Name: Vora Hirva The Modernist Literature

Critical StudyTo The Lighthouse

Stream of consciousnessPerspectives within perspectives.

Continuity of mental exercises and thoughts.

• The time of British society in early 18th century.

• The novel is a kind of exploration and “search for the self”.

• Revolt against conventional rules.

• Insanity and emotional breakdowns.

• Question against own unsteady existence.

• Bloomsbury values of feminism, aestheticism and independence .

Contrasts of Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay

• Mrs. Ramsay is endowed with liveliness and a devoted person to all whereas Mr. Ramsay needs sympathy from everyone.

• Mrs. Ramsay’s belief in transience nature of life and work and Mr. Ramsay worries about his work’s validity and its significance.

• Mr. Ramsay wants her wife to show sympathy and recognition or honor to him and Mrs. Ramsay too believes herself obliged to protect opposite sex.

• Mrs. Ramsay doesn’t fall under the category of submissive woman!

• Her sense of unity.• Perhaps Mrs. Ramsay herself is the answer of

Mr. Ramsay’s worry regarding immortality.• Mrs. Ramsay shows love to all those who don’t

love her.

Mr. Ramsay’s state of mind with Tennyson’s poetry: “When can their beauty fade?

O the wild charge they made All the world wondered. Honor the charge they made.”Charles Tansley can be compared with him too.

Mrs. Ramsay’s beliefs• Her beliefs in wifely traditional devotion!• She can be contrasted with Lily Brisco and Mr.

Ramsay in knowledge of human existence.• Woolf’s ideas through the characterization of Mrs.

Ramsay regarding Subjectivity and Objectivity.• Conflict occurs through two different things:

devotion to personal work or devotion to emotions rather than mind.

• According to Mrs. Ramsay life is transactional.• Lily Brisco represents individualism and her disbeliefs

in gender conventions.• Her painting- an exploration to discern the things.

Lily Brisco- a bridge between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay.

• She shares Mr. Ramsay’s professional anxieties , “ Perhaps it was better not to see pictures: they only made one hopelessly discontented with one’s own work.”

Dinner party- the heart of the novel!Social responsibility of Mrs. Ramsay.Remoteness of the characters.Candles symbolize order.Mrs. Ramsay as an artist.Lily’s realization as well as obligation.

Intimacy and silent understanding between Mr. Ramsay and Mrs.

Ramsay.

Woolf’s intention to create effect through other works of literature!

•The Charge of Light Brigade by Tennyson.

Middlemarch by George Eliot

Luriana Lurilee by Charles Elton.

Lines in Luriana Lurilee:“And all the lives we ever livedAnd all the lives to beAre full of trees and changing leaves”Indication of harmony of life.

Difference between “ The Window” and “Time Passess”

The Window: Matter of Psychology. Rhythm between chaos and order. Time passes : Impact of time.

“The Window ends after dinner party. Night falls. Time passes and brings deaths of family members . One night passes into the ten years and “lighthouse ‘’ brings morning! Finally James’s

dream comes true and they start journey from summer house to the lighthouse! Lighthouse symbolizes completeness and illuminates the relations.

Lily’s realization and vision takes place. Subjective nature of reality! “ Art is the ability to take a moment from life and makes it permanent ! “ Mrs. Ramsay lives in Lily’s consciousness!

Summer house to The lighthouse

Thank you!