Dracula (1897)

I finished reading Bram Stoker's Dracula a little while back and I'm finally coming round to writing up a few of my thoughts. I thought I ought to add the date (year) of publication or the edition in my titles so that the period I'm reading from is clearer at a glance. 

I read the Kindle edition once again, which was the 1897 edition of the novel. It is a a self-named mystery novel and I began reading it during my Bachelor's degree in Liverpool but then had to abandon it due to other reading and academic commitments. I'm generally not one to opt for fantasy novels or even horror, thriller and all that is supernatural. I generally prefer novels that are about real people, and are somewhat historical or at least "realistic". However, I decided I ought to read this classic to at least see where this vampire craze and love for horror began. 

The novel is written as a compilation of journal and diary entries, with some occasional letters and telegrams. Stoker captures various voices well, by even incorporating some local dialects of the working classes. I found the characterisation generally quite well-rounded and balanced in terms of developing the more important characters more fully. The general descriptive technique was also fluid and natural, without being tedious and superficial. 

Something I feared about reading this novel was that it wasn't going to be as captivating because many of the constructs of vampires and their lifestyle and weaknesses have been so popularised. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that right from the start the novel had me pretty hooked as there was a sense of suspense and urgency throughout that kept me wanting to read on. 

This novel incorporates many core themes and concerns of its period, which we still experience in our own time. Those themes include the role of science in our life where there is strong references consistently being made to scientific observation and empirical evidence. The need and attempt to rationalise all matters and yet identifying human error as a pitfall we are given passages where Jonathan Harker, for example, identifies the importance of noting down all of his experiences as soon as possible in order to avoid memory distortion and confusion. This reliance on human reason and scientific observation is repeated in several areas throughout the novel, such as Dr Seward's regular observation of his patient Renfield. Due to our own period being even more steeped in the scientific approach to the world, we can still identify with the protagonists' dilemmas. 

Another facet of the period's concern was that of science being insufficient and the existence of supernatural forces. Stoker clearly introduces supernatural phenomena into the novel through the means of Dracula himself but what is interesting is the attempt to decipher the supernatural with scientific means. However religious ideas are always in the background, since it is a part of the history of Europe. The fact that it is a medical doctor, a man of science and impartiality, that discovers the vampire signs in his patient goes to show the extent to which responsibility and hope and truth is attributed to science. Van Helsing, the doctor in question, is also a devout man and it is in fact his religious insight that works as a form of protection. I found that religious superstition was given some space and some sort of validity when confronted with things that took on a supernatural form. However I also found that for at least the first half of the novel, Christianity had been somewhat simplified to chapels, graveyards and crucifixes. Only towards the end was there a language that sought salvation and appealed to God. As the danger increases in the novel the references to God also increase. Another issue I found was that religion and superstition were considered synonymous and this lack of distinction meant that it was still easy for the protagonists to regards various aspects as "silly", such as the evil eye. And yet, in this period of religious doubt, there is still a recognition that religious seems to serve some purpose albeit in rather extreme and complex conditions. 

This combination of the supernatural and science triggers a discussion on elements that are not wholly supernatural but are nonetheless difficult to scientifically observe and explain. By this I am making reference to the themes of human psychology, an emerging science of the period, and the practise of hypnotism or even the phenomenon of sleepwalking being associated to nocturnal living. We are forced to wonder as to what the nature of sanity and insanity are and what is the nature of the dividing line between the two, as well as between waking and sleeping states or even life and death. Also the period's fascination with the notion of spirits is an especially obvious reference in the novel, as well as life after death and what the nature of death is. Considering the loss of faith in the West at this time, there was an intense desire to seek an explanation on a range of matters relating to the above matters. And this led to the birth of many spiritist and occult schools*. In this sense it is truly a novel of the modern era where there is an active discussion on what is credible and ought to believed and what is the nature of faith and its role for humans. 

In terms of gender roles, the novel presents us with a rather simplified dichotomy of male heroes and female damsels in distress. We have a wise old man that guides the way and any contributions made by Mina to resolve the mystery is attributed to masculinity as if she were acting out of the norm. Her saving grace is that she does not lose her feminine touches of care, affection and fragility as well as an accepting, self-sacrificing nature. The male characters are also rather 'typical' in that they are wealthy, gentlemanly, diplomatic, brave and protective over their womenfolk. I thought it rather a shame that any intelligence and sense of initiative in a female character was considered such a rarity but otherwise Stoker constructs a story that gives a solid motivation to the heroic men to act in the chivalrous manner expected of them. However, I found it rather interesting how there was quite some bribery involved in resolving the case but it was only ever called out as bribery or baksheesh when the characters were off the shores of Britain. When in Britain, the act of bribery was still present yet not considered negative. This made me think of the hypocrisy and double-standards of the 'civilised' nation in relation to other nations, especially the colonial states. 

Overall, I found Dracula to be a highly captivating novel with plenty of suspense as well as an elegant literary style. It is a novel rich in themes of the period, which extend to the present day and thus are still relevant and engaging to contemporary readers. The fact that many of the issues explored in the novel haven't been resolved in the modern outlook means that Stoker provided an excellent foundation for the various scruples and theories people have on to offer to be explored in a literary genre that goes a little beyond the ordinary. 


* I would recommend reading René Guénon's The Spiritist Fallacy for more information concerning the emergence and nature of these schools. 

Zlata's Diary (1995)

I finished reading Zlata's Diary this evening. I read another Kindle edition published in 1995 by Penguin amongst their Puffin Books collection with an introduction by Krishnan Guru-Murthy and translated by Christina Pribichevich.

I must say that I was told to read this book as well as Anne Frank's Diary by a teacher when I was still in primary school, though I never did. From the little that my teacher told us I became quite fascinated by the idea of writing a diary at a young age and even becoming "famous" for it. I remember being inspired by their approach of naming their diaries and so when I was a little girl I not only started writing my own personal diary, with which I had no intention of becoming famous, but I also decided to name it like they did. That diary didn't last but I thought it about time to pick up (or download) Zlata's Diary to at least get an idea, however minute, of the Bosnian war. It's a war that we don't speak enough about and yet it was far more recent than the Second World War and still in a neighbouring European country.

I began reading the book just yesterday evening and finished it this evening. It's a fairly quick read because the entries are short and written in fairly simple language. We are quickly made aware that Zlata is an intelligent young girl from a well-off family. Her family is small, as she has no siblings, and appears to be quite secularised. There is hardly any mention of religion apart from major holidays such as Christmas and Bairam (also known as Eid). There are many references to popular culture, which mark the recency of the events but also her general lifestyle and interests.

The diary entries are largely descriptive, as they note key events and happenings in Zlata's life as well as comments on her feelings towards these events. Naturally she makes consistent comparisons between life before the war and during it. Changes such as animals being abandoned and trees in the parks being cut down for firewood are only some small examples of the extent of the desperation in the city.

While the girl is unaware of the political intricacies and reasonings she eventually learns to be quite cynical in regards to political peace agreements and gestures. She learns that reasons for the war lie in the differences between the Serbs, Croats and Muslims, a difference she had never experienced amongst her own community and her mixed group of friends.

What I found significant was that she not only compares the war outside her home to the scenes of films about the Second World War but she was also likened to Anne Frank, which worried her as she did not want to share the same fate. Despite these striking similarities and the act of genocide that took place in Bosnia, we, for some reason, do not remind ourselves of or teach others about the atrocities in this War in the same way as we recall the Holocaust.

The two core things that appear to have helped Zlata, her family and neighbours were humanitarian aid that provided food and water and other supplies as well as the media attention that she was able to receive due to her diary on the war. She was able to develop relationships, spread awareness about the war and eventually find a way to escape the torments of the war zone.

The difficulties of war on civilians is unfortunately something we still know of today and Zlata describes the desire to escape while also recognising that refugee life is not always an easy option either. Even in the not-so-distant past we see that refugees were being rejected and sent back. How history repeats itself! While I found the story touching and valuable, I feel that clearly there is still a warmongering attitude in the world that allows such atrocities to repeat themselves at the expense of millions of innocent lives and the destruction of the environment. And with this in mind, I wonder if the book teaches us anything at all or if this has become a genre of literature designed partly for entertainment and partly to appeal to our desensitised selves to the sufferings of people who could be us.

A Passage to India (1924)

After having completed my exams and assignments for this semester I've been able to turn to some personal reading. I have the intention to explore post-colonial and perhaps even late-colonial writings in the following semester because it's an area that is personally relevant to me and interesting in terms of contributing to my own background experiences as well as historically pertinent. It's also an area that I didn't really get the opportunity to explore in much depth during my BA in Liverpool.

I came across the novel A Passage to India by Edward Morgan Forster on my Kindle and downloaded it out of curiosity. The novel was published in 1924 and is based on Forster's experiences in India. The "About" section of the book notes that the title was borrowed from Walt Whitman's 1870 poem "Leaves of Grass". As per usual I'll avoid any blatant spoilers in case someone does want to go ahead and read the novel for him or herself.

This has to be the first book I've read by an Englishman that criticises the British experience in India and the behaviour of the British during the period of colonisation itself. No doubt this novel comes very near the end of colonisation and just some years before Independence is acquired by India, and Pakistan is formed. I was somewhat skeptical about the novel prior to reading it because I doubted the ability of an Englishman to genuinely capture India, and especially Indians, from his limited standpoint of "whiteness", wealth and authority.

Forster makes a clear attempt to get a variety of characters in his short novel to illustrate that not everyone is the same. However he definitely underlines some general trends, such as the fact that the majority of the Britons were condescending towards "Natives", the Indians. I, personally, was not too impressed with Aziz, a Muslim protagonist, being depicted as someone who, despite his certainty concerning the Unity of God, was doubtful of many parts of his faith, like many Christians of the time. I feel that this is a projection of the modern mindset onto an Oriental to try to bring him closer to the Western man but in an unflattering way and in a way that could have been avoided. Perhaps the fault lies in that the Western author could not conceive the Islamic worldview and thus had to create a protagonist with whom he could somewhat identify with. Nevertheless, Aziz is a fairly likeable character otherwise and the descriptions of hospitality are particularly endearing. Forster nicely illustrates the importance of hospitality in the Oriental mindset and it appears to favour the Indian over the Westerner.

The plot twist and the key event that triggers tension and suspense in the novel comes at about half-way through. It is at this point that you finally feel something interesting is taking place and the story has finally begun, now that an exciting element has been introduced. This episode added momentum to my reading at least but how it was concluded wasn't wholly satisfactory. In some ways it ended rather abruptly and I felt that it was resolved in a rather "cop out" fashion, since elaborating the matter would have been a complex literary task which would be hard to render justice to the case. It also underlines the only realistic solution that would have been possible in a situation of intense bias and prejudice.

A criticism of Forster's description of India is that while he does make a point to highlight the discrimination towards Indians and their inferior status imposed by the Britons, there is next to no mention of violence. The only violence mentioned is that between Hindus and Muslims who manage to scuffle over some minor point of conflict and where the Britons manage to calm the situations. Now one reason for this may be due to the fact that this novel comes at a time where most violence had probably already been inflicted and what remained was the residues of that fear and authority in the mind of the Oriental; he no longer needed violence to subdue him. However, the alternative is that  this was simply ignored and not addressed in the novel either for stylistic purposes or not to incriminate Britons more than what would have been socially acceptable to reveal in his context. History clearly shows us that this period and later became significant in terms of rebellion against the English and Indians may have participated in violent protest of the colonisation but that is not to ignore that this came as a reaction to the violence to which they had been subjected for many years.

Forster captures the willingness on the part of Britons and Indians alike to humanise the other but also the reasons it isn't easy or fully possible because of the centuries of betrayal and manipulation between the cultures. He somewhat criticises the White superiority but never really presents a solution to ending the conflict. What I give the author most credit for is his acceptance of the fact that he understands that he doesn't understand Orientals (Indians) but he does not quite penalise them in the same way some do. Rather, he recognises the oddities in both cultures and attempts in his own way to give them each some due respect.

Before concluding I ought to dedicate a few lines to "the Woman Question". Forster presents us with a few female characters that vary from the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak. We have brave, honest women who are caring and considerate and we have women who are consistently condescending and are ultimately simple snobs. He makes reference to the feminists of Britain and how Britain was experiencing a changed attitude towards women that had not yet come to India. What I particularly liked was his daring remark in the voice of an Indian protagonist that Indian women aren't as oppressed as they are made out to be by the Westerners. This made me chuckle as well as appreciate Forster's attempts to look beyond what certain people insist to be the only, generalised truth of India.

Overall, I felt that this novel was not necessarily a literary masterpiece but it brings up important historical and political issues. Forster admits to his limitations because his race bars him from some physical spaces and experiences in India as well as the limitations in outlook and understanding. It highlights the need to keep dialogue open and for people of privilege to use and sacrifice some comforts for truth and justice. It is a novel I'm glad I read, and may read again. The psychological impact of being colonised is a consistent theme and it is something Indians (and other colonised nations) are still suffering from to this day.

Arranged Marriage

It's been a while, I know. I've been a little busy. I've jumped on here to get some thoughts down (and out) about some issues that have been in my mind for a little while. 

I've recently felt an increased sense of frustration at the way in which the West looks down upon Eastern cultures and traditions, and yet still exoticises it in a way to make it seem that they're being respectful or curious. It's rather superficial. My current problem lies in the depiction of marriage and gender relations between the cultures. This is not my only concern but it will be the topic of this post. 

I want to begin here by clarifying some terms so that we're all on the same page. "Western" does NOT mean white. It refers to a mentality and outlook which is pro-modernity and considers the situation of the world a process of progression and development and thus considers modernity to be the current peak, until it gets better and even more modern. This is in contrast to "Eastern" which is a mentality and outlook related to staying true to tradition and realigning oneself to one's original, pure state and thus a "devolution" to a higher state. For a more detailed explanation on these terms, please refer to Réné Guénon's "The Crisis of the Modern World" or "La Crise du Monde Modèrne", in whichever language suits you. 

Another clarification I would like to make is that between a love marriage, an arranged marriage and a forced marriage. In principle we have a love marriage which is where two people meet, fall in love and decide to get married. An arranged marriage is where two people are introduced by someone in their circles (parents, friends, family, community members) and upon getting to know the person each of them willingly accepts to marry the other. What is crucial here is that the man and woman both have the right and the ability to reject a proposal. Their choice is a vital part of the procedure. A forced marriage is where two people are introduced (or not) and are expected to marry due to external factors (social, familial, financial etc.). They have little to no choice in the matter. 

We, as humans, like to categorise things all the time and I will demonstrate how the boundaries of these marriages can sometimes be blurred. An arranged marriage, having the condition that the two people involved are willing to marry, can develop into a perfectly loving marriage and healthy relationship. The couple have the right to make inquiries and make their decision about the match and thus, if they are satisfied and work honestly to a caring relationship, there's no reason why there can't be love in this marriage. A love marriage also can take a turn if the couple, for some reason realise after the marriage that they're a poor match, it can sometimes turn into a situation where they force themselves to stay together and foster a toxic marriage. A forced marriage, being forced, can be doubted even for its validity but if we pretend that this is a valid marriage, there may be occasions where the people forced into the marriage come to a certain understanding to make the relationship work and perhaps this may lead to respect and love in this couple. Of course the reverse is always true, arranged marriages can go horribly wrong and a forced marriage are often traumatic. 

My trouble is the tone in which Westerners speak about arranged marriage. It is associated to a backward and outdated tradition. The West may no longer implement this method in its traditional form but that doesn't mean it has lost its value and place. Westerners see it as a method that no longer applies and is no longer beneficial, which is far from the truth. It goes as far as some Westerners labelling examples of forced marriages as arranged marriages. They seem to feel that arranged marriages are oppressive and thus must be forced in some way. What pains me even more is that there are people in the East who seek to please the West and show them how much they've "progressed" and so go out of their way to illustrate the weaknesses in arranged marriages (because of course like any of the above marriages, an arranged marriage can also be difficult for some) and that they are moving into more modern territory by adopting a Western approach to relationships. Ultimately this is a matter of "hanging out your dirty laundry" and exposing yourself to mockery. I find it painful to watch and, from where I am, to listen to the Western comments around me speak condescendingly about these cultures and traditions which deserve so much more respect. This is from a real experience of a trailer viewing of 'Monsoon Wedding' in a university lecture in Germany. I feel that in many ways this is because some Westernised people in the East are failing to value themselves and suffer from an inferiority complex. To prove that they're "with the times" they are willing to mock the sanctity of marriage. 

Now, arranged marriages are based on a community of trust and insight. There is a general understanding that some people in society are good references of wisdom and insight. It would be a good idea to consult these people about matters concerning big life decisions like marriage because they can guide you and help you. Often these people are considered to be among the elders in the community. However what must be made clear is that I don't believe all elders have the same level of insight and wisdom and thus there are people who are better to go to for advice and those whose advice you should be careful with. There are those who are more likely to make accurate judgements and those who will do so less well. So someone seeking advice needs to seek quality and not quantity (an age), although do not negate people's life experience entirely either; there may well be a kernel of wisdom hidden in there too. This is part of a tradition of trust; trust that the West seems to have lost. Again, the fact that the couple have the right to reject the proposal means that they have to make an informed decision for themselves and take responsibility for it. They cannot blame the parents or whomever else because the final call is theirs. 

I'm not being idealistic about the conditions in the East because I know there are conflicts present that require urgent attention. When talking about the East I am referring predominantly to the South Asian (Indian/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi) community because I have a better understanding of these cultures and cannot speak on behalf of other cultures, although there may be overlap. There are problems in the East concerning domestic violence, forced marriages, refusing to give women the right to an informed choice, refusing to respect women's rights to act in a way that is authentic to their own sense of self and expecting women to be submissive etc. These problems also include the notions that men believe they have been chosen to implement order and dominate over women, control them and push them to what the men think the women should do, not let women think for themselves and objectify them so that they are only seen for their functional purposes of cooking, cleaning, sex and children. 

While these problems are in the East, they are not inherently Eastern. In fact they are truly against an Eastern mindset of nobility and purity. These issues gain momentum because people have lost sight of the origins and the meaning in their traditions, rituals and ultimately have forgotten the underlying values. The objectification of women and submissiveness (sometimes practical ignorance) of women is not considered noble in any of the three main faiths of the Indian subcontinent (Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism). In fact if they enter the faiths at all, they appear due to a twisted interpretation and disconnectedness otherwise people simply use the name of the faith as an excuse to justify their behaviour. The Hindu goddesses are not considered virtuous because of their functional natures but because of their character, dedication, love, compassion and bravery. The women in Sikh history are hailed as warriors and embody strength and bravery. The women in the Islamic tradition are brave, strong, intelligent and well-informed, curious, educated and pious. Regardless of the women you have in mind from whichever culture, there are so many characteristics that make them great which go far beyond superficial functional, objectified criteria. People (and I don't want this to be about men versus women because women often incite such behaviour towards other women too) allow this injustice to take place because they devalue women and dehumanise them so that they can use them for their own personal benefit or sense of superiority. 

Men, who often assume a role of superiority, do so without necessarily realising the responsibilities on their shoulders. There's nothing wrong with a man being a leader, of a country or a household, providing he's equipped for it and is qualified for the role. Often we do not feel the need to vet the men as we do women, to see if they are up to the job. Men aren't patriarchs because of muscular ability or their size or other superficial criteria. In history and in our traditions we praise men who are brave, noble, wise and fair. They are on the side of justice and truth and defend this with all their might. In history there have also been a good few evil men, the likes of Pharaoh or Ravan (if you want to consider him a symbol of negative man) or other such enemies of Truth, peace and wisdom. Hence, using force or manipulating strategy doesn't make you a stronger person in your dealings with people if you're on the wrong side of the battlefield. We need to remind ourselves to raise, nurture and expect a certain quality of man before he is given the respect and responsibilities given to those who are noble otherwise we are destroying ourselves due to our own poor standards and complacency in regards to quality in character. 

To conclude I want to underline that marriage is something that is considered sacred in many faiths and cultures because, ultimately, it is. It is sacred because of its symbolic signification of harmony of two complementary elements and it is thus a place of mutual growth and increase in goodness, where there ought to be a constant effort to maintain a spiritual balance, similar to that of the harmony one seeks in oneself. It is a form of companionship that is designed to elevate you and grant you dignity. That's not to say everyone must marry, but that we should respect the institution of marriage and not believe we are "advanced" and so must adopt promiscuous behaviour, while glorifying it. 

The Crisis of The Modern World (1927/ 2007)

This text is a non-fiction piece of work that explores the root causes of the problems in the modern world and some of the consequences of this development. The original was written in French by René Guénon and has been beautifully rendered into English by Arthur Osborne. I read an edition published by Indica Books in 2007, while the original French was published in 1927. I just wanted to post a few thoughts on the great work, without being too lengthy or repeating the actual contents of the book.

This book is short, at a mere 142 pages, but it is undeniably rich and informative. I must praise the translator in having been able to eloquently transpose rather complex thoughts and explanations into an English that was clear, easy to read, concise and enjoyable; it was a fluid experience and the writing style engaged me just as much as the content.

I must say that this book has come as a breath of fresh air. It is valuable and relevant to us in so many ways because, despite its original publication date, it discusses issues that are very much at the heart of what we are facing in our present day society. The chaos and disequilibrium that we are experiencing in our epoch have been brewing for some time, some centuries even, and so this piece of work comes to clarify what the problem is and remove a good few illusions we have come to accept or follow. Guénon challenges many of the false ideas we are fed under the guise of progression and development and explains exactly why they are harmful to us and why they are being exploited in the first place.

Guénon, while discussing the problems the West is facing, uses the East as a frame of reference and thus we not only see natural deviations from the West's own tradition but also from the tradition of the rest of the world. What I really value in this book is its frankness and its attachment to the truth. Guénon deconstructs many core pillars of this modern, material society such as philosophy, the contemporary approach to the natural sciences, politics and why it is designed to fail, the inadequacy of democracy and even the rise of materialism, indulgence in sport and the engagement with the East, making reference to colonisation.

Having already done a bit of background reading, many of the foundations to understand some of the core concepts had already been lain. Without this, it may well have been a bit more difficult to comprehend what Guénon was referring to when making certain references. Nonetheless, the ideas shared in this piece are well explained and given with plenty of examples where necessary, which facilitates the whole reading process.

I found this to be an enriching and enjoyable book which definitely ought to be read by those concerned by the chaos of our times and hope to understand it to hopefully thus remedy it to a degree. It is an important book to get a glimpse into the importance of spirituality and metaphysics on a global scale.

The Secret of Shakespeare (1996)

I finished reading Martin Lings' The Secret of Shakespeare: His Greatest Plays Seen in the Light of Sacred Art this afternoon. I thought I'd better blog about it as soon as I can otherwise a month will pass by and I'll still not have gotten round to it. It has been a refreshing read, as Lings often is. I'll list the plays discussed in the text and then give you a brief idea what the book covers, without any spoilers (hopefully). I read the third edition of the book, which has been revised and enlarged, with a foreword by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales published by Quinta Essentia in 1996.

After the foreword and the preface, the book begins with an explanation of sacred art and then moves onto Shakespeare's outlook. From this point onwards Lings focuses on a series of plays individually which are generally in chronological order. The plays are as follows: Henry IV, Hamlet, Othello, Measure for Measure, Macbeth, King Lear, Anthony and Cleopatra, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest. The final two chapters are 'Notes on Performance and Production' and 'The Secret'. He focuses on the plays of Shakespeare's maturity, and thus the later plays in his writing career, making brief references to earlier works.

Firstly I'd like to comment on Lings' style. His writing is so concise and precise yet so eloquent that it is always a pleasure to read, and sometimes requires rereading so that you can capture the depth of what he has just described. I felt this especially when reading his book Symbol and Archetype and this eloquence has come through here too. I often find myself rereading sentences not always for meaning but because they have been so beautifully constructed. This enhances the reading experience hundredfold and I find I am sat before a wise man who is trying to open our hearts up to fulfil our potential. There is something refreshing and revitalising in his words that not many academic works can offer.

Lings discusses the role and value of spirituality in art and how this is part of what makes it timeless. This is why we keep coming back to certain great works of art, like Shakespeare. He beautifully explains the levels of interpretation and meaning to make sense of the works on various planes. Some of the symbolism Lings clarifies for modern readers is that of marriage, suicide and revenge. He describes how Shakespeare artfully represents suicide and revenge, utterly unchristian acts, in a way that the audience recognise the nobility of the acts in his plays and even sanction them. In bringing the sacred interpretation into light Lings consistently explains the journey of the soul through purgatory and towards heaven. He also distinguishes between alchemy and mysticism, of which there are elements in the plays.

Plays are written to be performed and not only read, and thus Lings considers the implications of producing these plays to a modern audience and to what extent directors ought to deviate from Shakespeare's own productions and why. The risk of an incomplete interpretation of the play could result in a poor production and thus take away from some of the depth intended. He also recognises that the modern audience does not have the same worldview as the audience of Shakespeare's time, which not only affects their interpretation and understanding of the play, but poses a challenge for directors who then have new expectations and pressures on them. Lings' advice is sincere and aims to maintain authenticity so that one can enjoy the intended magic of the original plays without obscure and inaccurate adaptations to cater to superficial tastes.

I haven't elaborated on the finer details and content of the text because I would not be able to do the great author justice; he has crafted his book in a way that I would not want to meddle with because I would be guilty distortion at worst and clumsiness at best. Many of the plays discussed in the book I have previously read or studied through my academic career. However, the few that I hadn't read meant that it was more difficult to follow the analysis and interpretation because, quite simply, I didn't know the story. For this reason, I would suggest you read the plays before reading this interpretation, but read this book before jumping to wild conclusions in order to avoid misunderstanding a significant poetical device. I'm glad I've had Lings' insight into Shakespeare's plays because I had been unable to appreciate Shakespeare very much through a less convincing approach to his work, rendering it somewhat unimportant and now I can re-read the plays with a renewed interest. I would say it has allowed me to take a fresh look at Shakespeare's works.

Mrs Dalloway (1925/ 2000)

I've been meaning to post about Mrs Dalloway for a while but my internet connection wasn't co-operating and then life happened. I've finally sat down to catch up on some bits and bobs, and this is one of them.

The edition that I read this time was the Oxford World Classics Kindle edition, published in 2000 by the Oxford University Press. I would highly recommend this edition because of the essays that come before the novel are insightful and supplement the reading of the text. The explanatory notes are also useful though somewhat distracting sometimes, as they largely map out the locations in London. I have previously read Mrs Dalloway before, about three years ago, and so already had an idea of the general style and content. The essays were helpful in that they picked out relevant details and elaborated on their relevance individually (according to the perspective chosen by the essay writer), where in the novel themselves there are so many elements coming together at once that it can seem somewhat overwhelming. I'll list some of the main themes in the novel and elaborate on a few of them, then make a few remarks on the style before giving a few of my final thoughts.

The colonialism of India is a recurrent part of the novel and reflects a facet to British life and identity. It is somewhat an extension of Britain, as the colonisers based in India are considered 'Indians', almost replacing the native people's existence and reducing them to 'coolies' and workers. Racism is thus an underlying sub-theme where there is a notion of white superiority and the inferiority of other ethnicities. Mrs Bruton's idea of sending British citizens to Canada to spread the colony further and protect the white race and high blood underlines the sense of superiority amongst the white British population, especially in upper class circles. This presumed superiority of the white race, especially of a certain class and education with a particular emphasis on their physicality, introduces a theme of eugenics, which is also discussed in one of the preceding essays.

Typical of the British class system, there is a considerable social structure at play in the novel highlighting the dynamics between social classes and the nature of a hierarchical society. This is then developed further into the question of social appearances and social expectations. This is most clearly demonstrated through the characters of Mrs Kilman and Ellie Henderson although these are not the only significant instances of social class, as we also notice this within the medical profession and from the people in the parks and streets.

Septimus, Clarissa Dalloway's counterpart, is most obviously a patient with a case of, what we call today, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a form of mental illness. The insight into his view and experience of the world not only provides another reality but also brings into question how we define sanity and insanity. The treatment and taboos of mental illness are put in contrast to the doctors' behaviour and respected statuses despite questionable diagnoses. This brings the medical practice under scrutiny as the doctors appear more deluded than the patient himself, while he is no doubt suffering. Clarissa Dalloway is also a patient of a weak disposition, indicating some sort of mental anxiety. Although it is not quite clear what she suffers from, she is concerned with how she is perceived in society even if in her home she is treated like an invalid in some ways (i.e. isolated bed in the attic).

Unrequited love is a theme that we're constantly reminded of through the character of Peter Walsh. His life appears to be defined by it yet he actively lives in a fashion that wants to escape it; however it is imprinted into his heart and memory so that he never really is free from his first love. Peter Walsh isn't the only one to love in the novel, as Richard Dalloway feels he loves Clarissa, his wife, too despite not being able to say it in so many words. Woolf expands the theme of romantic love to same-sex love and passion to include the relationship between Sally Seton and Clarissa Dalloway. Woolf appears to be exploring the nature of love and desire in relation to social constraints and limitations, as Clarissa also chooses to marry Richard for social stability and status over a less 'reasoned' match.

Politics is a running theme throughout the novel, as Richard is a member of the Conservative party. Woolf puts the Conservative ideals and politics in opposition to more liberal values through characters like Peter Walsh and Sally Seton. She questions the Conservative values through these characters who challenge them in their own ways, but also subscribe to them in many ways themselves, such as Sally settling down with a fairly wealthy man and having five of his children. There seems to be a search for political alternatives and yet a satisfaction with the calm after the first world war.

The country in opposition to city life make us think about authenticity and superficiality, as the natural environment largely seems to bring out more sincere dimensions of the protagonists' character, such as in Sally and Richard who seem to be their authentic selves in Burton. The city appears to force the protagonists to assume an artificiality in order to survive and meet social expectations.

Woolf explores the notion of what it means to be alive or living, for often Clarissa seems to be living a somewhat void life, filled with occasional superficial, orchestrated parties. This existential question is not only linked to the consciousness but also to the soul, and thus the sound of religion is in the background and even comes to the foreground through the character of Ms Kilman, who is hardly described favourably in terms of her character and her attachment to the church. The novel also brings up notions of atheism, as it is a period of questioning and criticism of faith and values and not believing is increasingly common.

The importance of science is often referred to in an ironic tone. This is interesting because as doubts increased in Britain in relation to faith, there was a rise in confidence directed towards science and technology. Science almost became the new religion, the new way of understanding the world.

The discussion concerning education and careers for women in society indicates a turning point in history. The role of women is explored by comparing Sally and Clarissa's aspirations, as well as those of Ms Kilman, to the more promising future of Elizabeth, Clarissa's daughter. While the former three had many dreams, they were not necessarily socially acceptable and were more likely to be practically unfeasible. Ms Kilman insists that this is no longer the case for Elizabeth and she can afford to spread out her wings and explore and dream further, and even realise her dreams. There is quite clearly a strong sense of disappointment in the novel, where the reader hopes for a different type of life for Sally Seton to that which she eventually has. While we accept the matter as fair, it feels as if there has been a lot of potential stifled under the female role of wife and mother.

In terms of style and form, Woolf doesn't divide this novel into chapters, rather it is one long piece, a piece that develops its own fluidity and is thoroughly intertwined. The reader will switch from the thoughts of one character to another quite rapidly and Woolf does this in an almost seamless fashion where we can simply "hear" what people are thinking. She uses both free indirect speech and stream of consciousness, which contribute to her style of capturing the mind as well as forming the fluidity of time. Woolf attempts to capture an authentic experience of the human mind by conveying repeated thoughts as well as the memories these may evoke or otherwise unrelated (if that is possible) thoughts of the past combined with various criticisms and judgements of other people and the self. This impressively conveys the subjectivity of judgement and understanding because oftentimes there are scenes in which we will read the thoughts of more than one character, with differing experiences and perspectives.

To bring this rather long post to a close, I would just like to add that Virginia Woolf's experimental style is initially quite strange for readers seeking a certain plot and series of events. However, once we understand that Woolf isn't exploring events but rather experiences of consciousness, we can appreciate her style much more and thus delve into the minds of her characters and of ourselves. The themes are of course relevant in as much as they constitute the material for our human experiences and build our identities but how we engage with these external factors is fascinating in itself.