The Development of the Artist in Woolf’s To the Lighthouse...

Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse has been described as a Kà ¼nstlerroman or artist novel. It traces the development of an artist, much like the Bildungsroman traced the development of a child into adulthood (Daughtery 148). The main artist of the novel is Lily Briscoe. As the novel progresses, Lily comes to terms with art and with life. To the Lighthouse is, in many ways, a quest novel (Daughter 148). This is evidenced by the title, which includes the preposition â€Å"to†. Nearly all the characters in the novels have a goal which they are aiming for. For example, in Part I, James Ramsay wants nothing but else but to go on an expedition to the lighthouse. Mr. Ramsay muses about how to reach the letter â€Å"R†. Lily sets sail with her canvas and her†¦show more content†¦When he reaches the lighthouse, he springs onto the rock â€Å"like a young man† (Woolf). He is no longer a boy, but a man with authority. He has successfully navigated his way to manhood. Lily’s progress in her painting is much like James Ramsay’s journey to the lighthouse. Lily Briscoe’s painting is a way for her to express her defiance of the social conventions which men impose on her. Lily lives an unconventional life by her society’s standard. She has no desire to marry. She is serious in her artistic pursuits, and yet the people around her disregard her abilities. Charles Tansley declares that â€Å"women can’t write, women can’t paint† (Woolf). Even Mrs. Ramsay thinks that no one could â€Å"take her painting very seriously† (Woolf). Nonetheless, Lily disregards the opinions of others. She is very independent-minded and very determined. Lily’s painting reflects her personal vision of the world. Lily is determined to paint the world as she sees it (Kelley 66). She will not let the opinions of others interfere with her vision of the world. She sees the jacmanna as â€Å"bright violet† and the w all as â€Å"staring white†, even though it was â€Å"fashionable† to see everything â€Å"pale, elegant, semitransparent† (Woolf). She is â€Å"struggling against terrific odds to maintain her courage; to say: ‘But this is what I see; this is what I see’† (Woolf). In Part III, Lily works in finishing the portrait which she began ten years earlier. However, obstacles lie in her way. Mr. RamsayShow MoreRelatedTo The Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf Essay1237 Words   |  5 PagesThe opening scene of To The Lighthouse between Mr Ramsay and Mrs Ramsay displays the gender division that flows throughout this passage highlighting Woolf’s own perspective on society and sexuality between genders. Woolf supports the belief in a complete change to society resulting in a non – hierarchical society. Woolf felt for this to happen aside from the practical changes, that a radical redefinition of sexuality was also needed. The novel focuses on sexual issues of the twentieth century centralRead MoreStream of Consciousness Novel1102 Words   |  5 PagesThe Development of the ‘Stream-of-Consciousness’ Technique in Modernist English Fiction (with Special Reference to the Contributions of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf) Arpan Adhikary The term ‘stream of consciousness’ as applied in literary criticism to designate a particular mode of prose narrative was first coined by philosopher William James in his book Principles of Psychology (1890) to describe the uninterrupted flow of perceptions, memories and thoughts in active human psyche. As a literaryRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Lighthouse 1625 Words   |  7 Pages Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse follows the progress of the painter, Lily Briscoe, as she aims to create a meaningful space for her artwork in an increasingly critical and subjective environment. Throughout this novel, Lily Briscoe is characterized as an artist who is constantly either painting or thinking about her painting. Lily is very private of her artwork and everything she comes across is anchored back to her painting. Lily’s painting represents a feminine artistic vison. RegardlessRead More Lily’s Artifice and Mr. Ramseys Work in To the Lighthouse Ess ay2849 Words   |  12 PagesA Comparison of Lily’s Artifice and Mr. Ramseys Work in To the Lighthouse  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse,   Mr. Ramsey’s lone philosophical work is contrasted against Lily’s encompassing paintings.   Both Lily’s and Mr. Ramsey’s professions require sacrifices;   Lily gives up the ideal marital life whereas Mr. Ramsey has his wife forfeit her happiness to restore his.   Through his work,   Mr. Ramsey is able to build himself up and look as though he is a strong male figure.  Read MoreAnalysis the Use of Stream of Consciousness in Mrs Dalloway8784 Words   |  36 PagesRequirements for the degree of B.A in English At Hebei Normal University May 8th , 2009 Abstract As one of the representative writers of novels of stream of consciousness, Virginia Woolf has made important contributions to the development of the technique of stream of consciousness by confirming her own original literary views through the design of a unique structure of stream of consciousness in one of her masterpieces—Mrs. Dalloway. Virginia Woolf constantly breaks through theRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Harold Pinter s The Room 9709 Words   |  39 Pagestheir expressionistic dramas, such as Strindberg, Ernst Toller, Georg Kaiser, Karel Capek and Eugene O’Neill sought to achieve a psychological or spiritual reality rather than record external events in coherent sequence. Expressionism led to the development of the ‘stream of consciousness’ technique also known as ‘interior monologue’ in novel which records the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters. James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and Dorothy Richardson mastered this techn ique in their novels