a suicidal charge. The Fisherman’s Wife is one of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, providing an example of increasing greed and lack of satisfaction or appreciation of what one has. The irony is that Mr. Ramsay quotes the Light Brigade while “he shivered; he quivered” with his needy demands. Mrs. Ramsay read the Fisherman’s Wife to James, while setting the perfect example of being happy with what one has. The further irony is when Mr. Ramsay misquotes the Light Brigade, shouting “Boldly we rode and well,” instead of using Tennyson’s respectful and distancing “they.”
• Mr. Ramsay’s work—Lily Briscoe imagines something so monumental and abstract in Mr. Ramsay’s thought, while the reader views his actual internal monologue.
• The sea—several times the image of the sea eventually engulfing the land is used, in conjunction with the enormity of time and the universe as compared to the brevity of life. Yet the sea also provides a soothing consolation in addition to beautiful scenery that the characters enjoy.

In many of the relationships mentioned above, there is a distance between the characters that cannot be bridged. Lily questions “How did one judge people, think of them?” Later she asks herself how “did one know one thing or another thing about people, sealed as they were?” Woolf makes us aware that each person has overflowing thoughts of which we barely or rarely are invited in to see. While that isn't an earth-shattering revelation, the approach is heightened by the ever-changing feelings we are allowed to see. The ‘self’ is a complex thing, changing rapidly and sometimes dramatically. These changes aren't always apparent to others. While we are allowed a view inside, all the other characters get are impressions (often contradictory) to guide them in understanding others.

In addition to the difficulty of comprehending others, Lily’s painting exhibits the difficulty of capturing what we see and translating it into art. She differentiates between what is physically there versus her sensual view of it, stressing repeatedly “This is what I see.” Lily tries to call up the “vision which she had seen clearly once” but has trouble capturing on canvas. The translation from sensing a scene to representing what she saw shows the struggle to create and interpret. Mrs. Ramsay and Charles Tansley denigrate her efforts, but she perseveres in the attempt to faithfully capture what she experienced. In contrast to Lily is Mr. Ramsay, who is unable to convey “This is what I like—this is what I am” (echoing Lily’s “This is what I see) in regards to his work. He tears down all art in response to his inability to reach a higher point in his thought. Mr. Ramsay questions the utility of art in improving civilization, as well doubting its lasting nature. That he will be teaching the works and events of a century or more before the present time to his students is lost on him. As is the example of why his students come to him or why Lily Briscoe attempts to paint—self-expression and personal achievement. Personal improvement outside of lasting acknowledgment means little to him as he attempts to avoid his own oblivion through his work.

There is one moment in this section where tranquility occurs and that is when Mr. Bankes views Mrs. Ramsay. His rapture causes him to step outside of time for a brief moment, and the tranquility and happiness is on display for Lily to see.

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapter 1

I first read To the Lighthouse about 6 years ago and I’m looking forward to reading it again. A few chapters into the book I realized how much of the book’s approach and themes permeate the first chapter. I thought reviewing just this one chapter would make writing about the rest of the book easier. In this chapter we are introduced to a few members of the Ramsay family as well as a couple of their guests. Not much happens—a few comments about whether or not a trip to the lighthouse is possible the next day between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay with youngest son James listening. But so much more is going on beneath the surface…

Woolf deliciously describes the complexity of human relationships. It is easy to say that Mrs. Ramsay loves her husband, yet there are moments in this short chapter where she wishes he would be more compromising for the sake of the children or that he would simply go away. Her daughters love her as well, but they dream of a very different life for themselves. And Charles Tansley doesn’t know how to act as the Ramsay’s guest—pride at accompanying Mrs. Ramsay one minute, insulting her children the next, all the while uncomfortable staying with those in a different social and economic class. James’ fleeting wish to kill his father highlights the extremes of personality reflected in a six-year-old child. While we tame that volatility (to varying degrees) as we mature, our feelings and moods do not remain static or simplistic. One interesting thing to watch in the book is what the characters respond to…how they define themselves.

The power of time is introduced here as well. The narration style conveys that we are not limited to this moment, but the product of preceding actions (and anticipation of the future) that color whatever is currently happening. Once again, James is the rawest form of this as his conflation of present and future dictates how he feels. Mrs. Ramsay’s fading beauty at fifty shows an outward impact of time, while Augustus Carmichael’s opium addiction reflects an inner toll. Not just time, but nature has a power that allows or restricts what can be achieved. Whether the trip is made to the lighthouse or not depends on the weather. When focusing on the inner monologue, it can be easy to miss the outside forces shaping us.

Having just finished Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man I found certain similarities and differences telling. Like Joyce, Woolf puts us inside the characters’ minds, reading what they think and feel. However, the perspective constantly changes as we “jump” from one character to another (sometimes in the same sentence), causing a cascade of feelings and thoughts to unfold in a fraction of a second. Also, the level of the language does not change when moving between characters. So when reading James' consciousness, we encounter not the language of a six-year-old child but that of an adult. Just because he can not express precisely what he feels does not make it any less complex or moving. Even though the level of the language does not change, each consciousness is unique.

There are additional things in the first chapter that will be expanded upon later, such as watery images related to nature's power, momentary frissons at beauty, and artistic endeavors trying to capture the moment. The last thing I will focus on in this post is Mrs. Ramsay’s sense of community. She invites “too many people to stay” with them while on vacation. “Incivility to her guests” was something she could not bear, along with “inventing differences” since there were enough real differences between people. Her nurturing nature wants to draw people together, give them a refuge even if it is only temporary. That all of this unfolds in the first few pages, providing a framework on which the remainder of the book can be constructed, shows the precise formulation that lends so much power to the novel.

Virginia Woolf: "Modern Fiction" and "How Should One Read a Book?"

Before reading To the Lighthouse again, I wanted to read some of Woolf’s essays from both volumes of The Common Reader. I have posted several excerpts below from “Modern Fiction” and “How Should One Read a Book?” that I think will prove useful in understanding Woolf's works as well as benefiting reading in general.

From “Modern Fiction” (April 1919):

Let us record the atoms as they fall upon the mind in the order in which they fall, let us trace the pattern, however disconnected and incoherent in appearance, which each sight or incident scores upon the consciousness. Let us not take it for granted that life exists more fully in what is commonly thought big than in what is commonly thought small. [emphasis mine]

Here we have one of the most useful lines in understanding not just Woolf’s approach but most Modernist works in general. This section, which preceded the above quote, helps as well:

Examine for a moment an ordinary mind on an ordinary day. The mind receives a myriad impressions--trivial, fantastic, evanescent, or engraved with the sharpness of steel. From all sides they come, an incessant shower of innumerable atoms; and as they fall, as they shape themselves into the life of Monday or Tuesday, the accent falls differently from of old; the moment of importance came not here but there; so that, if a writer were a free man and not a slave, if he could write what he chose, not what he must, if he could base his work upon his own feeling and not upon convention, there would be no plot, no comedy, no tragedy, no love interest or catastrophe in the accepted style, and perhaps not a single button sewn on as the Bond Street tailors would have it. Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end.

One last quote from this essay regarding “modern writers”:

For the moderns "that", the point of interest, lies very likely in the dark places of psychology. At once, therefore, the accent falls a little differently; the emphasis is upon something hitherto ignored; at once a different outline of form becomes necessary, difficult for us to grasp, incomprehensible to our predecessors.

How Should One Read a Book?

After mentioning that the fastest way to appreciate the task a novelist faces is to try and write about some event in your life, Woolf says:

But also we can read such books with another aim, not to throw light on literature, not to become familiar with famous people, but to refresh and exercise our own creative powers. Is there not an open window on the right hand of the bookcase? How delightful to stop reading and look out! How stimulating the scene is, in its unconsciousness, its irrelevance, its perpetual movement--the colts galloping round the field, the woman filling her pail at the well, the donkey throwing back his head and emitting his long, acrid moan. The greater part of any library is nothing but the record of such fleeting moments in the lives of men, women, and donkeys.

Woolf outlines the two processes in reading: reading as closely as possible, then comparing with other works.

It would be foolish, then, to pretend that the second part of reading, to judge, to compare, is as simple as the first--to open the mind wide to the fast flocking of innumerable impressions. To continue reading without the book before you, to hold one shadow-shape against another, to have read widely enough and with enough understanding to make such comparisons alive and illuminating—that is difficult; it is still more difficult to press further and to say, "Not only is the book of this sort, but it is of this value; here it fails; here it succeeds; this is bad; that is good". To carry out this part of a reader's duty needs such imagination, insight, and learning that it is hard to conceive any one mind sufficiently endowed; impossible for the most self-confident to find more than the seeds of such powers in himself.

Not just a refreshing defense of judging literature, but a challenge to do so for yourself—not relying on critics but doing your own heavy lifting. I’ve only read these two essays, but I hope to read more. Woolf’s style mimics a stimulating conversation with a beloved aunt.

Virginia Woolf online resources

Listed below are a few online resources I found on Virginia Woolf and the two books I intend to read now.


Source for picture







VIRGINIA WOOLF
Virginia Woolf's Wikipedia entry

Works available at Project Gutenberg
      Project Gutenberg Australia has ebooks available to more of Woolfs’ books. Copyright law will vary depending on country.

Virginia Woolf seminar page from the University of Alabama in Huntsville
      See also their links page
      and their Woolfiana page (more than you ever wanted to know but helpful nonetheless)
      Class guidelines, handouts and lectures for the advanced studies

The International Virginia Woolf Society (with plenty of links)

The Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain (with a helpful materials page at what looks to be an old website)

TO THE LIGHTHOUSE RESOURCES
University of Alabama in Huntsville seminar page
      Notes on the lecture

The New York Times 1925 review of To the Lighthouse (registration required)
      Or possibly here (sponsored archives).
      I need to find out why it has a 1925 date when the book was published in 1927.

Ian Johnson, a retired instructor (now a Research Associate) at Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada has notes on To the Lighthouse here.
      (I just discovered his site, which can be found here. This looks to be a treasure trove of university lectures and notes that is incredibly helpful.)

The poetry that is quoted or alluded to in To the Lighthouse can be found at the Stanford Reads Stanford Book Salon

A Clemson page on To the Lighthouse. If you modify the address you can find more, including links to Georgia O'Keeffe and T.S. Eliot.

MRS. DALLOWAY RESOURCES
University of Alabama in Huntsville seminar page
      Notes on the lecture