Top 30 Modern Classics - XXI

To The Lighthouse

Virginia Woolf

To the Lighthouse, authored by Virginia Woolf, was published in 1927. It is set in Scotland.

The book is in three sections.

The novel begins with an disagreement between Mrs and Mr Ramsay and their son James, on a visit to the Lighthouse on the isle of Skye in Scotland.

The Ramsays and their eight children have been joined at the house by a number of friends and colleagues. One of them, Lily Briscoe, a young woman, is plagued with self doubt on her abilities as a painter. Her self doubts are further fueled by another guest, Charles Tansley, another guest, who asserts that women can neither paint nor write.

Ten years pass, during which the First World War is fought. Mrs Ramsay and two of her children die. Mr Ramsay is left adrift without his wife to praise and comfort him during his periods of self doubt on the value of his philosophical work.bouts of fear and anguish regarding the longevity of his philosophical work. 

Some of the remaining Ramsays and other guests, including Lily, return to their summer home after 10 years. Mr Ramsay, his son, James, his daughter Camilla finally take the trip to the Lighthouse.  During this trip the children see the benevolent side of their father and start admiring him

Lily, meanwhile, completes the painting she has held in her mind since the start of the novel. She draws on her memory of Mrs Ramsay for completing the painting. Upon finishing the painting and seeing that it satisfies her, she realises that the execution of her vision is more important to her than the idea of leaving some sort of legacy in her work.

One of the best novels published in the 20th century.





Namaste


Prabir