From Inauthenticity To Authenticity-A Heideggerian Interpretation Of Orlando

Virginia Woolf,a prominent figure in literary movement of 20 th century,spared no effort in pondering on human beings’ existential state and rendering it in the form of literature.In Orlando,Woolf displayed a legend about a 16-year-old boy who existed for four centuries and grew into a 36-year-old woman.Through describing different states of Orlando and his/her inner changes at different times,Woolf demonstrated her understanding of “being”.At the same time,Heidegger,an outstanding philosopher of Woolf’s contemporary,also ruminated on the interrogation of “what is being?” Coincidentally,Heidegger’s thinking on human beings’ existence in philosophy and Woolf’s thinking about the truth of life in Orlando are different ways but come to the same conclusion that authenticity is the perfect state of being.Based on Heidegger’s existentialism and by investigating the syndromes of fallen Orlando,and the agony and anxiety in the process of achieving authentic Orlando,this thesis proposes that through describing the long struggling journey of Orlando in achieving his/her authentic self,Woolf expressed her constant pursuit for authentic self.This thesis contains three parts: introduction,three body chapters and conclusion.The introductory part gives an overall literature review of Orlando and an introduction to the theory framework of Heidegger’s existentialism.In the body chapters,by investigating various states related to Orlando’s existence throughout four centuries,this part examines first the fallen Orlando,including his/her conquering desire for nature and women;his/her illusion in idle talks;and his/her loss in curiosity.It then discusses how Orlando’s authentic dasein discloses itself through anxiety and self-reflection in solitude.Lastly,it analyzes how Orlando’s authentic self dwells poetically where he/she achieves the harmony with earth,sky,and divinities.After the thorough analysis of the body chapters,this thesis comes to the conclusion that human beings often fall into the “they” world in which people lose their authentic self.However,the authentic self does not disappear but continuously fight against the inauthentic self,which causes anxiety and pain to human beings.In agony and anxiety,human beings reflect on “what is being?” and at last reach the authenticity in which they dwell poetically and achieve the great harmony between themselves and the world.