I think both Nicholson Baker and Virginia Woolf encountered quite a bit of difficulty in creating their novels because of their determination to break from their respective archetypes. Because of this, both writers used aspects of themselves to create authentic characters/narrators. The Mezzanine is a much less personal novel because of its experimental nature; its purpose was to write a novel with a certain style from an abstract perspective. Baker needed only to push his writing style a bit over the edge.
Mrs. Dalloway, on the other hand, forced Woolf to flesh out the emotional and existential depth of her characters, inevitably resulting in a more personal novel. This is especially true because of Virginia Woolf's struggle with mental illness.
Clarissa spends much of the novel considering questions of life and death and existential purpose. Septimus is confused and lacks any hope or direction in his life, and eventually sees suicide as his sole option. In this way, Clarissa could represent the intellectual side (perhaps literally as Woolf suffered from multiple-personality disorder) of Woolf, and Septimus the emotional side. There are certainly times when Woolf seems to be speaking through Clarissa or the narrator, attacking the psychiatrists in a way that stems from personal experience and pain. Given the fact that Septimus was later added when Woolf decided she wanted Clarissa to live, it's not too much of a stretch to claim that Woolf allowed a "part" of herself to commit suicide in catharsis for herself and Clarissa.
Clarissa spends much of the novel considering questions of life and death and existential purpose. Septimus is confused and lacks any hope or direction in his life, and eventually sees suicide as his sole option. In this way, Clarissa could represent the intellectual side (perhaps literally as Woolf suffered from multiple-personality disorder) of Woolf, and Septimus the emotional side. There are certainly times when Woolf seems to be speaking through Clarissa or the narrator, attacking the psychiatrists in a way that stems from personal experience and pain. Given the fact that Septimus was later added when Woolf decided she wanted Clarissa to live, it's not too much of a stretch to claim that Woolf allowed a "part" of herself to commit suicide in catharsis for herself and Clarissa.
You make a good point, and I think that Woolf puts a lot of herself in the novel. Several interpretations I've read explain Clarissa and Septimus as two personalities of Woolf herself. Even though many novels have the protagonist as a reflection of the author, Mrs. Dalloway goes a bit deeper emotionally, like you said. Given what we know about Virginia Woolf, it is very likely that Clarissa and Septimus' existential questions are based on her own life experiences.
ReplyDeleteI like your comparison of The Mezzanine with Mrs. Dalloway. There are both similar in their modern style, yet Mrs. Dalloway gives us a more "conventional" feel of a novel, despite the lack of a truly interesting plot. I think Woolf certainly exceeded with her emotional and existential depths of her characters. Clarissa can seem somewhat trivial on the outside to certain people. However, readers know differently. They see that she grapples with spiritual issues and more. Maybe this was another aspect of Clarissa that Woolf felt she could identify with?
ReplyDeleteI find the comparison between The Mezzanine and Mrs. Dalloway interesting because at first glance the two books seem to be entirely unrelated, with one being the bizarre ramblings of an office worker and the other being the existential crisis faced by two members of high English society. The parallel between how the authors express themselves through their characters is also worth noting, as Baker uses Howie to talk about things he likes or finds interesting, while Woolf uses Clarissa to project her feelings about life, war, doctors, and other serious matters.
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