Unit: ’To The Lighthouse’
Topic: ’Feminism’ in ‘To The Lighthouse’
S. t. d: M.A-(sem-3)
Year: October-2013
Date: 25/10/2013
Submitted to:
The Department of English
M. K. B. u
Bhavnagar.
‘Feminism’ in ‘To the Lighthouse’
Introduction:
The novel ‘To The Lighthouse’ Is written by the well-known feminist writer Virginia woolf in 1926, London .And, it ’s first published in 1927.This novel is mainly based on the ‘feminism’ or the effects of ‘patriarchy’ in which woman Controlled by the society or male-dominated society. So , let see what is feminism and how it’s related with ‘To The Lighthouse’.
What is the Meaning of ‘Feminism’
“A movement supporting equal rights for woman”.
-Oxford English Dictionary.
(p.204)
Actually, Feminism is the movement of man and woman’s unequal rights in the society. It’s already early begins in the minds of revolutionary woman. But, May be before the early18th century. But, before their voice repressed by the ‘patriarchal society’. But, Near by 18th century many woman started writing on the name of man because in that time woman had been no right to write. And, then some literary movement also started revolt against that kind of biases. But, in the 18th century writer like virginia woolf started writing with their own name and broken down the tradition of the society-
“Man for the field, needle for she”
-A. c. Ward
But, still today also many rights given to the woman but on paper and in reality it’s so or not. For that let see the portrait of the 18th century. Is it true or not? Is it relevant with the our day-to-day life.
Feminism and ’To The Lighthouse’
This novel mainly divided in to the 3 parts.
1) The windows
2) Time Passes
3) The Lighthouse
In the very first part begins with this dialogue-
“Yes, of course, if it’s fine tomorrow,
Said Mrs. Ramsey .”But you’ll have to be up with the lark. ”she added.”
This dialogue proves that she is a loving and traditional mother who loves her child a lot. And, to give him consolation that tomorrow is whether will good we will go for the ‘Lighthouse’. In that time Mr. Ramsey said that-
“ but.” said his father, stopping in front of the drawing room window”
“It won’t be fine.”
This dialogue is the image of father image in the ‘patriarchal society.’ And second dialogue about the ‘power position’ of men in the house.
“Not only with the pleasure of disillusioning his son and casting ridicule upon his wife, who was ten times better in every way.”
This dialogue proves that Mr. Ramsey is not emotional or loving father or husband. so, he is not only ridiculous on her wife who is always try to pampering his ego but also ridiculous on his son James . Who is child or immature. This dialogue also represents ‘patriarchal power’ over wife or female of the house. If male figure of the house cannot be able to satisfy their ego through society. Then, they try to rolling or pondering his ego on the female of the home .and, Mrs Ramsey also represents the same thing.
“she signed, when she looked in the glass and saw her hair grey, her cheek sunk, at fifty, she thought, possibly she might have managed things better-her husband, money, his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her decision; evade difficulties or slur over duties.”
This dialogue is the ‘soliloque’ of Mrs. Ramsey herself. In which consciously or unconsciously she represents the ‘desire’ of common woman. Ideal wife, loving mother but she is just like a ‘slave’ of husband or male of the house. She has to always obey to her husband and child but she has no time to spend sometimes for her own sake.
That ‘desire’ comes out in the mouth of Mrs. Ramsey. Then, comes some narration of Lily Briscoe
“Lily’s picture! Mrs Ramsey smiled: one could not take her painting very seriously; she was an independent little creature, and Mrs. Ramsey liked her for it. so, remembering her promise, she bent her head.
This dialogue shows different mindset of traditional woman and revolutionary woman both. Then, The second part passed in very few pages. Which is quite longer time of 10 years.
Then, third part Lighthouse. In this part Lily’s hatred comes out towards life of Mrs. Ramsey. As-
“Giving, Giving, Giving
She had died and had left all those. Really, she was angry with Mrs. Ramsey with her brush slightly trembling in her fingers. she looked at the hedge, the wall. It was all Mrs. Ramsey’s doing she was dead.”
This outer hatred of Lily shown her a lot pain and sympathy towards Mrs. Ramsey. Because through out herlife she just remain as Ibsen ’s “Doll’s House”. But Lily is totally different character than her. Lily is not enduring character but modern or revolutionary character. She has a object with the life of Mrs Ramsey, because during her whole life time she given everything to everyone but what she get from during her life?’?Nothing’ And, that ‘nothing’ goes hatred towards Mrs Ramsey’s life.
In the end of the novel after finishing the picture ,she proves get back to the answer to Tansley ’ s argument. He told Lily that-
“Women can’t paint, or write.”
Then, looked at from the steps they were empty; she looked at her canvas ;it was blurred ,with a sudden intensity, as if she saw it clever for a second, she drew a line there ,in the centre .Then, she speaks-
“It was done, It was finished.”
In this line Lily Briscoe reached at her destination. she felt happiness because she achieves what she wants.
“yes , she thought, laying down her brush in extreme, I have had my vision.”
End of the novel with this sentence. May be, here, ’vision’ is to become a famous painter. But, ‘patriarchy ‘ like Tansley through her confidence goes down. but, now she had a ’vision’ to do something more. Now, she is able to became a good painter that she felt. May be, here ‘vision’ is that vision.
And, the another thing is that, till the death of Mrs. Ramsey society or her husband don’t allow her to that much reverence ,whom for that she was realiable. But after drawing her picture, Briscoe made her immortal, just like john keats poem ’The Grecian urn’ always permanent. Which is quite revoltic voice of Virginia Woolf behind that thing.
Difference between the character of Mrs.Ramsey LilyBriscoe:
Mrs Ramsey:
Ø Ideal house wife.
Ø Moral Woman.
Ø Inner suffering hiding out in the heart.
Ø Obedient woman.
Ø Construction of traditional woman.
Ø Old Enduring power is more than Lily Briscoe.
Lily Briscoe:
Ø Dependent woman.
Ø Modern Woman.
Ø Inner suffering pondering out.
Ø Revolutionary woman.
Ø Rule broker new woman.
Ø Young.
Ø Enduring power is not in the character of Lily Briscoe.
There are some differences between Lily Briscoe and Mrs.Ramsey.The character of ‘Mrs.Ramsey’ is the idea image of the society .When society loves.While the character like’ Lily Briscoe ‘ not become that much likable in the eyes of ‘patriarchy’.Because,she was rule broker character in the patriarchal society of the novel.
As per view of one critic-
“Alas!A woman that attempts the pen.
Such an intruder on the rights of men,
Shuch a presumptions creature is esteem’d
The fault can by no virtue be redeeem’d
-Anne Finch,Countess of Winchilsea
But,After writing this kind of novel she cross the boundary of her century.she was broken the tradition that-
“You don’t take coffee after tea.”
But,she was broken down that tradition of the century.
Conclusion:
So,Above all those points and also ‘Bechdel Test’ proves that “To The Lighthouse ” the novel is really ‘feministic’novel.
“In constrast to an angry or loving fixation.on male literature. The programme of Gynocritics is to construc a female framework. For, the analysis of women’s literature,to develop new models based on the study of female experiment, rather than to adopt male models and theories.”
-Toward ‘A Feminist poetics’ by Elaine showalter.
Hi Nidhi....
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