Virginia Woolf and Androgyny

Author(s): Marilyn R. Farwell

Source: Contemporary Literature, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Autumn, 1975), pp. 433-451
Published by: University of Wisconsin Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1207610
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VIRGINIA WOOLF AND ANDROGYNY

Marilyn
Marilyn R. Farwell
R. Farwell

When
When Coleridge
Coleridge
claimed, over
claimed,
a century ago,
overthat the
a century
great mind isago,
androgynous,
androgynous,he had little
heawareness
had little
that this
awareness
term and his endorse-
that thi
ment
ment would
would
be focal points
be focal
for a number
pointsof twentieth-century
for a number critics,
of tw
the
themost
most
important
important
of whom is Virginia
of whom
Woolf. * is
Woolf
Virginia
took this idea,
Woolf
and
andin her
in major
hercomment
majoroncomment
androgyny, A Room
on androgyny,
of One's Own, she A Ro
fashioned
fashioned it into it
a critical
into tool
a that
critical
has earned
tool
the interest
that of hasmany
earn
modern
modern scholars.
scholars.
But while theButpresent
while
climatethe
has focused
present attention
clima
on
onthis
this
idea and
idea particularly
and particularly
on Woolf's description
onofWoolf's
it, the sharpness
descrip
of
ofitsits
definition
definition
has not kepthas
pace. not
The history
kept of pace.
androgynyThe is one
history
of
eloquent
eloquent but at but
times conflicting
at times statements,
conflicting
and Woolf'sstatements,
place in that an
history
history is important
is important
because her work
because
is the basis
her
of many
work contempo-
is the ba
rary
rary definitions.
definitions.
Critics of Virginia
Critics Woolfofrecognize
Virginia
androgyny's
Woolf cen- reco
trality
tralityto herto theory
her andtheory
practice; and
and although
practice;
some, likeandWinifred
althou
Holtby,
Holtby, believebelieve
that it is "stated
thatasit
clearly
is "stated
and unambiguously
as clearly
as she an
could
couldstatestate
it,"1 theit,"1
myriadthe
definitions
myriadattest to
definitions
the difficulty of attest
settling to
on
ona coherent
a coherentstatementstatement
of the subject. of the subject.
Nancy
Nancy Topping
Topping
Bazin and Herbert
BazinMarder,
and who
Herbert
have provided
Marder
the
themost
most
thorough
thorough
analyses of Woolf's
analyses
concept,of
illustrate
Woolf's
the difficulty
concept,
of
ofmaking
makinga definitive
a definitive
statement; at the statement;
same time, they at outline
the thesam
parameters
parametersof the controversy.
of the controversy.
Bazin recognizes the crucial
Bazin distinction
recognize
which
whichhas plagued
has plagued
definitions since
definitions
Aristophanes when
sinceshe asserts
Aristophane
that
in
inWoolf's
Woolf's
concept concept
of androgynyof "theandrogyny
masculine and feminine
"theshould
mascul

**I wish
I wish
to thank
tothe
thank
Graduatethe
SchoolGraduate
of the University
School
of Oregon
of for
thea Uni
Summer
Summer FacultyFaculty
Award (1974)
Award
which gave
(1974)
me the free
which
time togave
complete
methisthe fr
article.

1 Virginia Woolf (1932; rpt., Folcroft, Pennsylvania: The Folcroft Press,

1932), p. 179.

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE XVI, 4

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be
be balanced
balancedbut
butnot
notfused."2
fused."2Although
Although Bazin
Bazin
doesdoes
not not
drawdraw
out the
out the
implications
implicationsofofthis
thisdistinction,
distinction,thethe
difference
difference
between
between
balance
balance
and and
fusion
fusion is,
is, I Ibelieve,
believe,the
thesource
source
ofof
thethe
problems
problems
surrounding
surrounding
the defi-
the defi-
nition
nition of
of androgyny.
androgyny.Marder,
Marder,while
whilerealizing
realizing
Woolf's
Woolf's
concern
concern
for for
balance,
balance, claims
claimsthat
thatininthe
the
end
end
there
there
is only
is only
oneone
testtest
of androgyny-
of androgyny-
objectivity-in
objectivity-inwhich
whichthe
themasculine
masculineandand
feminine
feminine
elements
elements
are fused.3
are fused.3
The
The controversy
controversyextends
extendstoto
the
the
rest
rest
of of
herher
critics.
critics.
On the
On the
one one
hand,
hand, recent
recentcritics
criticshave
havevariously
variously
described
described
androgyny
androgyny in Woolf's
in Woolf's
works
works asas aabalance
balancebetween
between the
the
poles
poles
of of
intuition
intuition
and and
reason,4
reason,4
subjec-
subjec-
tivity
tivity and
andobjectivity,'
objectivity,'anima
animaand
andanimus,6
animus,6heterosexuality
heterosexuality
and homo-
and homo-
sexuality,7
sexuality,7and andfinally
finallymanic
manic and
anddepressive.8
depressive.8
On On
the the
other
other
hand,
hand,
somesome
see
see androgyny
androgynyasasWoolf's
Woolf's term
termforfor
thethe
fusion
fusion
of different
of different
experiences
experiences
into
into aa mystical
mysticalmoment
momentinin
which
which
oneone
does
does
notnot
see see
"connections
"connections
between
between occurrences
occurrencesasascausal
causal
oror
chronological,
chronological,
but but
as indicative
as indicative
of of
the
the oneness
onenessof
ofmankind."9
mankind."9 Androgyny
Androgyny appears
appears
to be
to either
be either
an inter-
an inter-
play
play of
of separate
separateand
andunique
uniqueelements
elements or or
a fusion
a fusion
of one
of one
intointo
the other;
the other;
and
and while
whilemost
mostcritics
criticsimplicitly
implicitlychoose
chooseoneonesideside
or the
or the
other,
other,
theythey
do do
not
not see
see the
thedistinction
distinctionasascrucial,
crucial,
andand
as aasresult,
a result,
theythey
tendtend
to equivo-
to equivo-
cate.
cate. But
But the
thedistinction,
distinction,as as
wewe
will
will
see,see,
is crucial;
is crucial;
and and
the the
fact fact
that that
scholars
scholars have
havegenerally
generallyignored
ignored
itsits
implications
implications
indicates
indicates
the need
the need
for for
a thorough
thoroughanalysis
analysisofofWoolf's
Woolf's
definition
definition
of androgyny
of androgynyon this
on this
basis.basis.
To
To offer
offer that
thatanalysis,
analysis,I propose
I propose
a close
a close
study
study
of the
of the
termterm
in Ain
Room
A Room
of One's Own.

2 Virginia Woolf and the Androgynous Vision (New Brunswick, New

Jersey: Rutgers Univ. Press, 1973), p. 23.
3Feminism and Art: A Study of Virginia Woolf (Chicago: Univ. of
Chicago Press, 1968), pp. 105-52.
4 This polarity is the most familiar of Woolf's distinctions between male and
female principles. References to these qualities include Bazin, p. 3 and James
Hafley, The Glass Roof: Virginia Woolf as Novelist (New York: Russell and
Russell, 1963), pp. 10lff.
5 See Marder, pp. 122-24 and Ralph Freedman, "Awareness and Fact: The
Lyrical Vision of Virginia Woolf," in The Lyrical Novel (Princeton: Princeton
Univ. Press, 1963), p. 198.
6 Annis Pratt, "Sexual Imagery in To the Lighthouse: A New Feminist
Approach," Contemporary Literature, 18 (Autumn 1972), 431.
7Carolyn G. Heilbrun, Toward a Recognition of Androgyny (New York:
Alfred A. Knopf, 1973), pp. 116-72. This chapter on the Bloomsbury group
assumes that the homosexual tendencies of many of its members led to an
androgynous sensitivity.
8 Bazin, p. 35.
9 Mary Graham Lund, "The Androgynous Moment: Woolf and Eliot,"
Renascence, 12 (Winter 1960), 76.

434 | CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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 Although
Although Virginia
VirginiaWoolf,
Woolf,along
alongwith
withher
her
critics,
critics,
ignores
ignores
thethe
importance
importance of
ofthis
thisdistinction
distinctionfor
for
the
the
definition
definition
of of
androgyny
androgyny
and and
thusthus
creates
creates enough
enoughambivalence
ambivalenceininher
herbook
book
to to
prompt
prompt
equivocation,
equivocation,
the the
difference
difference between
betweenbalance
balanceand
andfusion
fusionis is
central
central
to to
thethe
understanding
understanding
of androgyny
androgynyasasa apractical
practicalcritical
critical
tool,
tool,
especially
especially
whenwhen
dealing
dealing
withwith
women
women writers.
writers.IfIfandrogyny
androgynyis isa balance
a balance
of of
male
male
andand
female
female
prin-
prin-
ciples-and
ciples-and in
in Woolf's
Woolf'scase
casethese
theseprinciples
principleswould
would
be be
rationality
rationality
andand
intuition
intuition respectively,
respectively,ororasasBazin
Bazin suggests,
suggests,
knowing
knowingby by
apartness
apartness
and
and knowing
knowingby
bytogetherness10-then
togetherness10-thenthe
the
male
male
andand
female
female
sides
sides
of the
of the
brain
brain would
would interact
interactwithout
withouteither
eitherside
side
dominating
dominating or or
subsuming
subsuming
the
the other.
other. Intuition
Intuitionwould
wouldbebeasasvalid
valida way
a wayto to
knowledge
knowledgeas as
rationality;
rationality; but
butfor
forthe
theandrogynous
androgynous mind,
mind,especially
especially
in the
in the
writer,
writer,
intuition
intuition would
wouldqualify
qualifythe
therational
rational
element
element
just
just
as the
as the
rational
rational
would
would
qualify
qualify intuition.
intuition.This
Thisdialectic
dialecticassumes
assumes
that
that
human
human
knowledge
knowledge
and and
experience
experience are
arewider
widerthan
thaneither
eithermode
modeofof
perception
perception
alone
alone
andand
thatthat
the the
artist
artist must
must be
besensitive
sensitivetotothe
thefull
full
range
range
of of
human
human
insight.
insight.
As Judith
As Judith
M. M.
Bardwick
Bardwick claimed
claimedinina apsychological
psychological context,
context, thethe
androgynous
androgynous mindmind
would
would be be free
freefrom
fromthe theconfining
confining sexsexstereotypes
stereotypes which
which society
society
nownow
imposes
imposes but
but would
wouldnotnottherefore
thereforebebeasexual
asexualor or
unisexual.11
unisexual.11 AnnisAnnis
Pratt
Pratt
defines
defines this
this "internal
"internalandrogyneity"
androgyneity" as as
"that
"thatdelightful
delightfulinterchange
interchange of of
the
the aggressive
aggressiveand andthe
thegentle,
gentle,the
the adventurous
adventurous andandthethenurturing
nurturing
faculties
faculties residing
residinginineacheachpersonality."12
personality."12 Androgyny
Androgyny in ainwriter
a writeris is
defined,
defined, then,
then,by bythe
thewidth
widthofofperception
perception rather
ratherthanthan
by bya single,
a single,
uni-uni-
versal
versal mode
mode of ofknowing.
knowing.The Thecritical
critical
implications
implications of of
thisthis
interpretation
interpretation
would
would include
includeaanumber
numberofoftermstermstotodescribe
describeandandvalidate
validatea wide
a wide
range
range
of creative
creative voices
voicesand
andperceptions.
perceptions.
The
The notion
notion that
thatandrogyny
androgynyisisa union,
a union, usually
usuallymystical,
mystical, of two
of two
people,
people, two
two qualities
qualitiesorortwotwoprinciples,
principles, however,
however, leads
leadsto atoradically
a radically
different
different critical
criticaltool.
tool.Width
Widthand and
breadth
breadth of of
perception
perception are are
no longer
no longer
the
the criteria,
criteria, butbutrather
rathera asingle
singlemode
mode ofofresponse
response andand
knowing
knowing is vali-
is vali-
dated.
dated. In
In this
thiscase,
case,androgyny
androgynywould wouldbebeidentified
identified withwith
oneonesupposedly
supposedly
asexual evaluative quality, usually one which has subsumed and
defined its opposite. In critical terms, either intuition or reason could
become the dominant critical quality. But because the universal is most
often identified with whatever is male, this definition of androgyny
can be and has been another means for demanding that a woman write

10 Bazin, p. 3.
11 "Androgyny and Humanistic Goals or Goodbye, Cardboard People," in
The American Woman: Who Will She Be?, ed. Mary Louise McBee and Kathryn
A. Blake (Beverly Hills: Glencoe Press, 1974), p. 61.
12 "The New Feminist Criticism," College English, 32 (May 1971), 878.

WOOLF ] 435

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like
like aa man.
man.Mary
MaryEllmann
Ellmann
notes
notes
this
this
characteristic
characteristic
of criticism
of criticism
in in
general
general when
whenshe
shestates
states
that
that
"the
"the
first
first
[judgment
[judgment
of criticism]
of criticism]
is that
is that
women
women unfortunately
unfortunatelyareare
women,
women,
andand
thatthat
their
their
idealideal
condition
condition
is is
attained
attainedby byrising
risingabove
abovethemselves."13
themselves."13 Ironically,
Ironically,
that that
same same
tendency
tendency
can
can be
be seen
seenininmany
manydefinitions
definitions of of
androgyny,
androgyny, including
including
the literary
the literary
ones.
ones. Virginia
VirginiaWoolf
Woolfsenses
senses these
thesechoices
choices
and and
their
their
implications;
implications;
but, but,
I will
will argue,
argue,herherfear
fearofofbeing
being
called
called
a feminist
a feminist
creates
creates
ambivalences
ambivalences
in
in her
her own
ownapproach
approach and
andleads
leads
at the
at the
endendof her
of her
book,book,
afterafter
pages pages
on on
the
the uniqueness
uniquenessofofwomen
women writers,
writers,
to atoconcept
a concept
of androgyny
of androgynyin which
in which
the
the woman
womanwriter
writeris is
asked
asked
to to
bury
bury
those
those
elements
elements
which
which
makemake
her her
identifiable.
identifiable.
The
The sources
sourcesof
ofthe
theambivalence
ambivalencebetween
between
androgyny
androgyny
as balance
as balance
or
or as
as fusion
fusionare areimportant
important to to
document;
document; for for
thesethese
two two
words,
words,
on which
on which
Western
Westernsociety
societyhas
hasstructured
structured its its
ideas
ideas
of androgyny,
of androgyny, inevitably
inevitably
influ-influ-
ence
ence Woolf
Woolfand andher
hercritics.
critics.
NotNotcoincidentally,
coincidentally, the dominant
the dominant
WesternWestern
concept
concept isisfusion.
fusion.Because
Because androgyny
androgyny is aisdeep-seated
a deep-seated
fantasy,
fantasy,
a dreama dream
of
of return
returnto tothe
theharmony
harmony of of
paradise,
paradise,
or, or,
in more
in more
psychological
psychological
terms,terms,
a dream
dreamof ofreturn
returntotothe
the
innocence
innocence andandfreedom
freedom of childhood,
of childhood,
it hasit has
been
been treated
treatedasasananideal
ideal
without
without thetheclose
close
scrutiny
scrutiny
that that
is needed
is needed
for for
the
the practical
practicaluse useofofthe
theword.
word. Androgyny
Androgyny has has
a history
a history
of equivocal
of equivocal
definitions
definitionsand andimplied
impliedstructures,
structures, a history
a history of being
of being
used used
as a cover
as a cover
term
term forforaamultitude
multitude ofof ideal,
ideal,
harmonious
harmonious states.
states.
Carolyn
CarolynHeilbrun,
Heilbrun,
who
who devoted
devotedan anentire
entirebook
book to to
thethetopic
topicof androgyny
of androgyny in literature,
in literature,
admits
admits at atthe
thebeginning
beginning ofof herher
bookbook
thatthatthe the
idea idea
has gone
has gone
undefined,
undefined,
but
but even
evenmore
morecrucial,
crucial,
sheshestates
states
thatthat
it has
it has
an "unbounded
an "unboundedand hence
and hence
fundamentally
fundamentallyindefinable
indefinable nature."14
nature."14 ThoseThosescholars
scholars
who who
offeroffer
state-state-
ments
ments on onthethetopic,
topic,modern
modern thinkers
thinkers likelike
M. H. M.Abrams,
H. Abrams, ErnstErnst
Benz, Benz,
Suzanne
Suzanne Lilar,
Lilar,Norman
Norman 0. 0.
Brown,
Brown, andandCarolyn
Carolyn Heilbrun,
Heilbrun,
concentrate
concentrate
on
on the
the sources
sourcesandandthethe
eloquence
eloquence of of
thetheidea;idea;
nonenone
mentions
mentions
the possi-
the possi-
bility
bility ofofequivocation.1
equivocation.1 TheTherecent
recent andandimportant
important issueissue
of Women's
of Women's
Studies
Studies rightly
rightlycreated
createddoubts
doubts about
aboutthethenaivenaive
definitions
definitions
of thisof ideal,
this ideal,

13
13 Thinking
ThinkingAbout
AboutWomen
Women(New
(New
York:
York:
Harcourt
Harcourt
Brace
Brace
Jovanovich,
Jovanovich,
1968), 1968),
p. 67.
14 Heilbrun, p. xi.
15 Abrams, Natural Supernaturalism: Tradition and Revolution in Romantic
Literature (New York: Norton, 1971), pp. 154-63; Benz, Adam: Der Mythus
vom Urmenschen (Munich: O. W. Barth, 1955); Lilar, Aspects of Love in
Western Society, trans. Jonathan Griffin (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1965);
Brown, Love's Body (New York: Random House, 1966). See also A. J. L.
Busst, "The Image of the Androgyne in the Nineteenth Century," in Romantic
Mythologies, ed. Ian Fletcher (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1967), pp. 1-95
and Bram Dijkstra, "The Androgyne in Nineteenth-Century Art and Literature,"
Comparative Literature, 26 (Winter 1974), 63-69.

436 | CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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but
but no
noone
onesuggested
suggestedthethe
paradigms
paradigms
on which
on which
the various
the various
definitions
definitions
have
have been
beenmodeled.16
modeled.16
If we
If we
looklook
carefully
carefully
at theatimplied
the implied
structures
structures
in in
the
the various
variousattempts
attemptsto to
define
define
androgyny,
androgyny,we willwenotice
will notice
that either
that either
balance
balanceor
orfusion
fusionis is
central
central
to each
to each
statement.
statement.
The implications
The implications
are are
important;
important;forfor
with
with
fusion,
fusion,
the the
malemale
is equated
is equated
with the
withandrogynous,
the androgynous,
but
but with
withbalance,
balance,
both
both
malemale
and and
female
female
principles
principles
are considered
are considered
valid. valid.
A
A short
shorthistory,
history,then,
then,
of the
of the
attempts
attempts
to define
to define
androgyny
androgyny
will provide
will provide
points
pointsof
ofreference
referenceforfor
thethe
subsequent
subsequent
discussion
discussion
of the of
idea
the
in idea in
A
A Room
Roomof
ofOne's
One'sOwn.
Own.
Linda
LindaThurston,
Thurston,in in
an an
excellent
excellent
article
article
entitled
entitled
"On Male
"Onand
Male and
Female
FemalePrinciple,"
Principle,"
describes
describes
the the
relationship
relationship
of opposing
of opposing
metaphysical
metaphysical
principles
principlesininterms
termswhich
which
provide
provide
a setaof
setparadigms
of paradigms
for thefor
discussion
the discussion
of
of the
thedistinction
distinctionI have
I have
made
made
above.
above.
She claims
She claims
that the
that
metaphysical
the metaphysical
principles
principleslike
like
good
goodandand
evil,
evil,
light
light
and dark
and dark
and, she
and,
includes,
she includes,
male male
and
and female,
female,can
caneither
either
be opposed
be opposedto one
to another
one another
or juxtaposed.
or juxtaposed.
The The
first
first paradigm
paradigm and
and
thethe
dominant
dominant
viewview
of our
ofculture,
our culture,
ThurstonThurston
argues, argues,
is
is "based
"basedononthe
the
idea
idea
of of
thethe
opposition
opposition
of 'opposites.'
of 'opposites.'
There is
There
One and
is One and
there
thereisisOther
Other which
whichembodies
embodies
all the
all opposite
the opposite
characteristics
characteristics
of One. of One.
Each
Each isisseen
seenasas
isolated
isolated
andand
separate
separate
fromfrom
its Other.
its Other.
... In this
... In
view
this view
the
the goal
goalofoflifelife
is is
thethe
victory
victory
of One
of One
triumphing
triumphingover its
over
Other
its (Good
Other (Good
over
over Evil)
Evil)."1
."1She
Shedoes
does
notnot
describe
describe
the way
the inway
which
in which
the Onethe
triumphs,
One triumphs,
but
but II would
wouldsuggest
suggest that
that
thisthis
triumph
triumph
is theisresult
the result
either either
of the destruc-
of the destruc-
tion
tion ofofthe
theOther
Other or or
of of
thethe
incorporation
incorporation
and transformation
and transformationof the of the
Other. The Other can be fused to the One or be made a controllable
aspect of it. In Plato, for example, the Good, which is identifiable with
light, reason, the unchangeable and the real, establishes a court o
16 Women's Studies, 2, No. 2 (1974). The appropriate essays are Barbar
Charlesworth Gelpi, "The Politics of Angrogyny," pp. 151-60; Cynthia Secor,
"Androgyny: An Early Reappraisal," pp. 161-69; Daniel A. Harris, "Androgyny
The Sexist Myth in Disguise," pp. 171-84.
17 "On Male and Female Principle," The Second Wave, 1, No. 2 (Summe
1971). See also the issue on woman in the journal Maitreya, 4 (1973).
Thurston's argument separates the metaphysical principles of male and female
from the psychological realities of men and women, but I find difficulty agreeing.
The symbols which Western thought has assigned to male and female, e.g., light
and darkness, reason and emotion, good and evil respectively, are apparent in
the socialization patterns. Men are socialized into roles which emphasize objec-
tivity and abstract reason while women's roles emphasize subjectivity, emotion,
and relationship (see Sherry B. Ortner, "Is Male to Female as Nature is to
Culture?," Feminist Studies, 1 [Fall 1972], 20-21). Even if this connection
were not a reality, it is difficult to believe that symbols which equate female
with darkness, flesh and evil are not influential and therefore detrimental to the
self-image of a woman. The connection between the metaphysical and the
psychological is assumed in this paper.

WOOLF 437

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justice
justice by
by which
whichthe
therelative
relativereality,
reality, goodness,
goodness,etc.etc.
of any
of any
sensible
sensible
object
object is
is determined.
determined.WhenWhenontological
ontological andand
epistemological
epistemologicalvalidity
validity
is invested
invested in inone
oneside
sideofofa adualism,
dualism,thethetwo
twoelements
elementsof the
of the
dualism
dualism
are
are not
not on
on equal
equalfooting.
footing.Thus,
Thus,inin
early
earlyChristianity,
Christianity, good
good
andand
evil,evil,
body
body and
and soul,
soul,heaven
heavenandandearth
earthwere
were setset
against
against
eacheach
other
other
and and
One One
defined
defined as as the
theontological
ontologicaland andmoral
moral basis
basis
of of
thethe
Other.
Other.
EvenEven
those,
those,
like
like St.
St. Augustine,
Augustine,who
whofought
fought toto
establish
establish
thethe
validity
validity
of the
of the
Other-
Other-
of nature,
nature, of
ofpagan
paganliterature,
literature,ofof
the
the
body-did
body-did
so in
so terms
in terms
of the
of the
One One
renewing,
renewing, transforming
transformingand andpurifying
purifying thethe
Other.
Other.
Milton
Milton
usesuses
thisthis
paradigm
paradigm when
whenRaphael
Raphaelteaches
teaches Adam
Adamthat
thateverything
everythingwhich
whichGodGod
created
created attempts
attemptstotorefine
refineitself,
itself,
"Each
"Each
in in
thir
thir
several
several
active
active
Spheres
Spheres
assign'd,/Till
assign'd,/Tillbody
bodyupuptotospirit
spiritwork,
work,in in
bounds/Proportion'd
bounds/Proportion'd to each
to each
kind."'8
kind."'8 The
The principle
principleofofthe
theOne
Oneopposed
opposed
to to
thethe
Other
Other
is, in
is, much
in much
of of
Western
Western thought,
thought,a aprinciple
principleofof
the
the
One
One
transforming
transforming
andand
incorpo-
incorpo-
rating
rating the
the Other.
Other.
The
The myth
myth ofofandrogyny
androgynyappears
appears inin
a number
a number
of of
thethe
Judeo-
Judeo-
Christian
Christian accounts
accountsof
ofthe
thecreation,
creation,
Fall,
Fall,
and
and
redemption
redemptionof man;
of man;
and and
these
these early
early accounts
accountsdepend
dependupon
uponthis
this
pattern
pattern
of of
thethe
OneOne
incorporating
incorporating
the Other. The Zohar, the book of the Jewish Kabbalah, names
"Adam, to comprehend male and female," and then continues its
description of the way in which this unity was attained and then
broken: "The female was fastened to the side of the male, and God
cast the male into a deep slumber, and he lay on the site of the Temple.
God then cut the female from him and decked her as a bride and led
her to him."'9 In some accounts of the androgyne the Fall is the cause
of separation. Here what is crucial, and what is central to most
accounts of androgyny, is the assumption that the male and the andro-
gyne are identifiable. Adam is the One, and the female is an appendage
of this basic ontological unit. She is the Other.
When the One is defined as male, the female is allotted all the
concomitant characteristics which Western thought attributes to the
Other. This division becomes important in the accounts of the Fall of
the androgyne. When male and female are united, the female is the
emotional and darker side of the androgyne; when the two are sepa-
rated, the female retains those qualities and becomes the nemesis
which must be controlled. Aristophanes indicates these symbols in his
account of androgyny in Plato's Symposium: "The males were
descended from the Sun, the females from the Earth, and the her-

18 Paradise Lost, V, 477-79, in John Milton: Complete Poems and Major

Prose, ed. Merritt Y. Hughes (Indianapolis: The Odyssey Press, 1957).
19 Zohar: The Book of Splendor: Basic Readings from the Kabbalah, ed.
Gershom G. Scholem (New York: Schocken Books, 1963), p. 32.

438 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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maphrodites
maphrodites from
from
the Moon,
the Moon,
which partakes
which of partakes
either sex."20
of either
St. sex."20
Ambrose,
Ambrose, describing
describing
the first
the man
firstandman
womanandin woman
Paradise, in
states
Paradise, sta
with
withthetheauthority
authority
of tradition,
of tradition,
"est etiam
"est
vous
etiam
tanquam
vous
Adam:
tanquam
est Adam
ei
ei sensus,
sensus,tanquam
tanquam
Eva."21
Eva."21
Thus, in
Thus,
discussing
in discussing
how androgyny
howhas androgyny
been
beendefined,
defined,we need
we need
not quarrel
not quarrel
over the over
definitions,
the definitions,
accurate or not,
accurate or
of
ofmale
male and
and
female.
female.
TheseThese
have been
havegiven
been
in the
given
symbolism
in theof symbolism
the of
Western
Western world
world
and and
in theinsocialization
the socialization
patterns which
patterns
reflect
which
these reflect t
symbols.
symbols. The The
malemale
is usually
is usually
represented
represented
by light, reason,
by light,
and the
reason,
sun, and the s
the
thefemale
female by by
darkness,
darkness,
flesh, flesh,
and the and
moon,the
which
moon,
in the
which
Ptolemaic
in the Ptolema
system
system is is
thethe
last last
outpost
outpost
of the ofchanging
the changing
material world.
material world.
In
In one
oneaccount
account of the
of Fall
thefrom
Fall androgynous
from androgynous
perfection, perfection,
Gerrard Gerra
Winstanley,
Winstanley, a seventeenth-century
a seventeenth-century Digger, describes
Digger,the describes
movement the
in movement
sexual
sexualsymbols:
symbols: it was
it that
was time
thatattime
whichatman
which
was "led
manby was
the powers
"led by the pow
of
ofthe
thecurse
cursein flesh,
in flesh,
whichwhich
is the Feminine
is the Feminine
part; not bypart;
the power
not by of the power
the
therighteous
righteous Spirit
Spirit
whichwhich
is Christ,
is Christ,
the Masculine
the power."22
Masculine Like
power."22
most Like m
Renaissance
Renaissance thinkers,
thinkers,and particularly
and particularly
like the hermetic
like the andhermetic
cabalistic and cabalis
philosophers
philosophers whowho
spokespoke
of androgyny-Marsilio
of androgyny-Marsilio
Ficino, Johannes
Ficino, Johann
Reuchlin,
Reuchlin, Jakob
Jakob
Boehme,
Boehme,
and Paracelsus-Winstanley
and Paracelsus-Winstanley
sees the Fall sees the F
as
as reason
reasonsuccumbing
succumbing
to theto
passions.
the passions.
In the accepted
In the hermetical
accepted hermetic
account
account ofof
thethe
creation
creation
and Fall,
and mind,
Fall,the
mind,
male, the
is themale,
image is
of the
God image of Go
the
theFather
Fatherandand
fallsfalls
whenwhen
he "falls
hein"falls
love" with
in love"
nature,with
identified
nature,as identified
female.
female. In In
thethe
samesame
account
account
of the Fall,
of thenotes
Fall,
Francis
notes
A. Yates,
Francis
manA. Yates, m
is
is punished
punishedby by
losing
losing
his singular
his singular
and unified
andstatus:
unified
"it isstatus:
true that
"itthis
is true that
is
is aaFall
Fallwhich
which
involves
involves
loss, that
loss,Manthat
in coming
Man in down
coming
to Nature
down andto Nature
taking
takingonon a mortal
a mortal
body body
puts this
puts mortal
thisbody,
mortal
putsbody,
his mortal
putspart,
his mortal par
under
underthe the
dominion
dominion
of theofstars,
the and
stars,
it is and
perhaps
it is
punished
perhaps by punished
the by
separation
separation into
into
two two
sexes."23
sexes."23
The original,
The original,
undivided man,
undivided
singularman,
in singular
his
hisidentification
identification
withwith
mind,mind,
falls to falls
the female,
to thewhofemale,
deceiveswho
and woos
deceives and
him;
him;and
andforfor
his his
failure
failure
to maintain
to maintain
perfection
perfection
the male must
theendure
male must endu
the female as his eternal nemesis.

Redemption in this scheme must come from a man who is on

again able to incorporate and transform the female, the flesh. Christ

20 Symposium, 190b, trans. Michael Joyce, in The Collected Dialogues of

Plato, ed. Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, Bollingen Series, 71 (New
York: Random House, 1961), p. 543.
21 De Paradiso, III, 12, in Patrologia Latina, ed. J. P. Migne, XIV (Paris,
1841),296A.
22 "The New Law of Righteousness," in The Works of Gerrard Winstanley,
ed. George H. Sabine (Ithaca, New York: Cornell Univ. Press, 1941), p. 157.
23 Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago
Press, 1964), p. 28. The hermetic account of the creation and fall can be found
in Hermetica, trans. and ed. Walter Scott, I (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1924),
121-23.

WOOLF 439

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is that
that second
secondAdam,
Adam,the
theOne
Onewho
whoreturns
returns
power
power
to the
to the
spirit
spirit
overover
the the
flesh.
flesh. These
Thesesymbols
symbolsare
areobvious
obvious
in in
Winstanley's
Winstanley's
account
account
of redemp-
of redemp-
tion
tion when
when he
heclaims
claimsthat
that"Christ
"Christ
saves
saves
hishis
people
people
from
from
their
their
sins;sins;
not not
only
only in
in pardoning
pardoningevil evilActions,
Actions, andand
removing
removing thethe
evilevil
of sorrow
of sorrowfromfrom
them,
them, but
but principally
principallytotokill
killandandsubdue
subdue
thethe
powers
powers
of the
of the
flesh,
flesh,
and and
to make
make aa man
mansubject
subjecttotothe
thespirit."24
spirit."24
That
That
Christ
Christ
is neither
is neither
malemale
nor nor
female,
female, asas St.
St.Paul
Paulasserted,
asserted, is is
repeated
repeated
bybytheologians
theologians
likelike
John John
Scotus
Scotus
Erigena
Erigena who
whosee
seethe
theseparation
separation ofof
male
male
andand
female
female
as the
as the
result
result
of of
sin.25
sin.25 Although
Althoughthis
thisconcept
conceptis is
complicated
complicated
by by
thethe
identification
identification
of of
Christ
Christ with
withthe
thebody
bodyofofbelievers,
believers,
Christ
Christremains
remainsa male
a male
symbol
symbol
which which
transforms
transformsthetheflesh
fleshinto
intothe
the
spirit,
spirit,
thereby
thereby incorporating
incorporating
the the
femalefemale
into
into the
the male.
male.Although
Althoughthis
thisparadigm
paradigm as aasdefinition
a definition
of androgyny
of androgyny is is
an anomaly
anomalywhenwhenone
oneconsiders
considersthethe
etymology
etymology of the
of the
word,
word,
it isitthe
is the
structure
structure which
whichdominates
dominatesWestern
Western thought
thought andand
prompts
prompts
the the
theolo-
theolo-
gian
gian Mary
Mary Daly
Dalytotonote
notethat
that"the
"the
Pauline
Pauline
text:
text:
'In 'In
Christ
Christ
there
there
is is
neither
neither .. . . . .male
malenor
norfemale'
female' functions
functionsin in
thisthis
manner,
manner,
for for
it simply
it simply
and
and blatantly
blatantlyignores
ignoresthe
thefact
fact
that
that
this
thisis aismale
a male
symbol
symbol
and and
therefore
therefore
on
on this
this level
leveldoes doesexclude
excludethethefemale."26
female."26 TheThe
female
female
andand
all she
all she
sym-sym-
bolizes
bolizes are
are excluded
excludedby
bybeing
beingincluded;
included;
byby
being
being
transformed
transformed
and and
defined
defined by
bythe
theOne,
One,she
sheis isnegated.
negated.
Although
Although such
sucha aparadigm
paradigmfor
for
androgyny
androgyny
is more
is more
apparent
apparent
in in
the
the blatantly
blatantlypatriarchal
patriarchalmyths
mythsofof
thethe
past,
past,
thethe
modern
modern
world
world
has not
has not
delivered
delivered itself
itselfof
ofthis
thisanachronism.
anachronism.
Suzanne
Suzanne
Lilar
Lilar
accepts
accepts
and and
eveneven
justifies
justifies this
thispattern
patternininher
herfascinating
fascinating
book
book
on on
thethe
couple.27
couple.27
Norman
Norman
O. O.
Brown
Brown adopts
adoptsthethecontemporary
contemporary wording
wording of of
psychology
psychology rather
rather
thanthan
the
the ontological
ontologicalterminology,
terminology, but
butthethethrust
thrustis the
is the
same.
same.
Brown,
Brown,
whose
whose
popularizing
popularizingextension
extensionofofFreudian
Freudian psychology
psychology waswasironically
ironically
the basis
the basis
for
for much
much of ofthe
theradical
radicalthought
thought ofof thethe 1960s,
1960s,
introduces
introducesandrogyny
androgynyas as
a remedy
remedy for forthe
thedualisms
dualismsand and separations
separations which
which manman has has
had had
to to
endure
endure after
afterleaving
leavingthe
theinnocence
innocence and andfreedom
freedom of childhood.
of childhood.The The
goal goal
of life
life is
is to
toreturn
returntotothe
theunity
unityofof ErosErosandand
Thanatos;
Thanatos;and and
in his
in sequel
his sequel
to Life
Life Against
AgainstDeath,
Death,Brown
Brown poetically
poetically draws
drawsuponuponandrogyny
androgynyas one
as one
definition
definition of ofthat
thatideal
idealstate.
state.But
Butit it
is significant
is significant thatthat
he repeats
he repeats
many many
24 Winstanley,
Winstanley,p.p.176.
176.
25 De
De Divisione
DivisioneNaturae,
Naturae,II,II,6,6,
inin
Patrologia
Patrologia
Latina,
Latina,
CXXII,
CXXII,
532B-533A.
532B-533A.
26 Beyond
Beyond God
Godthe
theFather:
Father:Toward
Toward
a Philosophy
a Philosophy
of Women's
of Women's
Liberation
Liberation
(Boston:
(Boston: Beacon
BeaconPress,
Press,1973),
1973), p. p.
80.80.
27 Lilar's
Lilar's acceptance
acceptanceofofthe
themale
male
as as
thethe
androgyne
androgynerests
rests
on aon
reversal
a reversal
of of
the
the evaluations
evaluationswhich
whichI have
I haveproposed.
proposed. SheShe
seessees
thethe
choice
choice
as between
as between
"a static,
"a static,
definitive dualism [what I would call balance] and a functional dualism con-
stantly in course of integration into Unity" (p. 124). She seems to be aware of
the inherent sexism of her emphasis on Unity, but she accepts this as natural
(see pp. 140-54).

440 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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of the terms which we have encountered above. Adam and Christ are
once again paradigms of androgyny: "The true form of the unification
of the human race," states Brown, "is not the brothers, Cain and Abel,
but Adam the first man, and Christ the second man: for as in Adam
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."28 Although he iden-
tifies the androgyne with the male, he is still able to claim that "if we
are all members of one body, then in that one body there is neither male
nor female; or rather there is both: it is an androgynous or hermaphro-
ditic body, containing both sexes."'9 The identification of the male with
the androgyne brings with it the identification of traditional male
qualities and symbols with the universal, and it is this structure for
androgyny that is detrimental to the self-image of a woman or a
woman writer; for even when Western thought attempts to include the
female in its concept of the ideal, it can do so only by negating those
qualities traditionally equated with the female.
The counter to this monistic paradigm is a pattern of balance and
dialectic in which each quality in the set of opposites is equally valid
and equally contributing to the whole. Linda Thurston describes this
second model in the terms of the ancient oriental symbol of Yin
and Yang:

In this view what we call opposites (dualities) are not static states, but
processes, each defining the other. The ancient symbol of this view is the
Yin/Yang. Yin and Yang are the dualities within the One which is called
the Tao. The relation between the dualities is not one of antagonism, but of
interdependence for each transforms itself into the other. Light and dark
are defined each by the other and are part of a whole for which our culture
has no word. In this view the goal of life is to achieve harmony in a balance
of complementary qualities unrestricted in their flow of change from one to
the other.30

It is curious that she claims, despite the existence of the word andro-
gyny, that the Western world has no term for this interchange of
principles; but perhaps it is one more indication of the Western tend-
ency to favor a concept of androgyny in which one side of the dualism
defines the other side.
In this second paradigm, one quality does not incorporate or
at leisure while still retaining its individual validity. It is important,
transform the other; each moves back and forth, partaking of the other
here, that there is no identifiable One or Other; rather each member

28 Love's Body, pp. 82-83.

29 Ibid., p. 84.
30 "On Male and Female Principle," p. 38.

WOOLF 441

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of the pair is the Other and each is the One. Light is not set against
darkness nor does good or spirit stand victorious over evil or body.
Good and evil, body and spirit are different sides of the same coin, and
in their relationship a dialectic is set up. Neither side is reduced to the
other in defeat, but each contributes to dynamic tension which defines
the unity. It is in this pattern for androgyny that we will discover the
criterion of the width of experience and perception. Androgyny here
is not a limitation but an expansion.
In some social science circles, the patterning of males and females
into stereotyped roles is coming under scrutiny; the ideal human,
claim many, the androgynous human being, will be one who is free to
choose from a number of different roles, free to move back and forth
between roles traditionally segregated into masculine and feminine
categories. In Annis Pratt's terms, androgyneity is a "delightful inter-
change" between qualities usually set in opposition to one another. The
gentleness that is stereotypically feminine will give way to and at times
be qualified by the more masculine aggressiveness and vice versa. In
Woolf's terms, we will have a man-womanly and a woman-manly. The
validity of each approach is assumed, and neither need be subsumed
by a more universal, all-encompassing quality. The rational is not the
final arbiter of reality, nor is unqualified intuition or emotion a sole
source of truth. The androgynous individual will be able to use both
without destroying the other and at the same time break down the
barriers which keep emotion and reason separated. Mary Daly
describes androgyny in such terms:

The adequate meeting of the two worlds, then, cannot be imagined as a

simple one-to-one relationship between representatives of humanity's two
halves, for half a person really never can meet the objectified other half.
The adequate "cosmosis" will require a breakdown of walls within the male
psyche as well as within the female. It will require in men as well as in
women a desire to become androgynous, that is, to become themselves.31

While this is not the primary paradigm for androgyny in the Western
world, the combination of studies in the social sciences and of a grow-
ing interest in the literary implications, especially in the study of
Virginia Woolf, signals a redirection for the definition of androgyny.
But when we consider Virginia Woolf's comments on this term,
we must first acknowledge the ambivalences and ambiguities which

31 Daly, p. 172. See also the psychological study of Sandra L. Bem, "Sex-
Role Adaptability: One Consequence of Psychological Androgyny," Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (April 1975), 634-43.

442 1 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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surround
surround the
theidea
ideaininAARoom
Roomofof
One's
One's
Own.
Own.
Never
Never
applying
applying
herself
herself
thoroughly
thoroughlyto tocritical
criticaltheory,
theory, she
sheoffers
offers androgyny
androgyny as aascritical
a critical
tool tool
in in
an impressionistic
impressionisticmanner,
manner,and andthetheresult
resultis aismasterpiece
a masterpiece of brilliant
of brilliant
insight
insight andandwitwitbut
butaccompanied
accompanied byby philosophical
philosophical ambivalence.
ambivalence. Woolf Woolf
hedges
hedges between
betweenbalance
balanceandandfusion,
fusion, only
onlyto to
resort
resortto fusion
to fusionat the
at the
end. end.
It is
is curious
curiousthat
thatininthe
thebook,
book,androgyny
androgyny is introduced
is introduced as aas counter
a counterto to
the
the "narrow"
"narrow"consideration
considerationofof female
female writers
writers which
which occupies
occupies
the the
bulkbulk
of the
the text.
text.In Inthe
thelast
lastchapter,
chapter, as as
sheshe
describes
describes twotwopeople
people
getting
getting
into into
the
the taxi,
taxi, she
shespeculates
speculatesthat
that"perhaps
"perhaps to to
think,
think, as Iashad
I had
beenbeen
thinking
thinking
these
these two
two days,
days,ofofone
onesexsexasas
distinct
distinct fromfrom thethe
otherotheris anis effort.
an effort.
It It
interferes
interferes with
withthetheunity
unityofofthe
themind."32
mind."32 Now,Now, instead
insteadof discussing
of discussingthe the
perceptions
perceptionsof ofone
onegroup
groupofofwriters,
writers, Woolf
Woolf suggests
suggeststhatthatthe the
idealideal
is a is a
universal state of mind.
The ambivalence of tone and direction is noticeable and has
prompted Adrienne Rich to comment that "it is the tone of a wom
almost in touch with her anger, who is willing herself to be ca
detached, and even charming in a roomful of men where things ha
been said that are attacks on her very integrity. Virginia Wool
addressing an audience of women, but she is acutely conscious of b
overheard by men."33 In a diary entry at the time of the publicatio
A Room, Woolf exhibits a fear of rejection by her male peers t
begins to account for her ambivalent tone:

I will here sum up my impressions before publishing A Room of One's Ow

It is a little ominous that Morgan [E. M. Forster] won't review it. It m
me suspect that there is a shrill feminine tone in it which my inti
friends will dislike. I forecast, then, that I shall get no criticism, exce
the evasive jocular kind, from Lytton [Strachey], Roger [Fry] and Mo
that the press will be kind and talk of its charm and sprightliness; a
shall be attacked for a feminist and hinted at for a Sapphist; Sybil [L
Colefax] will ask me to luncheon; I shall get a good many letters from yo
women. I am afraid it will not be taken seriously. Mrs. Woolf is so acc
lished a writer that all she says makes easy reading . . . this very fem
logic ... a book to be put in the hands of girls. I doubt that I mind
much. The Moths; but I think it is to be waves, is trudging along; a
have that to refer to, if I am damped by the other. It is a trifle, I shall s
so it is; but I wrote it with ardour and conviction.34

32 A Room of One's Own (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1929),
100. Future references will be to this edition and will be included in the text.
33 David Kalstone, "Talking with Adrienne Rich," Saturday Review, April
22, 1972, p. 57.
34 A Writer's Diary: Being Extracts from the Diary of Virginia Woolf, ed.
Leonard Woolf (London: The Hogarth Press, 1954), pp. 148-49.

WOOLF 443

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Her
Her general
generalapproach
approachto to
anything
anything
which
which
couldcould
be construed
be construed
as feminist
as feminist
exhibited
exhibitedsuch
suchambivalence.
ambivalence.When
When
writing
writing
of Elizabeth
of Elizabeth
BarrettBarrett
Browning's
Browning'sundeniably
undeniably
feminist
feminist
poem,
poem,
Aurora
Aurora
Leigh,
Leigh,
she isshe
bothis both
drawn
drawn to
toits
itsconcern
concernfor
for
thethe
woman
woman
as writer
as writer
and repelled
and repelled
by Brown-
by Brown-
ing's
ing's attempt
attempttotoput
puther
hercomplaint
complaintintointo
verse.
verse.
WoolfWoolf
was dedicated
was dedicated
to
to women's
women'scauses,
causes,but
but
herherhealth
health
and and
her her
fear fear
prevented
prevented
her from
her from
radical
radicalparticipation
participationin in
thethe
movement
movement of the
of 1920s.
the 1920s.
We need
We only
need only
remember
rememberthat
thatshe
she
was
was
surrounded
surrounded
by aby
number
a number
of intellectual
of intellectual
males males
who
who were
wereher
heronly
onlypeers.
peers.
It is
It no
is wonder,
no wonder,
then,then,
givengiven
the knowledge
the knowledge
that
that E.
E.M.
M.Forster
Forsterlater
later
condemned
condemned
her her
feminism
feminism
as a "peculiar
as a "peculiar
side side
of
of her,"
her,"cantankerous
cantankerousand
and
even
even
grumbling,5'
grumbling,5'
that that
she shrank
she shrank
in fearinatfear at
devising
devisinga aradical
radicalinterpretation
interpretation
of androgyny.
of androgyny.
In A In
Room,
A Room,
Woolf Woolf
spends
spendsmost
mostofofthe
the
time
time
describing
describing
the the
uniqueness
uniqueness
of women
of women
writers,writers,
a uniqueness
uniquenesswhich
which comes
comesboth
both
from
fromdeprivation
deprivation
and sensitivity;
and sensitivity;
but but
in
in her
her final
finalchapter,
chapter,sheshe
withdraws
withdrawsfromfrom
this this
visionvision
and offers
and offers
andro- andro-
gyny
gyny asasaaway
waytoto
reconcile
reconcilethethe
sexes.
sexes.
ThatThat
reconciliation,
reconciliation,
I will Iargue,
will argue,
is
is really
reallya adefinition
definitionofof
androgyny
androgyny based
based
on fusion,
on fusion,
and this
andfusion
this fusion
tends
tends totodestroy
destroythethe
uniqueness
uniqueness
which
which
she so
sheskillfully
so skillfully
defended
defended
in in
her
her earlier
earlierpages.
pages.
Her
Her argument
argumentbegins
begins
with
withan an
attempt
attempt
to discover
to discover
the "truth"
the "truth"
about
about women
womenand
andfiction;
fiction;
andand
notnot
finding
finding
it init
that
in bastion
that bastion
of truth,
of truth,
the
the British
BritishMuseum,
Museum, sheshe
offers
offers
herher
own,own,
or more
or more
accurately,
accurately,
her her
persona's,
persona's,practical
practicalanswer.
answer.TheThe
conditions
conditions
under
under
whichwhich
women women
have have
had
had to
to write
writeand
andthethe
conditions
conditionsnormally
normally
needed
needed
for literary
for literary
produc-
produc-
tion
tion have
havebeen
beenstrangely
strangely at at
odds;
odds;
and,and,
she argues,
she argues,
only only
when when
womenwomen
are
are free
freefrom
fromthese
these
limitations,
limitations,onlyonly
when when
theythey
have have
accessaccess
to money
to money
and
and privacy,
privacy,will
willthey
theyhave
havea foundation
a foundation
for literary
for literary
activity.
activity.
BecauseBecause
women
womenhavehavenot
notbeen
beenin in
control
control
of money
of money
or their
or their
own privacy,
own privacy,
they they
have
have expressed
expressedthemselves
themselves in distorted
in distorted
and and
angryangry
phrases,
phrases,
hindering
hindering
the flow of art. Woolf recounts her own movement toward freedom:

Indeed, I thought, slipping the silver into my purse, it is remarkable,

remembering the bitterness of those days, what a change of temper a fixed
income will bring about. No force in the world can take from me my five
hundred pounds. Food, house and clothing are mine for ever. Therefore not
merely do effort and labour cease, but also hatred and bitterness. I need
not hate any man; he cannot hurt me. I need not flatter any man; he has
nothing to give me. (p. 38)

What, then, is the nature of the woman writer who is free from
anger and hatred? There seem to be two possible responses, and the

35 Virginia Woolf (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1942), pp. 31 and 33.

444 1 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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fact
factthat
thatWoolf
Woolf gives
gives
bothboth
is indicative
is indicative
of her of
ambivalences.
her ambivalences.
She could She could
say
say that
thatwomen
women writers
writers
will will
now express
now express
themselves
themselves
and theirandunique-
their unique-
ness
nessororshe
she
could
couldclaim
claim
thatthat
they they
will exhibit
will exhibit
no recognizable
no recognizable
literary literary
differences
differences from
from male
male
writers.
writers.
She claims
She claims
both. Inboth.
the major
In theportion
major portion
of
of the
thebook
booksheshe
explores
explores
the unique
the unique
and identifiable
and identifiable
qualities of
qualities
women of women
writers
writerswhowhoareare
freefree
fromfrom
traditional
traditional
limitations.
limitations.
She believes
Shethatbelieves
they that they
have
havea aperspective
perspective fromfrom
whichwhich
men have
mennever
have seen
never the seen
world:the world:

For
For women
women have
have
sat sat
indoors
indoors
all these
all these
millions
millions
of years,ofsoyears,
that bysothis
that
time
by this time
the
the very
verywalls
walls
areare
permeated
permeated
by their
by their
creative
creative
force, which
force,has,
which
indeed,
has,
so indeed, so
overcharged
overcharged thethe
capacity
capacity
of bricks
of bricks
and mortar
and mortar
that it must
that needs
it must
harness
needs harness
itself
itselftotopens
pensandand
brushes
brushes
and business
and business
and politics.
and politics.
But this creative
But thispower
creative power
differs
differsgreatly
greatlyfrom
from
the the
creative
creative
powerpower
of men.of
And
men.
one And
must one
conclude
mustthat
conclude that
it
it would
wouldbebe a thousand
a thousand pities
pities
if it were
if it hindered
were hindered
or wasted,
orfor
wasted,
it was for
won it was won
by
by centuries
centuries of ofthethe
mostmost
drastic
drastic
discipline,
discipline,
and there
andis there
nothingistonothing
take its to take its
place.
place.ItItwould
would be be
a thousand
a thousandpitiespities
if women
if women
wrote like
wrote
men,like
or lived
men,like
or lived like
men,
men,or orlooked
looked likelike
men,men,
for if
fortwoifsexes
two are
sexes
quite
areinadequate,
quite inadequate,
consideringconsidering
the
the vastness
vastnessandandvariety
variety
of the
of world,
the world,
how should
how weshould
managewewith
manage
one only?
with one only?
Ought
Oughtnot not
education
education to bring
to bring
out and
outfortify
and fortify
the differences
the differences
rather thanrather
the than the
similarities?
similarities? (p.(p.
91)91)

The
Thevalidity
validityof of
oneone
approach
approach
is notisasserted
not asserted
at the expense
at the of
expense
the of the
other;
other;they
theymust
mustboth
both
existexist
in a creative
in a creative
tensiontension
for the artist
for theto express
artist to express
the
the full
fullspectrum
spectrumof human
of humanexperience.
experience.
She even
Shetakes
evenCharlotte
takes Charlotte
Bronte
Brontetototask
task
forfor
trying
trying
to write
to write
like a man
like (pp.
a man76-77).
(pp. 76-77).
Woolf
Woolfpoints
pointsto to
several
several
areasareas
in which
in which
the female
the writer
femalecan
writer
and can and
should
shouldbebeidentifiable,
identifiable,
notably
notably
tradition,
tradition,
style, and
style,
perspective.
and perspective.
One One
of
of the
theproblems
problemssheshe
finds
finds
withwith
some some
of the of
earlier
the female
earlierwriters
female is writers
that is that
they
theyhad
hadnono
tradition;
tradition;
while
while
they they
had a long
had atradition
long tradition
of male writings,
of male writings,
these
theseworks
works diddid
notnot
fit their
fit their
experiences
experiences
or temperaments
or temperaments
(p. 79). It (p. 79). It
is,
is, IIthink,
think, like
like
asking
asking
a woman
a woman
in sixteenth-century
in sixteenth-century
England toEngland
write to write
aa Petrarchan
Petrarchan sonnet.
sonnet.
The The
tradition
tradition
of theof
rejected
the rejected
lover pleading
lover with
pleading with
the
the blond,
blond, disdainful
disdainful
mistress
mistress
is a perspective
is a perspective
with which
with few
which
women,few women,
even
evenartists
artistslike
like
Queen
Queen
Elizabeth,
Elizabeth,
Mary Mary
Sidney Sidney
or later,or
Katherine
later, Katherine
Philips,
Philips,would
wouldfind
find
sympathy.
sympathy.
Nor would
Nor would
it be appropriate
it be appropriate
to satirize to satirize
this
thistradition
traditionas as
diddid
Shakespeare
Shakespeare
and Donne.
and Donne.
The male The
perspective
male perspective
dominates
dominates the
the
Petrarchan
Petrarchan
sonnet
sonnet
in thein
Renaissance;
the Renaissance;
and whileand
one while one
can
can find
findwomen
womenimitating
imitating
this popular
this popular
form, it
form,
is notittheir
is not
perspective
their perspective
in love and therefore not their form.

Virginia Woolf finds this a serious handicap, for with no tradition

there is no steppingstone, no chance for literary reference and play,
nor was there a common sentence structure which women could use.
The male sentence, swift, expressive, authoritative and sure, was not

WOOLF 445

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one adoptable by women: "Charlotte Bronte, with all her splendid gift
for prose, stumbled and fell with that clumsy weapon in her hands.
George Eliot committed atrocities with it that beggar description. Jane
Austen looked at it and laughed at it and devised a perfectly natural,
shapely sentence proper for her own use and never departed from it"
(p. 80). When Woolf introduces her mythical novelist, Mary Car-
michael, and her novel, Life's Adventure, she finds hesitation and a
broken sentence, but she gradually comes to appreciate its drive. She
also finds that the freedom gained by the Mary Carmichaels releases
a wealth of new perceptions. In Life's Adventure, we are given
something unique in literature:

the very next words I read were these-'Chloe liked Olivia . . .' Do not
start. Do not blush. Let us admit in the privacy of our own society that
these things sometimes happen. Sometimes women do like women.... And
then it struck me how immense a change was there. Chloe liked Olivia
perhaps for the first time in literature. (p. 86)

A new vision has come into literature, one that does not define a
woman from a man's experience:

It was strange to think that all the great women of fiction were, until Jane
Austen's day, not only seen by the other sex, but seen only in relation to
the other sex. And how small a part of a woman's life is that; and how
little can a man know even of that when he observes it through the black or
rosy spectacles which sex puts upon his nose. (p. 86)

A woman writer can both tell the truth about herself and see the bald
spot on the back of a man's head.
Woolf, then, first establishes the validity and uniqueness of
women's literature. The woman writer has not written long sentimental
phrases which in maturity she will throw away for the tough, analytic
style and ideas of Gibbon and Johnson; rather, her uniqueness comes
from the experience of living thousands of years in houses which have
shaped her mind and her sentences. It is crucial that Woolf establishes
this uniqueness, for it is the basis from which to develop a dialectical
theory of androgyny. When she introduces androgyny in her final
chapter, she first visualizes the human soul balanced by male and
female elements, both valid, both sustaining, both necessary. Like the
literary styles, which have male and female sentences to express dif-
ferent experiences, and like literary traditions-which on one side may
develop the epic and on the other the stream-of-consciousness novel-

446 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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Woolf's
Woolf'stwotwosides
sides
of the
of soul
the exist
soulseparately
exist separately
but in harmony
but inand
harmony
in and
close
closerelationship:
relationship: "If one
"If isone
a man,
is a still
man, thestill
woman thepart
woman
of thepart
brainof the br
must
musthave
have effect;
effect;and and
a woman
a woman
also must also
have
must intercourse
have intercourse
with the with t
man
manininher"
her"(p. (p.
102).102).
At
At first
firstthis
this
definition
definition
is notisannot
attempt
an attempt
to fuse the
to valid
fuseand
the valid an
independent
independent natures
natures
into into
one asexual
one asexual
nature. Woolf
nature.
initially
Woolf seems
initially
to seems
consider
consider thethe
androgynous
androgynousmind mind
bisexual,
bisexual,
one that one
is basically
that ismale
basically
or male or
female
femalebutbutin in
thethe
process
process
of freeing
of freeing
itself has
itself
experienced
has experienced
the other sidethe other si
of
of reality.
reality.TheThe
mind,
mind,
thus,thus,
is not is
forced
not into
forced
a rigid
intostereotype
a rigid but
stereotype
is but i
allowed
allowedtoto
roam
roam
the the
spectrum
spectrum
of experience
of experience
and perception.
and perception.
The The
female side of the soul which has intercourse with the male side will
not be boxed in by conventions which force it to respond in only one
way; rather, by experiencing that which is opposite but complemen-
tary, the female side of the soul will be qualified by its complement.
But Woolf does not explore the potential of her initial statement
on androgyny. Instead, she steps back and withdraws to adopt the
more traditional version. When she deals specifically with the voice of
the artist, with the relationship of the author to the work, she settles
for the comfortable idea of the fusion of male and female. Free from
the twisting emotions of anger in the woman and egoism in the male,
the artist, she argues, will be able to separate himself/herself from the
work of art. This freedom from the emotional extremes of sexual
stereotypes will lead to a complete objectivity. Thus, instead of main-
taining a dialectic between two equally valid and traditionally se
identified qualities, objectivity and subjectivity, Woolf argues that th
should merge into a single perspective, objectivity. She calls t
androgynous mind fundamentally incandescent: "it transmits emotion
without impediment; . . . it is naturally creative, incandescent a
undivided" (p. 102). But objectivity here is not meant to free th
uniqueness of women writers, as Herbert Marder's comment impli
"The final test of whether or not an artist is approaching the ideal sta
of androgyny is his objectivity: can he keep his attention whole a
undivided upon his artistic object? In the case of women writers
follows that one can almost measure their greatness by the extent
which they have managed to forget their grievances."36 Although on
may argue that grievances and the structure of a sentence are qua
tatively different, for the structure of a sentence can be unique witho
the presence of a sexually identifiable voice, it is Woolf's stress o
incandescence which indicates her retreat. The single perspectiv
which she now advocates is not simply a universal ideal but, not

36 Marder, p. 124.

WOOLF 447

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strangely,
strangely, part
part
of the
of pattern
the pattern
in which
in the
which
male the
quality
male
is identified
quality is identified
with the universal.
If one looks carefully at her concern for objectivity, one can
detect the influence of T. S. Eliot's theories of impersonality and unifi-
cation of sensibility. Out of the fear which she exhibits in her diary,
Woolf feels that she is being too partisan in defending women, and
instead of developing a theory of androgyny based on a belief in
uniqueness of the individual parts of the whole, she succumbs to the
pressure of her peers who are advocating a theory of objectivity in art.
Not only Eliot, but also Clive Bell and Roger Fry were instrumental
in the popularity of these new theories of art. Art, they said, should
not be personality or Romantic subjectivity, but form and classical
objectivity. For Woolf, this meant that art should not be sexual, and
the sooner women writers divested themselves of an identifiable voice
the sooner they would be accepted as good writers. In another essay
she claims that impersonality and artistic achievement are directly
related: "The greater impersonality of women's lives will encourage
the poetic spirit, and it is in poetry that women's fiction is still weak-
est."37 By adopting objectivity and impersonality as the basis of
androgyny in A Room, Woolf is precariously close to Eliot. Then
androgyny becomes objectivity overcoming the demon subjectivity,
impersonality transforming personal emotions. In the words of the
paradigms already established, the One purifies the Other, and as usual
the One is more readily identifiable with the cultural definition of
the male.
A closer look at the theory of impersonality in literature which
Eliot advocates and which Woolf adopts will provide more substance
for this claim. The obsession with unity was highly characteristic of the
generation following World War I, an obsession which was both
aesthetic and religious. Eliot insisted on the standard of a unification
of sensibility that would bind together the thought and feeling which
were separated under the influence of the Romantic theories. The
poet's mind should be constantly "amalgamating disparate experience"
and from these experiences "forming new wholes."38 Reading Spinoza
and falling in love, the intellectual and the emotional, were brought
under the hard fire of creativity and molded into an aesthetic object.
But while Eliot takes pains to include the emotional in this theory, it

37 "Women and Fiction," in Collected Essays (New York: Harcourt, Brace

& World, 1967), II, 147.
38 "The Metaphysical Poets," in Selected Essays, 3rd ed. (London: Faber
and Faber, 1951), p. 287. Further references to Eliot's essays will be to this
collection and will be included in the text.

448 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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is not
not the
the personal
personalemotions
emotionsofof
which
which
he he
speaks
speaks
in "Tradition
in "Tradition
and and
the the
Individual Talent":

It is not in his personal emotions, the emotions provoked by particula

events in his life, that the poet is in any way remarkable or interesting. His
particular emotions may be simple, or crude, or flat. The emotion in hi
poetry will be a very complex thing.... The business of the poet is not t
find new emotions, but to use the ordinary ones and, in working them u
into poetry, to express feelings which are not in actual emotions at al
(pp. 20-21)

The distinction between feelings and emotions is not totally clear, but
one element which is certainly exorcised is the personal. Ridding
poetry of emotions rids the poem of the personal and identifiable, and
forces the voice of the poet to be an incandescent ray of objectivity.
In the same essay, using a word reminiscent of Woolf's scientific
term, "incandescent," Eliot describes the activity of the poet's mind
as a catalyst: "The mind of the poet is the shred of platinum. It may
partly or exclusively operate upon the experience of the man himself;
but, the more perfect the artist, the more completely separate in him
will be the man who suffers and the mind which creates; the more per-
fectly will the mind digest and transmute the passions which are its
material" (p. 18). It cannot escape notice that, despite Eliot's asser-
tions on feeling, the passions are to be transformed and controlled by
the mind. Feelings are purified emotions and free from any personal
quality. The dichotomy of emotions and mind, which we have seen
before in the early definitions of androgyny, is worked out in the same
way. The male side, the mind, acting as an agent of control, transforms
and purifies the female side, the emotions, into something which is a
unified ontological whole.
While one need not claim that androgyny is what Eliot meant,
too many of the traditional trappings of that idea are present to be
ignored, at the very least as an influence on those, like Woolf, who
wanted to define it as a critical tool. In this vein, Eliot also adopts a
scheme of Paradise, the Fall and redemption that parallels those myths
mentioned earlier. In his essay on the metaphysical poets, Eliot claims
that their poetry, along with the drama of the Elizabethans, illustrates
the ideal of the unity of thought and feeling: "A thought to Donne was
an experience; it modified his sensibility" (p. 288). But "in the seven-
teenth century a dissociation of sensibility set in, from which we have
never recovered; and this dissociation, as is natural, was aggravated
by the influence of the two most powerful poets of the century, Milton

WOOLF 449

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and
and Dryden"
Dryden" (p.(p.
289).
289).
TheThe
music
music
of Milton's
of Milton's
poetry poetry
overwhelms
overwhelms
the the
thought
thoughtand
andlulls
lulls
us into
us into
a purely
a purely
emotional
emotional
experience.
experience.
The original
The original
unity
unityisisbroken
broken andand
leftleft
to theto modern
the modernperiod period
to be restored.
to be restored.
The poet The poet
who
whoonceonceagain
againunifies
unifies
thought
thought
and feeling,
and feeling,
a poet like
a poet
Eliot,
like
willEliot,
bringwill bring
the
the wayward
wayward emotion
emotion under
under
control
control
and sanctify
and sanctify
it by transforming
it by transforming
it. it.
This
Thisconcept
concept ofofunity
unityis easily
is easily
translatable
translatable
into androgyny,
into androgyny,
and and
it
it is
isthis
thisversion
version of of
unity
unity
whichwhich
I believe
I believe
VirginiaVirginia
Woolf adopts
Woolf for adopts
her for her
concept.
concept.Woolf,
Woolf,too,too,
is obsessed
is obsessed
with with
the idea
theofidea
unity,
of and
unity,
whenand she when she
falls
fallsunder
under these
thesetheories
theories
of art,
of androgyny
art, androgyny
is defined
is defined
by fusionby rather
fusion rather
than
thanbalance.
balance. In In
A Room,
A Room,WoolfWoolf
speaksspeaks
more often
moreofoften
the "natural
of the "natural
fusion"
fusion"(p.(p.101)
101)andand
thethe
Eliotic
Eliotic
reconciliation
reconciliation
of opposites
of opposites
when shewhen she
considers the voice of the artist. But it is the use of the term incan-
descent to describe the androgynous mind that is crucial, for it brings
to the surface many of the ideas that Eliot used to describe the uni-
fied sensibility. The image of incandescence takes on the aura of scien-
tific objectivity when one discovers the source of Woolf's definitions
of truth. The image first becomes important after she tries to find
"truth" in the British Museum and is prevented from doing so by the
opinions of men who pretend to be experts on women: "Whatever the
reason, all these books, I thought, surveying the pile on the desk, are
worthless for my purposes. They were worthless scientifically .... They
had been written in the red light of emotion and not in the white light
of truth" (p. 33). The white light of truth becomes her metaphor for
objectivity, and when she comes to describe the androgynous mind, she
uses a similar and equally scientific image, this time talking about
artistic impersonality.
Woolf is as concerned as Eliot that personal emotions not enter
the aesthetic voice, as she notes when she speaks of those "alien emo-
tions" which sometimes entered the writings of women. When Woolf
first speaks of Shakespeare's incandescence, before she links it to
androgyny, she describes it as a voice free from personality, opinion
and protest: "We are not held up by some 'revelation' which reminds
us of the writer. All desire to protest, to preach, to proclaim an injury,
to pay off a score, to make the world the witness of some hardship or
grievance was fired out of him and consumed. Therefore his poetry
flows from him free and unimpeded" (pp. 58-59). The same fear of
personality and subjectivity leads Woolf to claim that androgyny is
objectivity, a control and transformation of the subjective and emo-
tional. Woolf, then, takes the current theory of objectivity in art and
translates it into androgyny; and in the process the traditional male
quality of objectivity-knowing by apartness-subsumes the tradi-

450 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

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tional
tional female
femalequality
qualityofofsubjectivity-knowing
subjectivity-knowing bybytogetherness-and
togetherness-and
becomes
becomes the
the universal
universaland
andandrogynous
androgynous evaluative
evaluative
tool.
tool.
HerHer
concept
concept
of androgyny
androgynythus
thusasks
askswomen
womentoto write
write
like
like
men.
men.
That
That Woolf
Woolf was
wasaware
awareofofthis
thismovement
movement is is
difficult
difficult
to determine,
to determine,
although
although the
theambivalent
ambivalenttone
toneininA A
Room
Room
indicates
indicates
that
that
sheshe
waswas
not not
totally
totally convinced
convincedof ofthe
theideal.
ideal.Her Heruse
useofofthethe
persona
personain this
in this
workworkaddsadds
another
another dimension
dimensiontotothat
thatambivalence,
ambivalence, although,
although, in the
in the
end,end,
it isitnot
is not
enough
enough toto negate
negatethe
thestrong
strongmonisticmonistic definition
definition of of
androgyny.
androgyny. WoolfWoolf
claims
claims in
in the
thebeginning
beginningofofthe thebook
book that
that
sheshe
is not
is not
she,she,
notnot
Virginia
Virginia
Woolf,
Woolf, but
but someone
someoneelse:
else:"'I'"'I'isisonly
onlya convenient
a convenient term
termforfor
somebody
somebody
who
who has
has no
no real
realbeing.
being.Lies
Lieswill willflowflowfrom
from mymylips,
lips,
butbut
there
there
maymayper-per-
haps
haps bebe some
sometruth
truthmixed
mixedupupwith
withthem"
them"
(p.(p.
4). 4).
TheThe disclaimer
disclaimer
has has
never
never been
been enough
enoughtotoseparate
separateWoolf
Woolf from
from
thethe"I" "I"
of of
thisthis
essay,
essay,
but but
it is
is important
importantwhen
whenoneoneconsiders
considersthe
the
definition
definition of of
androgyny
androgynyas as
impersonality.
impersonality.TheTheirony
ironyisisthick
thick as as
the
the
tone
tone
falters
falters
between
between
objective
objective
and
and subjective.
subjective.Her
Heranger
angerisisnot
notsuppressed.
suppressed. With
With
tongue
tongue
in cheek
in cheek
she she
argues
argues that
that women
womenshould
shouldforget
forget their
theirgrievances,
grievances,their
their
unique
unique
percep-
percep-
tions,
tions, and
and separate
separatethemselves
themselvesfromfrom themselves
themselves andand
their
their
works
worksof art.
of art.
Thus,
Thus, while
while she
sheconsciously
consciouslyargues
argues forfor
androgyny
androgyny in terms
in terms
thatthat
willwill
be be
accepted
accepted by
by her
hermale
malepeers,
peers,she,
she,like
like
Galileo,
Galileo,
seems
seems
to whisper
to whisper
a a
rebuttal.
rebuttal. While
Whileweweare
areleft
leftwith
withananambivalent
ambivalent andand
limited
limited
concept
concept
of of
androgyny,
androgyny, we
weare
arealso
alsogiven
giventhe
thetools
toolsto to
go go
beyond
beyondthat.
that.
Like
Like so
so many
manywomen
womenwriters
writerswanting
wantingto to
write
write
from
from
their
their
ownown
experiences
experiences yet
yetknowing
knowingwell
wellthat
thatmen
men will
will
be be
thethe
final
final
arbiters
arbiters
of their
of their
work,
work, Virginia
VirginiaWoolf
Woolfdid
didnot
notpursue
pursuesome
some of of
herher
more
more
radical
radical
insights
insights
into
into the
the writings
writingsofofwomen.
women.IfIfsheshe
had,
had,
sheshewould
would
probably
probably
havehave
out-out-
lined
lined aa much
muchmore
morecomprehensive
comprehensive theory
theoryof of
androgyny,
androgyny,
oneone
which
which
would
would have
have acknowledged
acknowledgedthe
theindividual
individual
differences
differences
of of
women
women
and and
men
men but
but insisted
insistedon
onthe
thevalidity
validityand
and
interdependence
interdependence
of each.
of each.
As it
Asis,
it is,
Woolf
Woolf withdrew
withdrewfromfromthe theimplications
implications ofofthat
that
movemove
andandspoke
spoke
of of
androgyny
androgyny in inthe
thetraditional
traditionalterms
terms which
which equated
equated
thethe
male male
withwith
the the
universal.
universal. We
Wewho whoare
areattempting
attempting totouseuse
androgyny
androgyny as aascritical
a critical
tooltool
must
must be
be aware
awareof ofthese
thesedistinctions
distinctions and
andofofthethe
wayway
in which
in whichWoolfWoolf
defined
defined the
the term.
term.WeWemust
mustbebecareful
carefulto to
distinguish
distinguish
between
betweenbalance
balance
and
and fusion;
fusion; but
butbecause
becauseweweare
arethe
the
heirs
heirsof of
herher
struggle,
struggle,we we
willwill
be be
more
more able
able to
to complete
completeher herquest
questandandtotodevelop
developa fuller
a fullerconcept
concept
of androgyny.
University of Oregon

WOOLF 451

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