Similarities between A Room of One's Own and To the Lighthouse

Similiarities in "A Room of One's Own" and "To the Lighthouse"

Similarities Between Woolf's Essay and Novel: A Motif of Gender

Quite a significant amount of the literature written by Virginia Woolf pertains to issues of gender and explores the inherent differences and similarities between men and women. Two of the most salient examples of this tendency of the author are found in a work of (what is predominantly) non-fiction, "A Room of One's Own," and a work of fiction, "To the Lighthouse." Both of these pieces of literature deal with similar themes related to gender, and encompass such salient aspects of this controversial topic by detailing the perceived circumscriptions of women as artists (both literary and visual), as well as the character traits that are traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine -- and how a synthesis of both of these is perhaps ideal. When one factors in the creative methodology employed by Woolf in terms of narration and perspective that characterize each of these pieces of literature, it becomes readily apparent that the similarities between "A Room of One's Own" and "To the Lighthouse" are fairly indicative of Woolf's work as a whole.

In many ways, one can present a suitable argument that one of the primary purposes of Woolf's composition of the former manuscript was to assert the fact that women did have artistic talent -- particularly that which is literary -- and could express it as well as any man might. "A Room of One's Own" was initially composed as a lecture that the author would deliver to a live audience for the purpose of swaying their opinion in alignment with this basic premise of her composition. Indeed, the initial topic that the author was asked to lecture about was women and fiction. And while there are certainly other notions and concepts related to gender deconstructed within this text, the central premise is that women are capable of writing and expressing artistic talent as well as men can, as long as they have the necessary provisions that are specified in the following quotation.

All I could do was to offer you an opinion upon one minor point -- a woman must have money and a room of one's own if she is to write fiction; and that, as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of women and the true nature of fiction unsolved (Woolf 1929).

This quotation demonstrates the capability women have for expressing their ability through the medium of fictional writing. It denotes a pair of stipulations ("money" and a "room" to one's self) that is necessary for them to achieve this feat. However, these assets are certainly as necessary to men who write fiction, and in the implicit understanding of this fact the author suggests an inherent equality within the artistic capability of the sexes.

This attention given to the artistic capabilities of the sexes which helps to provide the premise of "A Room of One's Own" is also a fairly integral aspect of "To the Lighthouse." One of the characters in this novel, Lily Briscoe, is a female artist who is a painter. Woolf uses her to contextualize the traditional "male" point-of-view that women are not as capable of men in expressing through artistic media such as painting or writing. The following quotation, containing a conversation between Briscoe and a fellow named Charles Tanney at dinner, indicates that Woolf is addressing the question of women as creative artisans within this work.

Then why did she mind what he said? Women can't write, women can't paint -- what did that matter coming from him, since clearly it was not true to him but for some reason helpful to him, and that was why he said it? Why did her whole being bow, like corn under a wind, and erect itself again from this abasement only with a great and rather painful effort? (Woolf 1927)

What is most significant about this quotation is not the sexism displayed by Tanney by stating his beliefs about the female artists. Rather, what is truly important is how Briscoe reacts to it. She suffers under the weight of this slander (her "being" is stated to "bow" at these statements), yet is able to "erect" herself once more afterwards, by focusing on her own worth as an artist, and thinking about what she has left to finish in one of her own paintings. This assertion on the part of Briscoe is in alignment with Woolf's theory presented within "A Room of One's Own" that women are indeed capable of expressing themselves creatively through art such as writing, or, in the case of "To the Lighthouse," painting.

Another fairly compelling similarity that exists between both of these works of Woolf is the synthesis of characteristics that are traditionally female and traditionally male. Within "In a Room of One's Own" this concept is alluded to by an ideal state of androgyny, in which people are able to utilize both male and female proclivities and render themselves as better people for doing so. Within "To the Lighthouse," however, this notion is strongly alluded to by the dichotomy that exists in the polarization of the characterization of Mr. And Mrs. Ramsey. This precept of Woolf's is related to the fact that there is an inherent equality within the artistic ability of both men and women, a fact that is underscored within "A Room of One's Own" by the author's predictions that in the future, women will actuate many of the same occupations and responsibilities that were traditionally reserved for men. The following quotation proves this fact.

"…in a hundred years…women will have ceased to be the protected sex. Logically they will take part in all the activities and exertions that were once denied them. The nursemaid will heave coal. The shop-woman will drive an engine. All assumptions founded on the facts observed when women were the protected sex will have disappeared…(Woolf 1929)."

This quotation is noteworthy not only because it demonstrates the parity between men and women, but also because it does so by relating to a synthesis of the thinking that is traditionally reserved for each sex. This thinking is implied by the types of job responsibilities that are usually reserved for each sex. Woolf's prediction of women shoveling "coal" and working occupations in which they are required to "drive" indicates that women, too, can engage in the sort of thinking and actions that were historically masculine. What is interesting about this passage as well is that this androgyny of thinking that will lead women to positions equal to men will effectively "cease" women's regard as the "protected" sex.

In "To the Lighthouse," however, Mrs. Ramsey is the protector of her family, and fulfills roles as the guardian and nurturer of her father and of her children. Still, the dichotomy that exists between Mrs. Ramsey and Mr. Ramsey is extremely polarized. While she is the affectionate protectress who personifies a certain strength in this role, he is the brusque, distant professional, constantly in need of his wife's strength and sympathy in order to continue his work. This opposition between this pair is evinced most clearly in the anecdote upon which this novel is based, that of James Ramsey's (the couple's son) hopes to go to a lighthouse which his father delights in telling him weather will not permit, while his mother tries to console her son by saying the weather might be permissible. The following quotation demonstrates this opposition.

"Perhaps you will wake up and find the sun shining and the birds singing," she said compassionately, smoothing the little boy's hair, for her husband, with his caustic saying that it would not be fine, had dashed his spirits she could see…Perhaps it will be fine tomorrow" (Woolf 1927).