The Unity Of Life And Art-A Study Of Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse

The theme of this thesis is about the unity of life and art in Virginia Woolf's novel To the Lighthouse. In this thesis, I'd like to explore and show the author's own intention in achieving the unity of life and art which is depicted and reflected in the novel itself; and what's more, my own understanding on this aspect as well.Start from the traditional understanding of 'life' and 'art1, this thesis analyses in detail Virginia Woolf's concept of art and her understanding of life, which are exemplified in her essays and To the Lighthouse. In this paper, what I intend to emphasize is how Woolf put to use her theory of androgyny in To the Lighthouse. As we can see in the novel, the characters Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay stand for sense and life individually. Both of them cannot achieve life and art at the same time; While, in Lily Briscoe, another main character, we see clearly Woolf ideal of putting both life and art not only into a whole but also into one character. That might be the fundamental intention of Woolf's creative working, and also, what I try to demonstrate in this thesis.It is expected that this thesis can offer the reader a new angle and help him achieve a better understanding in appreciating this novel and Woolf's other works as well.