Between the Acts

Synopsis

Between the Acts is Virginia Woolf's last novel, and in her own opinion it was `more quintessential' than any of her others. Set in the summer of 1939 on the day of the annual village pageant at Pointz Hall, the book weaves together the musings of several disparate characters and their reactions to the imminence of a war which is to change the pattern of history. Before the book was published in the spring of 1941, Virginia Woolf had taken her own life. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Summary

Chapter 1

The chapter opens with a detailed description of the village of Bridge End on the first day of its summer festival. Villagers prepare for the pageant, a play that will retell the history of England through tableaux vivants. Miss La Trobe, an eccentric artist and organizer of the pageant, oversees the preparations.

* Example: "The church bell struck half-past ten. From the Village Hall came a loud banging of hammers as the stage was being erected within."

Chapter 2

The villagers gather for the pageant and take their places in the audience. The pageant begins with a prologue narrated by Bartholomew, a village boy. The first tableau depicts the Romans arriving in Britain. The play continues through various historical eras, including the Norman invasion, the Tudor period, and the Victorian era.

* Example: "The curtain rose, a glimpse of a Roman road winding through a primeval forest, and a legionary on horseback galloped across. The Romans!"

Chapter 3

The pageant reaches its climax with a scene depicting the present day. The villagers participate as themselves, representing the continuity and evolution of the community. Bartholomew closes the play with an epilogue that reflects on the meaning of history and the present moment.

* Example: "Boys, girls, and grown-up people appeared, smiling, but with a sort of desperate seriousness, too, as if there were something to do before they could rest."

Chapter 4

After the pageant, the villagers celebrate with a feast and dancing. Miss La Trobe disappears into the night, leaving behind her painting materials. The chapter ends with a description of the deserted village and the abandoned props from the pageant, suggesting the ephemeral nature of both art and community.

* Example: "The stage was there still, the scaffolding piled high with gear; but the people had gone, who had made all this seem so important."

Chapter 5

The next morning, the villagers wake up to find that Miss La Trobe has died in the night. They mourn her loss and reflect on her role in their community. The chapter concludes with the villagers cleaning up the remnants of the festival and returning to their daily lives.

* Example: "When they came to the Village Hall, they found the doors open, and the stage still standing. They went in and cleared it all away—the scaffoldings, the streamers, the platforms."