TEMPORAL-SPATIAL CANVAS OF CREATIVE SPACE IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S «ORLANDO»

Abstract

This paper studies how the novel «Orlando» by Virginia Woolf presents an intricate narrative that disrupts traditional literary structures through its fluid exploration of time, gender, and reality. While prior analyses have largely focused on the novel’s examination of gender performativity, androgyny, and identity, this study adopts a more comprehensive approach by investigating Woolf’s creation of a distinctive creative space within the novel. This space transcends conventional boundaries, establishing a complex temporal-spatial framework that reflects Woolf’s innovative narrative techniques.
In «Orlando», Woolf manipulates temporal and spatial dimensions, enabling the hero to traverse five centuries of English history and literature with negligible aging. This manipulation challenges the linear progression typical of biographical narratives. The present study posits that Woolf assumes a demiurge-like role, exerting control over these elements to underscore the fluidity and plasticity of existence within the novel. This approach not only critiques rigid societal norms but also serves as a meta-commentary on the evolution of English literature.
The novel’s extensive intertextuality – manifested through interactions with literary figures of Shakespeare, Donne, Pope, and Tennyson – is analysed as a form of literary play reminiscent of Don Quixote. Woolf’s deliberate amalgamation of fact and fiction, coupled with her deployment of vertical and horizontal spatial metaphors, facilitates a nuanced exploration of various literary epochs and their impact on Orlando’s development. This spatial representation, intertwined with the integration of external landscapes and internal psychological states, further obscures the distinction between objective reality and subjective experience, illustrating Woolf’s sophisticated intertwining of character and environment.
So, Woolf’s construction of a narrative that not only exemplifies her mastery of literary techniques but also compels readers to reevaluate conceptions of time, identity, and reality within the context of literary history.