Crisis Of Modernity In Virginia Woolf ’s Between The Acts

Between the Acts is Virginia Woolf’s last work.She takes the Second World War and the Great Depression as her novel’s background.It depicts the country life of England in the 20 th century.The novel is explored by scholars from various perspectives,but few people study the crisis of modernity in this novel.This thesis intends to analyze the crisis of modernity in this novel by discussing the isolation and loneliness,loss of faith,and loss of national pride in the village.Firstly,this thesis explores the isolation and loneliness in the village.Through the analysis of isolation and loneliness of the villagers and isolation between the villagers and nature,this thesis argues that the instrumental rationality results in the isolation.Secondly,it analyzes people’s loss of faith in this novel.By analyzing the villagers’ attitude toward religion,this thesis aims to represent that the secularization leads to people’s loss of faith.Finally,this thesis explores the loss of national pride in the village.Miss La Trobe shows the whole picture of British history for the villagers,from prosperity to decay.At first,people are very proud of the achievements which are created by their ancestors.However,they become depressed about the recession of their country and the coming war when they see the “present”.This thesis suggests that the crisis of modernity in this novel mainly reflects in the isolation and loneliness,loss of faith,and loss of national pride in the village.This thesis tries to analyze Virginia Woolf’s profound thinking on modernity crisis based on the view of Hannah Arendt as well as exploring Woolf’s writing purposes.Woolf is aware of those crises in modern society and tries to arouse people and appeals for an orderly and hopeful world.