Symbolism:In

‘To the Lighthouse’

What is Symbolism?

•Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

•In the symbol, the relation between the signifying item and what it signifies is not a natural one, but entirely a matter of social convention.

•In the broadest sense a symbol is anything else; in this sense all words are symbol.

Symbolism& Literature

•In discussing Literature, the ‘TERM’ – ‘SYMBOL’ is applied only to a word or phrase that signifies an Object or event which in its turn signifies something, or suggest a range of reference.

•The artistic method of revealing ideas or truths through the use of symbols

•Many novels have two layers of meaning. The first is in the literal plot, the second in a symbolic layer in which images and objects represent abstract ideas and feelings. Using symbols allows authors to express themselves indirectly on delicate or controversial matters.

Symbolism& Literature

•Poets, like all of us, use such conventional symbols; many poets, however, also use "private" or "personal symbols." •Often they do so by exploiting widely shared associations between an object or event or action and a particular concept; for example, the general association of a peacock with pride and of an eagle with heroic endeavor, or the rising sun with birth and the setting sun with death, or climbing with effort or progress and descent with surrender or failure. •Some poets, however, repeatedly use symbols whose significance they largely generate themselves, and these pose a more difficult problem in interpretation. (M.H.Abrahm ‘A Glossary of Literary Terms)

Symbolist Movement: Modern Age

•The Modern Period, in the decades after World War-1, was a notable era of Symbolism in Literature.

• Many of the major writers of the period exploit symbols which are in part drawn from religious and esoteric traditions and in part invented.

•Some of the works of the age are symbolist in their setting, their agents, and their actions, as well as in the objects they refer to.

Symbolism: in ‘To the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse

Lily Briscoe’s Painting

Ramsay’s Summer House

The Sea, the Storms, the rock, reefs and shallow

water

The Boar’s Skull

Rose’s arrangement

of Fruit Basket

The Lighthouse

•It stands alone and tall in both light and darkness and it, along with its beacon, is a focal point which Symbolizes strength, guidance and safe harbor; it is Spiritual hermit guiding all those who are traveling by sea.

•Metaphorically, as the element of Water represents the emotions,the Lighthouse is a Symbol for the Spiritual Strength and EmotionalGuidance which is available to us during the times we feel we arebeing helplessly tossed around in a sea of inner turmoil.

•Mrs. Caroline Ramsay stands as guiding star and harbours emotional safety to other family/guest members visiting summer House. She is the Spiritual bridge between other humans in the novel.

•Mrs. Ramsay stands strong like the lighthouse amidst emotionally shattered beings; viz., Michael Ramsay, James, Lily, Carmichael, etc.

The Lighthouse

Lily’s Painting

•Symbolizes woman’s struggle in patriarchal society.

•Against gender convention: “Women can’t paint or write”.

•Desire to express (repressed) critique of Mrs. Ramsay’s essence (as an ideal wife and mother) in the painting.

•her vision depends on balance and synthesis: how to bring together disparate things in harmony; this mirrors Woolf’s writing creed – “ the novel is a both a critique and a tribute to the enduring power of Mrs. Ramsay.

•Feminine Artistic Vision.

Ramsay’s Summer House

During her dinner party, Mrs. Ramsay sees her house display her own inner notions of shabbiness and her inability to preserve beauty.

Symbolizes collective conscious

ness psychological condition of

the characters.

In the “Time Passes” section, the ravages of

war and destruction and the passage of

time are reflected in the condition of the

house.

The Sea, the Storms, the rock, reefs and shallow

water

The Sea

•It represent forward Movement of life.

•Violence and Destruction.

•The Sea is a Powerful reminder of the impermanence and delicacy of Human life and accomplishment.

The Storm

s

•Storms consist of both wind (air) and rain (water). And as air is the elementrepresenting the mind, and water is the element representing the emotions, storms symbolize agitated thoughts and emotions. Metaphorically, storms are our Inner Demons which torment both our mind and our Subconscious.

The Rocks

•The rocks, reefs and shallow waters symbolize the finaldangers and miseries which seem to accompany the end of any turbulent voyage. Just as the saying, "its always darkest before the dawn", things always seem the most dangerous and hopeless as we reach the end of an emotional turmoil. This is the point when we feel like tossing up our hands and giving up.

The Boar’s Skull

•Symbolizes transient nature of art and life.

•Mrs. Ramsay’s covering it with her shawl represents her desire to preserve life, or that of Mr. Ramsay & Lily to be immortal through work/art.

•The presence of the skull acts as a disturbing reminder that death is always at hand, even (or perhaps especially) during life’s most blissful moments.

•It symbolically presents Mrs. Ramsay’s understanding nature and enduring power to suffer for others – as she wraps it with her shawl.

The Fruit Basket

•Rose arranges a fruit basket for her mother’s dinner party that serves to draw the partygoers out of their private suffering and unite them.

•Although Augustus Carmichael and Mrs. Ramsay appreciate the arrangement differently—he rips a bloom from it; she refuses to disturb it—the pair is brought harmoniously, if briefly, together.

•The basket testifies both to the “frozen” quality of beauty that Lily describes and to beauty’s seductive and soothing quality.

•The absence of fruit basket in 3rd part, signifies the transitery nature of beauty, art and truth.

Prepared By:Gohil NamrataDepartment of English,M.K. Bhavnagar University,Bhavnagar(Gujarat-India).