Authors: Associate Professor Dr.D. Sujatha, T. Iswarya
Abstract: This paper examines To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf through a psychological lens, highlighting the novel’s exploration of consciousness, emotional repression, identity, and healing. Drawing from Freudian and Jungian psychoanalytic theories as well as Woolf’s own psychological experiences, the study investigates how inner turmoil, trauma, and mental fragmentation are articulated through narrative techniques such as stream of consciousness and temporal fluidity. The central section titled “Time Passes” is analyzed as a symbolic representation of grief, memory, and the unconscious. The paper explores how Woolf’s use of shifting perspectives and fragmented subjectivity captures the complexities of human psychology. Lily’s artistic journey is interpreted as a path toward individuation and emotional resolution. Through her characters’ psychological introspections, Woolf critiques patriarchal constraints and portrays identity as fluid and relational. The novel’s deep psychological elements are intertwined with motifs of personal grief, loss, and internal conflict. This study also highlights Woolf’s nuanced portrayal of self traumatic exploration, where characters confront suppressed memories and painful realizations within their inner worlds. Ultimately, To the Lighthouse is revealed as a profound meditation on the invisible workings of the mind, offering insight into the intertwined realms of self, memory, trauma, and transformation.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.61463/ijrtssh.vol.3.issue2.160
