Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written in a response of Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about Virginia Woolf, Movie Vita and Virginia, Orlando : A Biography, and some of the question, with my point of views.
Introduction / Life of Virginia Woolf :-
The full name of Virginia Woolf is Adeline Virginia Woolf. She was born on 25 January, 1882, and died on 28 March 1941. She was an English writer and known as a pioneer in use of 'stream of Consciousness' as a narrative device. She is also consider as one of the most important modernist 20th century author. She started writing processionally in 1900. She wrote many famous works, some are the Novels like,
1. The Voyage out. (First novel)
2. Mrs. Dolloway
3. To the lighthouse
4. Orlando : A Biography
5. The years, etc.
She also wrote dramas, for example, 'Freshwater', 'A Room of One's Own' and some more.
Throughout her life, Virginia Woolf was face many troubles, because of her mental illness. She was attempted suicide at least twice. According to Dalsimer (2004), the symptoms by which she suffered was falls under the category of bipolar disorder. And for this, there was no such effective intervention available during her lifetime. In 1941, at the age of 59, She was committed very artistic suicide. She was died by drowning herself in the river Ouse at Lewis.
Movie : vita and Virginia
The movie vita and Virginia is a 2018 biographical romantic drama film. Which was directed by Chanya Button. Main film stars of this film are, 1) Gemma Arterton, 2) Elizabeth Debicki, 3) Isabella Rossellini. The film was adapted from the play, Vita and Virginia by Atkins, performed on 1992. The story of the film based on real love affair among vita Sackville - West and Virginia Woolf. The film was released on 11 September 2018. Running 110 minutes. In United Kingdom and Ireland. Is in the language of English. Here is the video of movie.
Orlando : A Biography
Orlando: A Biography is a famous novel of Virginia Woolf, The novel was first published on 11 October 1928. The book was written on a life of Vita Sackville - west. Woolf's lover and one of the close friend. The book emerge the quest like problems of Women writers, Gender issues, and Transgender studies, etc. Also the book is harsh satire on history of that time.
In the novel, The hero or Protagonist Orlando, is born as a male nobleman in England during the reign of Elizabeth. Who later on under goes a mysterious change of sex at the age of about 30. And lives on for more than 300 years into modern times. The Novel ends on the final stroke of midnight on Thursday, October 11, 1928. The day, when the novel was published.
This are some questions which are related to comparison of film Vita and Virginia and Novel Orlando : A Biography.
1) How far do you feel that Orlando is influenced by Vita and Virginia’s love affair? Does it talk only about that or do you find anything else too?
If we analyze, we find that Orlando in many ways influenced by vita and Virginia's love affair. If we see, we find that Orlando in novel, had many affairs when he was boy. Like with Shasha, Harriet etc. Similarly we can able to interprete that Vita Sackville has masculine qualities in her. And that why she has many affairs with boys as well as girls. Including Virginia Woolf.
The novel is not only about this. But also in this novel Virginia write about struggle of female writers in even a modern time or we can say in 18th century. In novel, when Orlando writing a poem named, 'The Oak Tree'. We analyze that he feel no difficulties, When he was writing as a man. But when turned into the woman and continue writing poem, suddenly he start facing several problems in publishing her work, and fear of acceptance of her poem by popular writers and society etc. This struggle of Orlando, pointing out the struggle of Vita and Virginia in 18th century, as a female writer.
(2) Who do you think is confused about their identity Vita or Virginia? Explain with illustrations.
When we see the film, we find that somewhere both Vita and Virginia facing several problems and struggles in their life. But according to me, Vita seems more Confused about her identity, Or we can also interprete that may she is not confused but somewhere she is not able to accept her identity. During that time, it was not accepted by society that a woman having physical relations with a woman, or a man having relations with man. Even in present time, when law passed out and give permission to this kind of relations,society still feel hesitation of accepting such relationships. If in 21st Century, the condition we find this, then in that time definitely, it was worst. And so we are able to guess that may be Vita was afraid of society. And also Confused about her identity.
But during that time, even the sexual relationship of man are not accepted, then how can Homosexual relationships are allowed by society. When we see the movie we find that, vita is married and having a happy family. And also a mother of two childrens. And still she has lots of extramarital affairs not only with man but with Womans also. We find one scene in movie, in which Vita's mother scolding her because she eloped with a man named Violet. Even after the suicide of Virginia, Vita continue her affairs with many mans and womans. In movie, she try to manage both, her house and family and her own personal physical desire by making homosexual and extramarital affairs.
(3) What is society’s thought about women and identity? Do you agree with them? If Yes then why? If no then why?
In the movie Vita and Virginia and in the novel Orlando : A Biography, in both, society play a role of antagonist for women. They thought women as a weak, dependent personality and believes that men is superior than women. In movie we find the Character of Vita's mother, who represents the society. Who we find in movie, constant telling Vita that what is wrong, what is right, how to behave, what to do, what not to do, manners, and all. In the novel Orlando, we find that this all things reflected very well by Virginia Woolf. When Orlando turned into the Woman, suddenly unexpected problems emerged, also started facing difficulties in writing her poem. Which symbolize that, during that time of Virginia, Society wasn't approve Women writers. And that was the belief that, women can not write such effect as men writers can. Even in the case of Women, society is very strict, for example : when Orlando is man, he has many affairs. But when he change into the Woman, he start thinking about marriage, and when her husband leave for sailing, instead if second marriage, she choose to wait for him.
Society fixed some gender roles, and if any woman dare to disobey that, society concider her as a mannerless or shameless. gender role for women according to society is to look after her home and tack care if her husband and childrens. And everything out of this placed secondly. If she want to earn money, she want to do something out of the box, it will be challenging for her because even after she is earning or dedicating something in society, she should have to handle households along with. But according to society, gender role for men is different. For men they put earning first and later on family, relations and households.
So according to me, society should give equal position and opportunity to women and men. And also should have to remove such kind of discrimination.
(4) What are your views on Gender Identity? Will you like to give any message to society?
Generally we find that by society, only two types of genders are accepted, according to them a human should either be men or women. But the fact is, we have one more part which are known as a transgender. But the people who falls under this category, are nor easily accepted by society. And they facing many difficulties and harassment Just because they are not as society wants them. Why shouldn't we make place comfortable for them to live? This is always remain a question. And it's surprising that no one ever think seriously about this. And no one care. Now when law give them permission to live freely, society creates hurdles for them. Even the parents who has a transgender child, are try to hide reality from everyone and not accepting them.
But we have to understand that, if they are not women and men, and different than others. It doesn't mean, they are not okay, they are also normal. And we should have to accept them as they are. At last they are also a human, not alien. We find that many writers, filmmakers, T. V. Serial directors, Start working on this problems. And because of their efforts, new awareness emerged, people started accepting them, understanding them. It is quite surprising that we are worshiping our ancient gods like, "ARDHNARESHWAR" but when it comes into the human. It concider as a seen, why? Comment your Views on this topic, in Comment section.
(5) Write a note on the direction of the movie. Which symbols and space caught your attention while watching the moive?
Personally, when i watched that movie, i found many symbols and settings which is symbolising something. First when vita propose to Virginia and Virginia disapprove her and told her to get out from her home. We find that when Vita left out the house, climber grow so faster. Which is symbolising feelings of Virginia, towards Vita, which are growing so faster. Also in movie, there is one scene, when depression of Virginia overpowered her and she is crying and come out of house, at that time we see a bunch of black birds attacking on her, which symbolize her instability and ill mental condition of her mind.
Also along with this, bunch of birds symbolising troubles, given by society, to Virginia or other female writers of that time. As birds attacking Virginia, similarly society attacking female writers that female can not dare to write anything. It is something out of the box for society. And so they can not accept females who are giving contribution in literature.
In the movie, when very first time, Virginia feel that, she also has feeling for Vita and vita coming closer to her heart. She agreed to meet vita and they meet in a garden or a place like garden. In the garden we found that so many flowers are blossoming. Which symbolising blossom of love in both vita and Virginia's heart for each other. After this meeting, when vita go back to her home and enter in room, she saw lot many vines, trees, plants are growing in the room. Which again symbolize her mental unstability.
There is one another scene, in which Virginia standing on river bank and starring the water of that river. Which reflects her desire of death and thought of suicide. So this are the symbolis i found in the movie. In my blog i put a video of that movie, so do watch the movie and let comment what symbols you find from it.
(6) "Vita and Virginia" had to be made into Bollywood Adaptation, who do you think would be fit for the role of Vita and Virginia?
If Vita and Virginia, had to be made into Bollywood, i would like to select Deepika Padukone for the role of Virginia Woolf, and Kangana Ranaut for the role of Vita Sackville.
Conclusion :-
Here above, i discussed some of the questions regarded to movie, 'Vita and Virginia' and along with this, a novel 'Orlando : A Biography. Share your views on this various questions and on movie and novel. Thank you!
Words :- 2043
Images :- 3
Videos :- 1
References :-
1) Wikipedia.com
2) Britannica.com
