Lalji's Blog: Thinking Activity : " To the Lighthouse " by Virginia Woolf

Hello Reader !

Welcome to my blog.

Here I want to Share my view on following questions. So let's start our journey of learning together...

Here given task by Dilip Barad sir , So the link is given below:

https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2014/09/worksheet-virginia-woolfs-to-lighthouse.html

About Virginia Woolf :-

Virginia Woolf was a one of the modern English writer. Her full name was Adeline Virginia Woolf. She was strong feminist writer and author in 20th century. Especially her satirical work on society,culture,feminism and politic system. Here I want to discuss on her famous modern novel " To the Lighthouse " which connected also her life.

She lived short life may be age of 59 between 1882-194 but she was suffering a lot through mental illness & Society. I listened & read in sources that she committed suicide also. Why did she suicide ? We can't give particular reason for her suicide. It's happening rarely cases in the world that writer preferred Suicide. Her parents Leslie Stephen also historian,author and critic. She had own 'Hogarth press'. Hence according to her choice she could wrote and published own way. Her famous work like as,

1) Mrs. Dalloway ( 1925 )

2) To the Lighthouse ( 1927 )

3) Orlando ( 1928 )

4) A Room of one's own ( 1929 )

" To The Lighthouse ":-

Here title used very symbolic way because ' Lighthouse' is symbol of something statistic, Overcoming Challenges, adversity or guide for loss path into sea. I should notify that Virginia Woolf has sense of geographical because she used Geographical location and poetic imagine in the novel. Moreover she employed narrative technique of 'stream of Consciousness' in this novel artistically. It's difficult task for her which read each character's sub- conscious mind.

According to 'Virginia Woolf':-

" Life isn't a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; Life is a luminous holo, a semi- transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to end."

This novel's genre is stream of consciousness which first published in 1927. Here the narrator speaks in the third person narrative way who describes the all characters action with subjectively. However, the novel tone's Elegiac, poetic, rhythmic and imaginative and setting places in the Isle of Skye in the Hebrides. Here we confused that who is central character ? but let me know that Mrs. Ramsay is central character in beginning of the novel but at the end of the novel I felt that Lily Briscoe who played vital roll of the central figure in the novel. When second part of the novel started with Mrs. Ramsay's dinner party's at that time novel achieved stage of climax. This novel's themes like the transience of life and work; art as a means of preservation;the subjective nature of reality and the restorative effects of beauty.Now let's start discussion on the following all questions;

Thinking Activity:-

Que.:-1) How can you explain that 'what' Virginia Woolf wanted to say (for example, the complexity of human relationship, the everyday battles that people are at in their relationship with near and dear ones, the struggle of a female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said?(Key: The 'How' of the narrative technique is to be discussed along with features of Stream of Consciousness technique which helps Woolf to put in effective manner what she experienced in abstractions.)

Ans.:-

Virginia Woolf has good ability to discrimination and deep sensitivity which proved through representation of the each characters. Another things I found she defines information of her life with biographical way. At the end of the novel may be Virginia Woolf represented her struggle, ambitions by Lily Briscoe. We know that she has luxurious life but she has not freedom. So Virginia Woolf as a women who think a lot then She wrote on women rights & real circumstances of female, Patriarchal population of modern times. Throughout of the novel she interpreted duty & relationship of female characters with male character with different ways. Mrs. Ramsay played various roll as a motherhood, wife, house keeper.

In the novel I can find complexity of human relationship through characters of Mr. Ramsay who may be we find in today's culture and percent society also. It's difficult task to solving that problem because most of the person dependent on other people. Here Mrs.Ramsay as a example of good Indian house wife. She can't do anything without Permission of her husband. So When women broken her particular sense of longing or hoping for person at that time increased battle between dear and near. Here I found one example that Indirectly happen battle between Lily and Mrs. Ramsay.

Moreover, as a female character in the novel Lily Briscoe was soul of art and rationality. Mrs. Ramsay disguised to drawn painting and Lily with hidden way. Here novelist try to said through character of Lily that, How to struggling a women as artist ? What is importance of art in life ? In the novel one dialogue proved mind of society and battle between two gender which spoken by Transley one male character,

" Women can not paint nor write..."

Same as situation openly happening in today's society. Generally Modern society give all type of freedom everybody although In the middle and lower class women is working in only kitchen and take care of children. Many people gave capture of women like as 'Devi'. So Hidden ambition of modern society is that women's no need to go out side for working and learning. Am I right ?. Still women are facing so many boundary in present community. So that there are no equality in any field.

Que.:-2) Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay"? (Key: Take some clues from the painting of Mrs Ramsay drawn by Lily Briscoe and the article by Andre Viola and Glenn Pedersen. Can we read Mrs. Ramsay in context of the idea of Ideal Indian Woman - Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni. )

Ans.:-

I agree with this point that the novel also represented both the side of tribute and critique in Character of Mrs. Ramsay. Mrs.Ramsay is one of the central character in the novel because all things were happening around herself. When we saw her as a Indian ideal women, we get some clue points like She always handled all condition and she try to fulfillment to desire of her son, husband and family. She didn't raised her voice against her husband and she also tried to shaped her daughter same herself. I like to put one sentence here from the novel,

" They must keep the window open and the doors shut..."

It's sentence used symbolic way here. So that in the novel mostly She remain lower in front of superior. Same happening in present Indian society. who is raise question for women rights and freedom against superior ? Another thing when Lily Briscoe painting of Mrs.Ramsey at that time she also confused to found focus of the house. When she drawn painting as a part of the art at that time created conflict between character of Mrs. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe. Lily also arguments with Mrs. Ramsay for what's facts about her life ? but at the end of the novel she remaining in each and every character's heart which may be proved her as a ideal Indian women.

Que.:-3) Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)? (Key: Take help from the presentation on Symbolism to connect Mrs. Caroline Ramsay with Lighthouse. Secondly, the narrator / author cannot fully disappear from the novel and thus the stoicism of Lily to paint and thus prove that she can paint, is symbolically presented in stoicism of Lighthouse.

Ans.:-

I have to say that here both expanding are true because when we imagine the lighthouse as a symbol of Mrs. Ramsay so that She played roll as a delightful way in all the character of the novel. We know that in the movie, lighthouse was inside of sea so there Lighthouse was bearing to slapping of water with loneliness. Same as happening with Mrs. Ramsay in the novel. She remained ready anytime for fulfillment of all desire's everybody but any one couldn't understand her condition or ambition. Another thing lighthouse is single among the sea and it's known through own identity. May be here I compare lighthouse is not used only for Mrs. Ramsay but also suitable for lily Briscoe. Because she preferred to remain single rather than married and She lives freely her life than Mrs. Ramsay. So I should be notify that after death of her, Mrs. Ramsay remain in the everybody's mind but Lily Briscoe also stand in front of terrible condition as a single lighthouse. Hence I have to say that Lighthouse is not only symbol of Mrs. Ramsay but also lily Briscoe.

Que.:4) In the article by Joseph Blotner, two myths are patterned together. Name the myths? How they are zeroed down to the symbols of 'Window' and 'Lighthouse'? How does the male phallic symbol represent feminine Mrs. Ramsay? (Key: The strokes of light-beams. . . )

Ans.:-

Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives or stories that play a fundamental role in a society. Same as here myth is play vital roll for as a something lawful. I read somewhere that women is a regarded as a land of fertility because everyone born her. In the Bible One myth of Adam and Eve also connected here. Human being spreed through women. In Greek mythology famous myth of Pagan Primordial Goddess and Oedipus. Both are sometime known are the first god and goddess born from the void of Chaos. The Primordial deities Gaia and Uranus give birth to the Titans and the Cyclopses.

In the novel Mrs. Ramsay played three fold relationship and she was mythical figure. One roll was like Rhea. Rhea was a Titanis's mother and known as motherhood, female fertility and generation. Same as happening in novel that Mrs. Ramsay more take care of James as a motherhood. Second roll as Demeter who was goddess of the harvest and she was goddess of sacred law and cycle of life and death.Here Mrs.Ramsay played roll of female fertility because she passed through terrible life but she can't say true about her conscious mind. Fertility also pattern of death in rebirth. Third roll was Persephone who was the Greek goddess off vegetation and especially grain and wife of Hades with whom she rules the underworld. Here Mrs. Ramsay tried to happy her husband Mr. Ramsay. So that Here Same played all the threefold roll by Mrs. Ramsay. One myth's opened several several door with consciously or unconsciously.

Que.:-5) What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel?

Ans.:-

It's a German's literary term. 'kunst' means that something artistry. Here I can find that One text but different way interpretation. It's means that a growth of an artist. May be I can say that Physically and artistically growth too. The classic example is James Joyce's portrait of the artist as a Young Man ( 1916 ). It's autobiographical novel. In the " To the Lighthouse " one Character as a poet Augustus Carmechael was struggle to write poem but at the end of the novel he obtained from insight. Same way happening with Lily Briscoe who struggling for completed painting with particular vision but at the end of the novel she completed her painting with perception. So that may be I connect Kunstlerroman with the maturity of all the characters. Here I have to say Virginia Woolf connected herself with Lily Briscoe because Woolf has ability although she faced lot of struggle for prove her self in her life.

Que.:-6) Lily's Dilemma in the novel " To the Lighthouse ."

Ans.:-

Especially Lily Briscoe had difference thoughts rather than another woman characters in the novel. As we know that this novel designated biographical way by Virginia Woolf ' To the Lighthouse '. In the novel she also fought for freedom who broken all rights of women. During dialogue between Mrs. Ramsay and lily, One thing notify that Lily has not needed of men for better living her life. It means that Lily's thought opposite in front of Mrs. Ramsay's thoughts. So that Lily did not influenced or controlled in any way by other people but at the end of the novel she thought about Mrs. Ramsay without variation. I have to say that Indirectly she had ambition to happen same as Mrs. Ramsay. What's reasons behind becoming as Mrs. Ramsay ? Why did she became Mrs.Ramsay ? because after death of Mrs. Ramsay who seen in everybody's minds.

Que.:-7) You have compared the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaptation of the novel directed by Colin Gregg. Do you think that the novel is more poignant than the movie? If yes, do you ascribe the fact that the power of words is much greater than that of the screen / visuals?

Ans.:-

Yes, here I found few difference between Virginia Woolf's novel and Colin Gregg's movie. We know that, ' One picture says hundred words within one second...' Same happening here In the movie many scene quickly passed away as a comparison of the novel. Novel also described micro things through words but it's difficult to imagine all the things. Film had it's made easy to understand rather than novel.

Another thing when movie passed half over at that time Woolf's novel began. So there we are confused to identify. Here I put one example, I found one difference that at the end of the movie Lily climbed steps with observing & thinking then she put her color brush on the side but in the novel she put her brush suddenly. According to my point of views that movie is better way for understanding of the novel rather than texts book novel because movie has some effective background and technique for clarify but one strong point of book is that The book is also give freedom for imagination of the reader.

Que.:-8) How do you interpret the last line of the novel ?

Ans.:-

Specifically, We can't read mental image of everybody but at the end of the novel that sentences used for curiosity of reader that, What's does she want ? What is vision ? here I will try to interpret according to my point of view what is vision of Lily ?

" I have had my vision "...

I saw in the movie Lily put her color brush and canvas of the painting in outside and she went to in the home. Definitely I comprehend that she get vision from home rather than outside. She also went into own room there were loneliness. May be she felt freedom & victory as a compared to Mrs.Ramsay & Charles Transley.

Moreover, She also search focus of the home when she painted on canvas so Mrs. Ramsay was focus for her who also once upon a night died but Lily had desired to fulfill Mrs.Ramsay's space in family. May be that is another vision there. She thought that drawing sometime destroyed but Mrs. Ramsay still remembering by all. Thus She looked with shameful herself because she talked with herself that her way of thinking was fool and may be she tried to prepare her self with idea of Mrs. Ramsay.

Que.:-9) What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?

Ans.:-

Literature also reflected World war through war poem and novel. Here I found the reference of Word War-1 in some scene of the novel. If I am not wrong So Ramsay's elder son died during first world war time. So here name given to list of record " Army and Navy "which officially spoke on war and social and economic order. Its delayed through character of Mrs.Ramsay.

In the novel reference of " Refrigerator " represented frozen of the modern time, development of technology and changing of time. In the movie we saw Victorian culture where women also smoking and drinking without hesitation. Still She remained as restore or refinish of her children and family. Another things that over taking care of her children also invite problems in future. So that here reflected WW1 through that kind of thing.

Que.:-10) Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the “Fisherman’s Wife”? In particular, why did she weave such a misogynist tale into the fabric of a book which so eloquently challenges received patriarchal notions about the roles and capabilities of women?

Ans.:-

Virginia Woolf has used the fairy tale with beautifully as an analogue to Mrs. Ramsay to Mrs. Ramsay's dominating her husband.

It's good skill that writer used story in between story. Here Virginia Woolf had extraordinary skill of satire through the storytelling method. She used tale of ' The Fisherman's wife ' in the novel. In this story women character was presented strong rather than Mrs. Ramsay. The fisherman's wife demanded more and more. This female character opposite of Mrs. Ramsa. But Virginia Woolf also compared & contrast among Mr.Ramsay, Lily Briscoe and Transey. In the novel I can find that after death of Mrs.Ramsay, Mr. Ramsay and his family had difficult to handle everything. Most of the characters has different challenges like as Lily tried to completed her painting, Poet challenge to complete poem, Scholar try to complete Ph.d. thesis but at the end of the novel all characters fulfill their challenges.

Que.:-11) How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'?

Ans.:-

In the novel Mrs. Ramsay presented as Indian ideal women and wife. Another thing was that there were reflected patriarchal discourse through Ramsay's family. We know that India has good culture and thriving and people called that " India is country of golden sparrow" and also valley of Emerald. But truly I want to say that India has blindness in religion, education and political system. Nowadays we know that India is becoming powerful and developer but I think India represents same the condition like as " The Waste Land " of T.S.Eliot.

Que.:-12) Write summaries of this articles.

Ans.:-

Mythical Patterns in ' To the Lighthouse ' by Joseph L. Blotner :-

According to Joseph the most useful myth for interpreting the novel is that of the Primordial Goddess, who is threefold in relation to Zeus: Mother ( Reha ), wife ( Demeter ) and daughter ( Persephone ). One of the major source of the myth is the Homeric ' Hymn to Demeter'. May be she consciously used myth in the writing. In the novel the myth of Oedipus and the kore whose provide framework and this novel can be explained in the term of christian myth. Sigmund Freud's interpretation of the Oedipus myth is almost as famous as the myth itself. in the novel James jealousy and feelings of rivalry with his father are intensified by his perhaps unconscious knowledge of the sexual aspects of the relationship between his parents. As Mrs. Ramsay gives love, stability and fruitfulness to her family and those in her orbit.

Fluidity vs Masculinity: Lily's Dilemma In Woolf's ' To the lighthouse ' by Andre Viola :-

According to Andre Viola in the novel character of Lily Briscoe's reaction when Mrs. Ramsay was died. Her reactions are same to those of another daughter. In the novel one phrase spoken by Tansley that,

" Women can't Paint...."

Mrs. Ramsay betrays a similar ambivalence at dinner. No doubt she is the presiding hostess who smooths over tensions between people over tensions between people and offers them exceptional nature.

Virginia Woolf it must be stressed in view of the conditions of her early life in late Victorian england, fought an extremely courageous battle against these conditions and formulated audacious and far seeing position on gender issues.

Vision in ' To the Lighthouse ' by Glenn Pedersen :-

According to Gelenn Pedersen , In the novel ' To the Lighthouse ' the vision of Lily Briscoe reveals that it was Mrs. Ramsay. She was matriarch whose dominion lives ten years but Mr. Ramsay experience it and Lliy Briscoe finally comes to know her vision. Moreover She has relations with ,ale members of the household her to self- centered. Another thing was that Mrs. Ramsay had attitude towards others is determined by their attitude towards her. When Mr. Ramsay demanded sympathy, Mrs.Ramsay became animated and alive. at the last part of the novel Mr. Ramsay went to lighthouse with family members and Lily is continuously confrnted with the necessity of remarking her vision. As Lily stood looking thoughtfully towards the lighthouse for her vision, She said,

" He must have reached it..."( 308 )

In the Picture included Mrs. Ramsay and the past and attempt at integrity but it was not yet complete.

" The steps...were empty...her canvas...was blurred. With a sudden intensity, as if she saw clear for a second, she drew a line there in the center. It was done; it was finished." She had had her vision. ( 309-310 ).