AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ELEMENTS IN ADELINE VIRGINIA WOOLF’S SELECT NOVELS

A Thesis submitted to BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY for the award of the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ENGLISH

By M. SAHAYA RANI, M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., (Reg.No.025686/Ph.D.2/English/P.T./Jan.2009)

Under the guidance of Dr. K. SUNDARARAJAN, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Associate Professor of English

P.G. AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH A.V.V.M. SRI PUSHPAM COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), (AFFILIATED TO BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY) POONDI-613 503, THANJAVUR DISTRICT TAMIL NADU, INDIA

SEPTEMBER 2012

P.G. AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH A.V.V.M. SRI PUSHPAM COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) POONDI-613 503, THANJAVUR DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA. [Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli]

Dr. K. SUNDARARAJAN, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Associate Professor of English

Date : .09.2012

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis entitled AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ELEMENTS IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S SELECT NOVELS is a bonafide record of research work done by M. SAHAYA RANI in the P.G. and Research Department of English, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur district, under my guidance and supervision, submitted to the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English and that the thesis has not been previously formed the basis for the award to the candidate of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or any other similar title. I further certify that the thesis represents independent work on the part of the candidate.

(K. SUNDARA RAJAN) RESEARCH ADVISER

DECLARATION

I do hereby declare that this work has been originally carried out by me under the supervision of Dr. K. SUNDARARAJAN, Associate Professor, P.G. and Research Department of English, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli and this work has not been submitted elsewhere for any other degree.

September, 2012 Poondi-613 503 (M. SAHAYA RANI)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I extend my sincere gratitude to Sriman K. Thulasi Ayya Vandayar, Secretary and Correspondent, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, for having given me the opportunity to carry out my research in the Department of English in the esteemed institution.

With illimitable pleasure, I express my fervent indebtedness and heartfelt profuse thanks to my research supervisor Dr. K. Sundararajan, who has given me timely, informative and constructive guidance for organizing and executing my research work. It is due to his guidance alone that I was able to compute my research successfully. His vast scholarship in the field of “Virginia Woolf’s Studies” has inspired me. I am grateful to him for his meticulous guidance at each and every stage of this project. I take this opportunity to express my earnest thanks to the principal of this college.

I have to thank the respected Principal Dr. R. Rajendran, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, respectively for having granted me permission to do the research work.

I express my deep sense of gratitude to the Staff, Department of English, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, for their keen interest.

I am grateful and I thank Dr.R.Gowthami, Associate Professor of English, Rajah’s College, Thiruvaiyaru for her intellectual support, constructive criticism and valuable suggestions.

I am deeply indebted to Mr. V.S. Ramakrishnan, H.O.D. of English, Government College, [Men] AUTONOMOUS, Kumbakonam. I became interested in Virginia Woolf’s studies because of a series of lectures given to me by him in 2007-2008 when I did M.Phil, under his able guidance.

v

It is my bounden duty to place on record, my gratitude to Prof. T.Vijayakumari [Rtd.] H.O.D. and Controller of Examinations. Govt. College for Women, Kumbakonam, who motivated me with her favourite dictum ’WORK IS WORSHIP’.

I am bound to profusely thank my father, mother and my children for their whole-hearted co-operation.

I offer my sincere thanks to Nagu Computers, Thanjavur, for their neat work.

I thank the Almighty God for completing my work successfully.

M. SAHAYARANI

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

TEXTUAL NOTE vi

Chapter I INTRODUCTION 1

Chapter II FAMILY INCIDENTS IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S 44 MAJOR NOVELS

Chapter III VIRGINIA WOOLF’S FAMILY DISEASES IN 137 HER SELECT NOVELS

Chapter IV THE SUICIDE OF VIRGINIA WOOLF 189 REFLECTED IN HER MAJOR NOVELS

Chapter V SUMMING UP 229

BIBLIOGRAPHY viii

TEXTUAL NOTE

The thesis has been framed by strictly following the guidelines given in the seventh edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. The following abbreviations are used for indicating name of the primary source immediately after the quotations: LH - To the Lighthouse Mrs. D - Mrs. Dalloway VO - The Voyage Out BIBLIOGRAPHY

PRIMARY SOURCE

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---. (1925) Mrs. Dalloway. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Peacock Books, 1997.

Print.

---. (1927) To the Lighthouse. London: The Hogarth Press, Rpt. 1974.

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WEB ADDRESS http://www.literaturepage.com/read/woolf.html. http://narrative.georgetown.edu/wiki/index.php/stre.of http://www.literaturepage.com/read/woolf-voyage-out.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/virginia-woolf http://www.uv.es/-fores/vwbiob.html/almusawi.com/stud http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nihilism http://www.medicinenet.com http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/v.w-s-note http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ticks/article http://www.kids.health.org.>patents>infection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fits http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peritonitis http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/seasickness http://www.freshwap.net xvi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/anorexia http://www.nightmare.metal.com) http://www.mcmanweb.com/about-mcman.html http://www.medical.siemens.com/webapp/wis/st. http://www.google.co.in/search:define:suicide http://www.en.wikisource.org/wiki/v.w-s-note http://www.shmoop.com/v-wool/

http://www.chasingthefrog.com

http://www.suite.101.com/article.cfm/depression

http://www.guardian.co.uk/-

Chapter – I

Chapter – II

Chapter – III

Chapter – IV

Chapter – V

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Contributions by the Research Scholar