To the Lighthouse

Synopsis

'I am making up "To the Lighthouse" - the sea is to be heard all through it' Inspired by the lost bliss of her childhood summers in Cornwall, Virginia Woolf produced one of the masterworks of English literature in To the Lighthouse. It concerns the Ramsay family and their summer guests on the Isle of Skye before and after the First World War. As children play and adults paint, talk, muse and explore, relationships shift and mutate. A captivating fusion of elegy, autobiography, socio-political critique and visionary thrust, it is the most accomplished of all Woolf's novels. On completing it, she thought she had exorcised the ghosts of her imposing parents, but she had also brought form to a book every bit as vivid and intense as the work of Lily Briscoe, the indomitable artist at the centre of the novel. 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 Window

* Introduces the Ramsay family and their vacation to the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
* Mrs. Ramsay, a nurturing and enigmatic figure, is the central character.
* Her eldest daughter, Cam, longs to visit the lighthouse on the horizon but is told it's impossible due to bad weather.
* Reality and imagination intertwine as Mrs. Ramsay's artistic vision of life defies the limitations of time and place.

Example: When Mrs. Ramsay looks out the window at the lighthouse, she sees "a wavering, distant light, which seemed to beckon towards her like a moth whirling round a candle flame." This image symbolizes her desire to find meaning and purpose in life, despite its unpredictability.

Chapter 2: Time Passes

* A decade passes after the first chapter, and significant changes have occurred.
* Mrs. Ramsay and her youngest son, Prue, have died, leaving a profound void in the family.
* The Ramsay children and Mr. Ramsay return to the house on Skye.

Example: "But now, in this twilight, the immense arch appeared to span so much that its keystone seemed to be the heart itself; and the heart was pierced." This passage evokes the emotional pain of losing a loved one, as represented by the void in the family metaphorically depicted as a broken heart.

Chapter 3: The Lighthouse

* Mr. Ramsay and his son, James, finally make the journey to the lighthouse.
* The voyage is a physical and emotional challenge for both of them.
* Mr. Ramsay confronts his grief and longing for his wife and son.

Example: As they approach the lighthouse, "the whole of Mr. Ramsay's life seemed to break upon him." This moment of revelation shows the lighthouse as a symbol of the desire for enlightenment and the inevitable confrontation with loss.

Chapter 4: Lily Briscoe

* Lily Briscoe, a young artist who has been a guest of the Ramsays, returns to the house.
* She struggles to complete her painting of Mrs. Ramsay, which has become an obsession for her.
* Through her artistic endeavors, Lily finds solace and a sense of purpose.

Example: "Lily wished to go on writing, painting, living, for she had only begun to live." This quote highlights Lily's determination to forge her own path, despite the challenges she faces as a woman and an artist.

Chapter 5: The Lighthouse

* The novel culminates in a short chapter that focuses on the lighthouse.
* The lighthouse keeper's daughter and son symbolize the continuity of life.
* The lighthouse itself becomes a beacon of hope and resilience amidst the darkness and loss that the characters have experienced.

Example: "The Lighthouse was there – white, frail; against the green it lifted its lantern like a silvery fish." This image represents the enduring power of the lighthouse as a symbol of hope and guidance in the face of life's inevitable challenges.