On The Emotional Tension In Woolf’s Between The Acts

Virginia Woolf was a distinguished woman writer in modern English literature of the 20 th century. Her novel Between the Acts was written during the outbreak of the Second World War and published in 1941. The whole plot of this novel was enriched in one day in June, 1939 just before the WWⅡ, and within the context of a pageant which was held in a 500-year-old village of the central England. In this novel, people gathered during the pageant, however, they dispersed between the acts. People were in the panic of the incoming war and had their own thoughts. This novel delicately describes all kinds of characters, truthfully records their spiritual longing and indifferent communication between the two world wars and reflects the British’s commonly emotional tension in the crisis-ridden society.The dramaturgical theory has been put forward by the Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman. He believes that everyone has the dual-identity and is constructed by the intended front image and the true background image. When an individual appears in the presence of others, he will self-adjust during his interaction with others in order to present his front image which is in his interest to present. People’s self-confrontation appears during their interaction and thus leads to their emotional tensions. Under the foundation of dramaturgical theory and combined with England’s specific historical background of the two world wars, the emotional tensions among the main characters in Between the Acts deserve to be explored.This thesis takes six typical characters such as Miss La Trobe, Giles, Isa, Lucy, Bart and Mrs. Manresa, and divides them into three groups: the striver, the caged bird and the outsider. It focuses on their emotional tensions and analyzes the complex social phenomena behind these tensions. It points out that their sense of crisis towards the society, oppression in the patriarchy and isolation in the indifferent society are the main reasons which lead to emotional tensions. In introduction, a literature review of the predecessors and a brief introduction to the dramaturgical theory are given. And then three questions are put forward: As conscious strivers, why did Miss La Trobe and Giles grow numb when pursuing their duties? How did Isa and Lucy release themselves when caged in such a traditional family? As the owner of the Pointz Hall, why did Bart try to escape but at the same time merge into the community like Mrs. Manresa? The first chapter is mainly designed to analyze Miss La Trobe and Giles’ emotional tension as strivers when pursuing their duties. They hope to get their lives back on track by hardworking, however, the narrow pursuit of work leads them to neglecting human feelings. They are stressed out when facing with great pressure and the urgent reality. Chapter two explores Isa and Lucy’s emotional tension as caged birds when they are trying to cover their oppression in the family life. Both caged in the patriarchal family, they long for freedom. Such conflict reveals their sense of oppression. Chapter three focuses on Bart and Mrs. Manresa’s emotional tension as outsiders when keeping alienation with others. Though being the man in power of the Pointz Hall, Old Bart never fits in the family like the uninvited guest, Mrs. Manresa does. They are afraid of being penetrated by others, so they keep social distance with others. However, they long for communications. Such contradictory thoughts lead to emotional tensions.By giving a detailed description of different characters, Between the Acts presents the cold and distant relationship between the two world wars. Characters in the Pointz Hall live a well-ordered life, nevertheless, they fill with doubt and dissatisfaction. Their dual-identity faces with severe conflicts. Woolf calls on people to face the war, to rebuild civilization and to cultivate a harmonious mind through the fusion of dual-identity. However, just as the pageant bridges the gap between individuals and releases their feelings temporarily, people still confront with different emotional tensions when they are between the acts. Based on the dramaturgical theory and focusing on emotional tension, this thesis explores characters’ senses of crisis, oppression and isolation in the life of abnormality. Woolf’s reflections towards traditional social values as well as her pursuit of the community and anticipation of establishing harmonious social rules are expressed on the focus of emotional tensions.