Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of English
First Advisor
Christine Thompson
Term of Graduation
Spring 1999
Date of Publication
5-6-1999
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.) in English
Department
English
Language
English
Subjects
Microcosm and macrocosm in literature
Physical Description
1 online resource (5, iii, 87 pages)
Abstract
Woolf's use of microcosms in her writing has been given little attention. They are deceptively quiet metaphors that may be overlooked at first. In her novels and essays, microcosms are part of a larger pattern of details that seem ordinary, but which are characteristic of the complexity of her writing.
The focus of this thesis is on how Woolf uses microcosms to communicate two central themes in her writing: the relation of the self to the external world, and the desire of the self to create something permanent. The paper examines Woolf's novel To the Lighthouse (1927) and her essay "The Sun and the Fish" (1928) because they both contain microcosms that raise questions of existence and mortality.
The purpose of the study is to examine Woolf's strategy in using microcosms and consider what they add to her writing. The influence of Darwin's theory of evolution on Woolf's writing is explored, and examples of microcosms are provided from Darwin's and T.H. Huxley's writings. This study also looks at how the microcosms reflect Woolf's ideas about metaphor, memory, and the associative nature of the human mind. Woolf's use of microcosms in what Harvena Richter calls a "matrix of memory" is demonstrated. Finally, this study investigates how the scenes involving microcosms reflect Woolf's ideas about the artist and creative process. They provide a means to illustrate the concepts of control and constraint. Woolf demonstrates the tension between these elements in the microcosms, and the implication of this for the artist.
The common ground for the ideas explored is located in the two central themes. The individual's desire to leave something in the world is a longing for a kind of immortality. For the artist, the creation of something permanent takes a form like a book or painting. In order to create such a work of art, the artist relies on instinct, past experiences, and the power of imagination. Woolf's microcosms illuminate these ideas.
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Recommended Citation
Scheele, Linda C., "Virginia Woolf's Use of Microcosms in Her Novel To the Lighthouse and Her Essay "The Sun and the Fish"" (1999). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 7006.