Virginia Woolf story, "The Lady in the Looking - Glass: A reflection", tells of a woman, who calls herself Isabella Tyson, whose character is examined both from outside and in. The title and subtitle of the story indicate that the story is a means of examining a lady by her reflection in a looking glass and normally one does not use a looking glass to examine others. One uses a looking glass to examine self. So one might wonder if this lady, Isabella Tyson, in the story is Virginia Woolf herself.
"People should not leave looking-glasses hanging in their rooms any more than they should leave open cheque books or letters confessing some hideous crime." (page 1224) I believe the opening line is suggesting that if you do not want others to know your business you should never leave your business in plain view as indicated by mirror hanging in your house. If for some reason you do and they scandalize you, it would be similar to leaving your cheque book out for others to have access to it so that they are able to see your account balance or even steal a check leaf or two in order to withdraw money from your account.
The author then continues to describe the scene of story as seen through the eyes of the mirror by contrasting the interior of the house with the exterior. "The quiet old country room with its rugs and stone chimney pieces, its sunken book-cases and red and gold lacquer cabinets was full of such nocturnal creatures....but outside, the looking- glass reflected the hall table, the sunflowers, the garden path so accurately and so fixedly that they seemed held their in their reality unescapably "(page 1225). I am getting a sense of busyness in the house but the author had said earlier that "the house was empty." So why were there so many activities happening in the house; whereas outside was so still and serene. Was the author making reference to some hidden secrets inside this house? One can only speculate.
As the author continues to describe the mistress of the house, as seen through the eyes of the looking-glass, we were told that she was a rich spinster that had furnished the house all by herself, as stated in these words "She was a spinster; that was rich; that she had bought this house and collected with her own hands....the rugs, the chairs, the cabinets which now lived their nocturnal life before one's eyes" (page 1225). Why are the words nocturnal being used several times in this story? Were there some secret things or activities happening at nights inside this house? One can only wonder but as the story continues, the author tells her readers as seen through the mirror that the furniture and accessories in the house knew more about the mistress of the house than those that had visited the house. Several examples are given to validate this statement, including, "Isabella would come in, and take them, one by one, very slowly, and open them, and read them carefully word by word, and then with a profound sigh of comprehension, as if she had seen to the bottom of everything, she would tear the envelopes to little bits and tie the letters together and lock the cabinet drawer in her determination to conceal what she did not wish to be known" (page 1226). Who was writing these letters to her? Several thoughts flood through my mind. Were these love letters or were they letters related to a business undertaking? I am assuming the former because why would she lock the cabinet drawer? Was she trying to be careful so that those letters did not get into the wrong hands. We might want to criticize Isabella but this is so typical of us all. We all do have a locked drawer which contains our past or something in our lives that we wish to conceal from others. If only the mirror in our rooms could talk, others would be shocked at what we had done.
Oh, I wish the story had told us some more intricate details of what had occurred in the house as seen by the looking glass. However, Virginia Woolf did a brilliant job of describing Isabella's private life as seen by the looking glass in "The Lady in the Looking -Glass: A Reflection."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Anthony,
Very good exploration of Woolf's story (or essay, or whatever it is). I do not think Isabella is Woolf, though--she is too old, and Woolf was not a spinster. However, other comments and insights you make are on the right track.
Anthony,
Good post! I was thinking that maybe because of Woolf's troubled personal life that she wanted those that who might envy the "rich" lady to remember that everyone has "skeletons in the closet" and we should just examine ourselves. I'll have read this one again. Thanks for the perspective.
Post a Comment