Evolution of the Modern Woman in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse Ess

Evolution of the Modern cleaning woman in Virginia Woolfs To the LighthouseVirginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse examines the role of women or to a greater extent specifically, the evolution of the modern woman. The two important female characters in the novel, Mrs Ramsay and Lily Briscoe, both represent different views on life and follow different paths on their await for meaning. Lily Briscoe transcends the traditional female gender roles bodied by Mrs Ramsay by coming into her own as an independent and modern woman, she symbolises the advent of modernism and rejection of traditional victorian values. The traditional female gender roles of passivity and submission be first reinforced by Mrs Ramsays attitude and behaviour towards her husband and the guests at her house. Mrs Ramsay is not a helpless woman but she is not independent in the way that Lily Briscoe is. While she is perfectly capable of being the boss of trivial and womanly things such as dinner, the higher level decisi ons are always made by her husband. For example, in the beginning of the novel, Mrs Ramsay tells her son, James, that, weather permitting, they would go to the lighthouse the next day. Mr Ramsay insists that, it wont be elegant (9). They do not go to the lighthouse. Mrs Ramsay submits to her husbands decision. Mrs Ramsay has the power to arrange people, both literally at the dinner remit, and figuratively, as she plays match maker with her guests. However, her actions are each domestic and/or maternal. But what expect I done with my life? thought Mrs Ramsay, taking her place at the head of the table . . . William, sit by me, she said. Lily, she said, wearily, over there. . . . she had only this - an infinitely long table and plates and knives. At ... ...it is irrelevant because she is dead. By Lilys completion of her painting of Mrs Ramsay and the arrival at the lighthouse, Mrs Ramsay can also be stop, in a sense. James, having forgiven his father, no drawn-out has to Freudia nly prefer his mother. Lily, having finished her painting, can now reject Mrs Ramsay as a model, both for the portrait and for her life. Lily is the embodiment of graphics in the novel she strives for meaning in art. Mrs Ramsay, however, finds meaning in less abstract terms, she is fulfilled by her children and hopes to see them married. Lily finishes her painting but Mrs Ramsay does not lie with to see her children married. This is a statement on the validity of art and abstraction, as embodied by Lily Briscoe, and a negation of realist thought. Works CitedWoolf, Virginia. To the Lighthouse. New York Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1989. Evolution of the Modern Woman in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse EssEvolution of the Modern Woman in Virginia Woolfs To the LighthouseVirginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse examines the role of women or more specifically, the evolution of the modern woman. The two main female characters in the novel, Mrs Ramsay and Lily Briscoe, both r epresent different views on life and follow different paths on their search for meaning. Lily Briscoe transcends the traditional female gender roles embodied by Mrs Ramsay by coming into her own as an independent and modern woman, she symbolises the advent of modernism and rejection of traditional Victorian values. The traditional female gender roles of passivity and submission are first reinforced by Mrs Ramsays attitude and behaviour towards her husband and the guests at her house. Mrs Ramsay is not a helpless woman but she is not independent in the way that Lily Briscoe is. While she is perfectly capable of being the boss of trivial and womanly things such as dinner, the higher level decisions are always made by her husband. For example, in the beginning of the novel, Mrs Ramsay tells her son, James, that, weather permitting, they would go to the lighthouse the next day. Mr Ramsay insists that, it wont be fine (9). They do not go to the lighthouse. Mrs Ramsay submits to her husba nds decision. Mrs Ramsay has the ability to arrange people, both literally at the dinner table, and figuratively, as she plays match maker with her guests. However, her actions are either domestic and/or maternal. But what have I done with my life? thought Mrs Ramsay, taking her place at the head of the table . . . William, sit by me, she said. Lily, she said, wearily, over there. . . . she had only this - an infinitely long table and plates and knives. At ... ...it is irrelevant because she is dead. By Lilys completion of her painting of Mrs Ramsay and the arrival at the lighthouse, Mrs Ramsay can also be ended, in a sense. James, having forgiven his father, no longer has to Freudianly prefer his mother. Lily, having finished her painting, can now reject Mrs Ramsay as a model, both for the portrait and for her life. Lily is the embodiment of art in the novel she strives for meaning in art. Mrs Ramsay, however, finds meaning in less abstract terms, she is fulfilled by her children and hopes to see them married. Lily finishes her painting but Mrs Ramsay does not live to see her children married. This is a statement on the validity of art and abstraction, as embodied by Lily Briscoe, and a negation of realist thought. Works CitedWoolf, Virginia. To the Lighthouse. New York Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1989.