HELEN J. MILLAR
STORIES::
SHORT STORIES
LESSING'S SHORT
DORIS
DORIS LESSING'S
CHOOSE?
TO
RIGHT
WOMAN'S
A
A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE?
has appe
of scholarly
deal
a great
Over
last
decade
a great
deal of
scholarly
criticismcriticism
has appeared
decade
last
the
Overthe
Notebook
more specifically
Golden Notebook
novels,
The Golden
Lessing's
The
Doris
concerning
Doris
Lessing's
novels,
more specifically
concerning
has been
attention
Surprisingly
series.Surprisingly
Children
littlelittle
attention
has been
Children of Violence series.
her
andher
and
sh
although
from cursory
given
her
short
stories
(apart(apart
from cursory
reviews),reviews),
although she
has
stories
short
her
giventoto
in five volumes.
collected
published,
stories
over
stories
published,
collected
in five volumes.
sixty
oversixty
that
Florence
admitted
that
sheshe
waswas
interview
1 admitted
Lessing,
anan
interview
withwith
Florence
HowelHowe
Lessing,inin
in
especially
written,
had
she
what
revised
never
too
"prolific";
she
never
revised
what
she
had
written,
especially
in
her
she
too "prolific";
and concis
strength
have aand
however,
long
TheThe
short
stories,
however,
have a strength
conciseness
stories,
short
novels.
longnovels.
Individually
the longer
that
lacking
in theinlonger
works. works.
Individually
the storiesthe
can stories
lacking
sometimes
thatisissometimes
opinion
anor
an emotion,
clarify
about
an experience,
an emotion,
an opinion
a type ofor a typ
an experience,
about
points
clarifypoints
theme or att
can elucidate
they
person,
and
yetyet
at the
same
time, time,
they can
elucidate
a theme oraattitude
same
at the
and
person,
the novels.
tonovels.
related
that'is
related
to the
closely
that isclosely
that is o
and evennness
Stylistically
thethe
stories
havehave
a simplicity
and evennness
that is often
a simplicity
stories
Stylistically
times
at
novels
the
Where
works.
lost
in
the
bulk
of
Lessing's
other
works.
Where
the
novels
at
times
tend
other
Lessing's
of
bulk
the
in
lost
on the w
short
prose,
towards
cumbersome
and weighty
prose, the
shortthe
stories,
onstories,
the whole,
and weighty
cumbersome
towards
by excessive
not hampered
remain
and
direct.
TheyThey
are not
hampered
by excessive
wordiness, wordin
are
direct.
and
light
remainlight
Les
the bare essentials.
on essentials.
and
scenes
thatthat
are created
dependdepend
on the bare
Lessing's
are created
scenes
the
andthe
once confessed:
as she
strengths,
realism
is is
one
of her
greatgreat
strengths,
as she once
confessed:
of her
one
realism
form of pro
is the highest
II hold
view
thatthat
the the...
... realist
story story
is the highest
form of prose
realist
view
the
holdthe
w
of any comparison
the reach
out
writing;
than
andand
out of
theof
reach
of any comparison
with
than
higher
writing;higher
or any o
naturalism,
symbolism,
expressionism,
impressionism,
symbolism,
naturalism,
or any other
impressionism,
expressionism,
ism.2
ism.2
women
view of
Lessing's
Her
especially
women,
reflectreflect
Lessing's
view of women
and
women,
especially
characters,
Hercharacters,
own vie
herof
withview
themes
their
in in
society.
The The
selected
themes
coincidecoincide
with her own
selected
society.
place
theirplace
is often b
her approach
life,
sociological
and and
psychological,
and her and
approach
is often by the
psychological,
sociological
both
life,both
to genera
from particularity
case
method
wherein
she works
from particularity
to generality.
she works
wherein
method
history
casehistory
writings
herappear
make
This
history
method
can sometimes
make her
writings
moreappear
can sometimes
method
history
case
Thiscase
mu
her trade
of must
tools
like
but,but,
as she
claims,claims,
the toolsthe
of her
trade
be
she herself
as herself
journalism
likejournalism
treated
with great care: with great care: treated
. Wo
and naturally..
simply
Words,
seems,
cancan
no longer
be used
naturally..
. Words
used and
besimply
no longer
seems,
Words,it it
of our exper
the richness
have
so so
inadequate
to express
the richness
of our experience
to express
inadequate
become
havebecome
a bus reverberates
on
that
sentence
overheard
on a bus
reverberates
like words like w
overheard
sentence
simplest
thesimplest
thatthe
a cliff.
shouted
a cliff.3
against
3
shoutedagainst
make s
rather
Yet
does
write
"simply
and naturally";
rather than
makethan
stateand naturally";
"simply
write
does
Lessing
YetLessing
they
they
ments
herher
characters,
she shows
why theywhy
act as
theyact
do.as
Some
of do. So
she shows
characters,
about
mentsabout
emotiona
andrelaphysical
the and
her
successful
shortshort
stories
exploreexplore
the physical
emotional
stories
successful
most
hermost
are those s
outstanding
Especially
tionships
between
menmen
and women.
Especially
outstanding
are those stories
and women.
between
tionships
marriage
view nocan
in Lessing's
dealing
marriage;
it would
seem seem
that in that
Lessing's
view no marriage
it would
marriage;
with
dealingwith
a cataly
acts asfor
help
a relationship;
the bond
marriage
acts as a catalyst
of marriage
bond
theof
a relationship;
sustain
helptotosustain
24
24
this pessimistic
forpessimistic
reason
frustration.
and
dissension,
and
frustration.
The The
reason
for this
dissatisfaction
dissension,dissatisfaction
(as outlined
experiences
personal
own
Lessing's
view
Lessing's
own
personal
experiences
(as outlined
in the in the
lieinin
welllie
maywell
view may
her
One
Quest).
Martha
concerning
novels
loosely
novels
concerning
Martha Quest). One sensessenses
her
autobiographical
looselyautobiographical
an
them
in
sees
she
for
about
writes
she
women
the
of
underlying
criticism
of
the
women
she
writes
about
for
she
sees
in
them
an
criticism
underlying
or
judgments
reasoned
rather
relationships,
emotional
obsession
relationships,
rather
than than
reasoned
judgments
or
withemotional
obsessionwith
lives.
responsible
and
decisions
and
responsible
lives.
independent
forindependent
decisionsfor
psychological)
social
(both
The
freedom
(both
social
and and
psychological)
freedom
Women's
onwomen's
limitationson
The limitations
the deliberate
in
paradox
the
realises
Lessing
are
explored
in
other
stories.
Lessing
realises
the
paradox
in
the
deliberate
are explored in other stories.
path. Her
or middle
no compromise
sees
women
her
choices
her
women
yet yet
sees
no compromise
or middle
path. Her
madebyby
choicesmade
proposition;
a different
marriage
invariably
male
invariably
findfind
marriage
a different
proposition;
however,
characters,however,
male characters,
and more
the alternatives
seealternatives
uncommitted
emotional
relationships
theythey
see the
and more
relationships
emotional
uncommittedtoto
occupations.
and
positions
their
often
than
not
rely
on
themselves,
their
positions
and
occupations.
themselves,
on
rely
not
often than
do not
confessed:
once
Lessing
Speaking
life
Doris
Lessing
once
confessed:
"I do "I
not
Doris
life
own
herown
Speakingofofher
howmarriage,
aboutmarriage,
talents."
Writingabout
my
4Writing
one
think
ofof
my
talents."
howmarriageisisone
thatmarriage
think that
Women"
concerns
5 , concerns
Man
talents.
her
one
ever,
ofof
her
talents.
"A "A
Man
andand
TwoTwo
Women"s
certainlyone
iscertainly
ever, is
are caught
they
howare
and they
friend,
married
mutual
their
and
a
and
their
mutual
married
friend,
and how
caught
couple
marriedcouple
a married
fidelity.
trust
with
desire
in
of of
desire
vievie
with
trust
andand
fidelity.
BothBoth
feelings
wherefeelings
situationwhere
a situation
in a
are secure,
as "real";
these
are
described
as "real";
they they
are secure,
strongstrong
and willand
not will not
described
are
marriages
thesemarriages
marriage
a
in
partner
one
of
nothing
miseries,
easily
be
broken:
"No
marital
miseries,
nothing
of
one
partner
in
a
marriage
easily be broken: "No marital
her friends,
to stay
comes
Stella
when
Yet
victim
90). Yet
when
Stella
comes
to stay
withwith
her friends,
(p.90).
other"(p.
theother"
tothe
victim to
absence;
her husband's
athusband's
"forlorn"
feels
Dorothy
Bradford,
sheshe
feels
"forlorn"
at her
absence;
Bradford,
Jack
andJack
Dorothyand
at her own
is upset
butisshe
reasons
security
she
him
there
for for
security
reasons
but she
upset
at her own
there
him
wants
badlywants
she badly
in from the
comments
as Lessing
is,Lessing
A Ripple
dependence
onon
her
man.
SheShe
is, as
comments
in A
man.
her
dependence
Storm,
Storm,
with anyone
be 'themselves'
never
[the]
who
can
never
be 'themselves'
with anyone
can
who
woman
typeofofwoman
[the] type
not given
orgiven
but
they
have
permanently
or not
their their
permanently
have
they
whom
mantotowhom
theman
but the
space
an empty
is left
there
hearts.
goes
away
there
is left
an empty
space
filled filled
with with
away
goes
man
theman
hearts.IfIfthe
shadows.6
shadows.6
been appalled
had appalled
same
feels
(Betty,
Judith",
feels
the the
same
way;way;
"She"She
had been
Judith",
Friend
"OurFriend
(Betty,inin"Our
she couldn't
a night
away
husband
by
that
if her
husband
waswas
away
for afor
night
she couldn't
if her
that
discovery
thediscovery
by the
she stopped
weeks,
for three.
sleep,•
to to
Australia
for three
weeks,
she stopped
living living
Australia
went
hewent
whenhe
and when
s1eep and
back.")
7 Dorothy,
marriage
cameback."17
until
her
"ideal"
marriage
stif-stif"ideal"
hecame
her
until he
finds
however,finds
Dorothy,however,
off then
go
husband
your
having
nice,
ling:
"I've
been
thinking
it
must
be
nice,
having
your
husband
go
off
then
be
must
it
ling: "I've been thinking
two grown
in grown
awful
something
come
you
think
there's
something
awful
in two
there's
think
you
Don't
back. .. . .Don't
come back
Her new
97).new
(p. Her
twins"
Siamese
people
allall
the
time
likelike
Siamese
twins"
(p. 97).
time
the
together
stucktogether
peoplestuck
But
her husband.
of resentment
feelings
baby
these
feelings
of resentment
for herfor
husband.
But
these
prompts
perhapsprompts
babyperhaps
of
"vision
the
is
it
needs,
sexual
Jack's
when
she
suggests
that
Stella
satisfy
Jack's
sexual
needs,
it
is
the
"vision
of
satisfy
when she suggests that Stella
Stella's
is
Jack
checks
What
the
helpless
baby"
(p.
107)
that
checks
Stella.
What
checks
Jack
is
Stella's
Stella.
checks
that
107)
(p.
baby"
helpless
the
that silly
"screwed
has already
He already
reaction.
nono
"vision"
as as
sheshe
has.has.
He has
"screwed
that silly
"vision"
has
Hehas
reaction.He
do it again.
he could
(p. 100)
sofa"
brocade
bitch
her
brocade
sofa"
(p. 100)
and and
he could
do it again.
her
on
Edithon
LadyEdith
bitch Lady
he
by suggesting
fidelity)
(and
Dorothy
test
hishis
decency
(and
fidelity)
by suggesting
he
decency
test
does
actuallydoes
Dorothyactually
refuses
angry
make
friend.
HeHe
is furiously
angry
whenwhen
StellaStella
refuses
him: him:
is furiOusly
friend.
best
herbest
lovetotoher
makelove
(p. 106).
"Damn
wring
both
your
bloody
necks"
(p. 106).
necks"
bloody
your
both
wring
liketoto
I'dlike
both!I'd
youboth!
"Damn you
part in
a major
plays
The
though
rarely
present,
plays
a major
part in
present,
rarely
though
therefore,
baby,therefore,
The baby,
of
balance
delicate
the
the
story.
It
is
very
nearly
instrumental
in
upsetting
the
delicate
balance
of
upsetting
in
instrumental
nearly
very
the story. It is
old feelings.
up feelings.
the
new
emotions
while
stirring
up old
stirring
while
emotions
new
provokes
friendship;ititprovokes
the friendship;
25
25
This story, then, essentially deals with the tensions in marriage and the
moral dilemmas that both men and women face when personal and individual aspirations and motivations threaten the institution itself. Conversely,
"Not a Very Nice Story" 8 is about the kinds of marriages that survive only
because infidelities and deceits exist.
The title itself echoes comments made by Lessing in 1957 about the
lack of objectivity in contemporary criticism:
At the moment our critics remind me of a lot of Victorian ladies
making out their library lists: this is a "nice" book; or it is not a
"nice" book; the characters are "nice"; or they are not "nice". 9
This story focusses on two marriages "both as happy as marriages are, both
exemplary from society's point of view, containing a shocking flaw, a secret
cancer, a hidden vice" (p. 187). Aman and a woman (Frederick and Muriel)
go outside their own marriages not to "make love but to have sex" with
their friends' marital, partners. But because they think the incident is so
out of character, they don't know "what to feet". Muriel, however, realises
that the essence of her affair is "lack of emotion"; Frederick thinks Muriel
is "intelligent" because she refuses to become emotionally involved. Lack
of emotion can enable one to function on a sensible but sterile level, but
where, the reader may wonder, is the joy in that?
Throughout the story Lessing guides the reader's response by her
own crisp emotionless account of her characters' lives. They are mere
players with little depth; Lessing at one stage even refers to the "script"
(p. 204) in which they all play their parts. As mere players, then, they can
be regarded as representative "types" who embody certain characteristics.
Muriel, lacking any sense of emotional responsibility to her friend or husband, fails as a convincing character because she is too one-sided. But she
does make an interesting contrast to Stella ("A Man and Two Women").
Both women are in the situation where their best friends' husbands want
them. Stella thinks she'll destroy everything if she succumbs to the temptation, anticipating an emotional reaction, her guilt, even before the event.
Muriel, however, is able to separate the physical and emotional sides of
love and have no qualms. We could imagine Stella being consumed by guilt
if Jack did "drag her off into the bushes" (p. 106). But Muriel wouldn't let
it worry her.
Lessing's purpose in this story is to show an extreme view, where
marriage becomes a mere institution in people's lives - nothing more than
a framework for individuals to operate in. It is a bleak picture of modern
marriage, but not so pessimistic as that in "To Room Nineteen", 10 a story
which shows how "intelligence" instead of keeping a marriage functional,
leaves it devoid of all meaning.
The couple in this story constantly live by conventions and the rules
that are a part of them. Frederick had called Muriel "intelligent" because
she refused to become emotionally involved. In Susan and Matthew Rawlings' marriage, however, intelligence rules; in fact, "the marriage was
grounded in intelligence" (p. 253). Like Kate and Michael in Lessing's
had
insight
novel The
the Dark,
Dark, "a
intelligent
Summer Before the
insight
had
dealofofintelligent
The Summer
greatdeal
"a great
dedication
marriage".' ' Their
this
and
gone
and
this
marriage".''Their
dedication
themselves
viewofofthemselves
theirview
into their
gone into
each other
had saved
"they
Lessing:
to convention
mocked
by by
Lessing:
"they
had saved
each other
mocked
gently
conventionisisgently
253).
(p.
"
thing'
'for
realthing' " (p. 253).
the real
'for the
her
to be leading
seems
Susan
From
thethe
course
Susan
takestakes
seems
to be leading
her
course
outset
theoutset
Fromthe
"everything
have
they
straight
Although
they
have
"everything
they they
had had
Although
Nineteen".
RoomNineteen".
"toRoom
straight "to
Dissatisfaction
amiss.
something
is still
wanted
for",
there
is still
something
amiss.
Dissatisfaction
there
for",
planned
hadplanned
andhad
wantedand
the
outside
goes
Matthew
as
gnaws
at
this
"intelligent"
couple.
As
soon
as
Matthew
goes
outside
the
soon
As
gnaws at this "intelligent" couple.
feels
Susan
marriage,
of
years
ten
of
conventions
and
breaks
the
fidelity
of
ten
years
of
marriage,
Susan
feels
fidelity
the
breaks
and
conventions
(p. 258).
mattered"
nothing
"as
a desert,
andand
thatthat
nothing
mattered"
(p. 258).
Like Like
a desert,
become
hadbecome
lifehad
"as ifif life
Plath's
it was
SylviaPlath's
Esther
The
Bell Jar who
inSylvia
The Bell
maybe
maybe
it was
Estherin
"think
beginstoto"think
who begins
like being
it was
children
and
true
married
and
hadhad
children
it was
like being
brain-brainmarried
were
youwere
whenyou
thatwhen
true that
some private,
in private,
a slave
numb
about
washed, and
you
went
about
numb
as a as
slave
in some
went
you
afterwards
andafterwards
washed,
state",
12 Susan,
n, gradually
totalitarian
and
panic-stricken,
gradually
totalitarianstate",12
panic-stricke
and
tense
feelingtense
Susan,feeling
to explain
Unable
children.
withdraws
husband
and
herher
children.
Unable
to explain
to herto her
and
husband
her
fromher
withdrawsfrom
with
obsessed
becomes
she
husband
why
she
feels
like
a
prisoner,
she
becomes
obsessed
with
her
ownher own
prisoner,
a
husband why she feels like
takes on
escape
cannot
she
which
tension
ideas
of
freedom.
(The
feeling
of
tension
which
she
cannot
escape
takes
on
of
feeling
(The
freedom.
of
ideas
"I must-dress-Janetdisease":
a form
Wulf's
"housewife's
disease":
"I must-dress-Janet"housewife's
WuIf's
Anna
similartotoAnna
form similar
- breakfastMichael's
- school
get
- breakfast
- her
- offoff
- to- to
- school
- get- get
Michael's
- breakfast- hersend
breakfast- -send
herget -- her
13
irrational
own
her
Later
Susan
sees
her
own
irrational
sees
.-etc.
Susan
3
")
Later
-out-of-tea-etc
don't-forget-I'm-out-of-tea-etc.-etc.")'
I'm
don't-forgetit
she explains
Andexplains
a demon.
fears
the
garden,
in the
formform
of a of
demon.
And she
it
in the
garden,
the
materializeinin
fears materialize
in her
go own
the devils
as
when
she
hashas
seen
the devils
comecome
and goand
in her
flat:own flat:
seen
she
when
does
Annadoes
as Anna
me.
inside
were
anxiety
"The
the
terror,
thethe
anxiety
were
not not
inside
me ...
terror,
the
fear,
thefear,
Asififthe
devils.As
"The devils.
go"
and
come
to
moments
its
but
some
force
from
outside
which
chose
its
moments
to
come
and
go"
chose
which
but some force from outside
is
self
irrational
her
that
aware
become
(p.
589).
Nevertheless,
Susan
does
become
aware
that
her
irrational
self
is
does
Susan
,
Nevertheless
(p. 589).
in Golden
by Ella
Golden Noteexplained
The
leading
of of
madness
explained
by Ella
in The
madness
kind
thekind
hertotothe
leadingher
you know
thatknow
something
doing
toto
stop
yourself
doing
something
that you
yourself
stop
book as
able
beingable
"notbeing
as "not
230).
(p.
to be
irrational"(p. 230).
be irrational"
feels herself
sheherself
Nineteen,
to Room
As
takes
herher
nearer
to Room
Nineteen,
she feels
nearer
takes
path
Susan'spath
As Susan's
room
has
sense
14 When
become
sense".
she
actually
has
herher
room
actually
she
"Laingian"
. When
dividedinina a"Laingian"
becomedivided
nothing
means
world
"real"
hotel,
booked
inin
Fred's
hotel,
thethe
"real"
world
means
nothing
Fred's
herself
forherself
regularlyfor
tooked regularly
who sugher husband,
byhusband,
out
is sought
to her,
when
Susan
is sought
out by
her
who sugSusan
when
only
andit itisisonly
her,and
breathes
entirely,
herself
resigns
she
that
gests
he
meet
her
mythical
lover,
that
she
resigns
herself
entirely,
breathes
lover,
mythical
her
meet
he
gests
river".
dark
"into
drifts
and
the
drifts
offoff
"into
thethe
dark
river".
lungsand
herlungs
intoher
gas into
the gas
reaction
diverse
the most
roused
This
than
any
other,
hashas
roused
the most
diverse
reaction
other,
any
than
more
story,more
This story,
Zero"
"Near
article
his
in
among
Lessing's
critics.
Robert
Taubman
in
his
article
"Near
Zero"15
Taubman
Robert
among Lessing's critics.
Yet Lessing
of choice.
attacks
considering
thethe
possibility
of choice.
Yet Lessing
is
possibility
considering
not
fornot
Susanfor
attacksSusan
any
that denies
of events
a chain
convincing
thethe
experience
as aas
chain
of events
that denies
any
experience
relating
convincingininrelating
Lessing
"choice",
of
matter
this
alternative
Concerning
this matter of "choice", Lessing
Concerning
character.
hercharacter.
forher
alternativefor
in 1972:
of women
group
declared
toto
a large
group
of women
in 1972:
a large
lecture
declaredininaalecture
This is
to choose.
be free
We
illusion
that
wewe
cancan
be free
to choose.
This is
that
illusion
the
underthe
liveunder
We live
an authority
byauthority
is taught
dogma.
children
areare
taught
is taught
by an
taught
children
Everything
dogma.Everything
is never
Yetishe
standing
quoting
other
authority
figures.
Yet he
never
figures.
authority
other
quoting
him
beforehim
standingbefore
X and
by
taught
truth
told
that
what
he
is
taught
is
a
small
limited
truth
taught
by
X
and
limited
small
a
is
taught
is
he
what
that
told
experiences
not
must
learn
to trust
theirtheir
ownown
experiences
and and
to trust
learn
must
People
V.. .. .People
byY.
not by
now.'
that is
now.'
matters
thatmatters
66
allthat
is all
that
27
But "choice" itself, in this story, as Lessing shows, does have a cer tain sense of inevitability. Matthew and Susan Rawlings are presented to us
as a couple who people felt "had chosen;this balanced and sensible family
was no more than what was due to them because of their infallible sense of
choosing right" (p. 254). But their "intelligent" marriage was society's,
not their own idea of a successful marriage. Susan's "freedom" becomes
limited to those areas of her life that don't matter to her. As she becomes
a "split" being, the existence she drifts into' loses all reality for her and
only the "appearance" of herself to others remains; all she can see in the
end is chaos. Suicide, then, was the only real choice she could make because
she had lost "herself". Her voluntary death was the only way she felt she
could assert herself in a perverted act of freewill. Ella, in The Go/den Notebook, comes to a similar conclusion when she is thinking of the novel she
will write about the suicide of her main character:
The moment of death would also be the moment when the real continuity of his life would be understood - a continuity not of order,
discipline, practicality, commonsense, but of unreality. It would be
understood, at the moment of death, that the link between the dark
need for death, and death itself, had been the wild, crazy fantasies
of a beautiful life; and that the commonsense and the order had
been . . . symptoms of sanity, but intimations of madness (p. 182).
Susan, in destroying herself, encompasses this "continuity of unreality".
Webster Schott in his article "The Purpose of Life" claims that:
[the] meaning of the act [Susan's suicide] reverberates to the plump
upper-middle-class British life that denies women of awareness a purpose beyond the pleasuring of men and the begetting of children. 1
'
Is there, then, the inference here that women in a lower social class, with
less time to think and brood about their lot would not suffer the same fate?
The story "He", from an earlier collection, The Habit of Loving' 8
tells of a woman whose whole existence depends on her home and husband. Without his presence her life is utterly miserable and meaningless. It
is a depressing little piece conveying that feeling of injustice that a housewife has after caring for husband and family for many years. Unlike Kate
Brown or Susan Rawlings, however, Annie Blake is a working-class woman
who has "slaved" her life out for her "man and kids" (p. 185). A "terrible
feeling of injustice" grips Annie. It is the same feeling that Kate experienced
when she was no longer needed to "nanny" other people. Kate felt "the
injustice, the pain of it, which had been waiting for her all these last years"
(Summer, p. 56). Having been conditioned to slave for her family, Annie is
lost when the responsibility is taken from her. Yet although she knows
that her husband is unhappy with his tiew wife ("He's fed up and sick of
that - cow"), she cannot bring herself to humbly take him back into her
life. She is torn between what she wants and what she will have to sacrifice
to get it (her pride). He is the one who still dominates her life even in his
absence. And the future for Annie looks bleak: "I'm forty-five, and I might
as well be on the dust heap" (p. 188). Kate, at forty-five, also felt "she
28
full houseaway
a dwindling
much
nothing
could
much
butbut
a dwindling
away
fromfrom
full houseforwardtotonothing
lookforward
could look
old"(Summer,
11).
p.11).
gettingold"
intogetting
(Summer,p.
hold
activity into
hold activity
time with
to come
seems
there
important;
then,
factor,
The
then,
is is
important;
there
seems
to come
a timeawith
agefactor,
The age
is no longer
energy
the woman's
when
classes,
Lessing's
of of
all all
classes,
when
the woman's
energy
is no longer
women
Lessing'swomen
up
The giving
or responsibilities.
pressures
marital
needed
either
marital
pressures
or responsibilities.
The giving
up
either
sustain
neededtotosustain
an emotional
create
it entails
sacrifice
of
and
thethe
sacrifice
it entails
create
an emotional
predi- prediand
responsibilities
theresponsibilities
of the
her housework.
in housework.
energy"
cament.
use
her
"furious
energy"
onlyonly
in her
WhenWhen
"furious
her
use
can
Anniecan
cament.Annie
angeriswhich is
an which
her anger,
takes
the
arrives
he he
takes
the the
bruntbrunt
of herofanger,
an anger
arrives
ex-husband
the ex-husband
and vulnerown weak
her weak
atown
disgust
humiliation
more
of of
humiliation
andand
disgust
at her
and vulnerexpression
anexpression
morean
speaking
bespeaking
mightbe
WuIf,ininThe
AnnaWulf,
Notebook,might
ofof
Go/denNotebook,
position..Anna
TheGo/den
able position..
able
has towards
shetowards
thathas
feeling
a similar
rationalise
Annie
tries
to to
rationalise
a similar
feeling
that she
tries
she
whenshe
Anniewhen
Michael:
Michael:
the course
incourse
Long
to him.
But
not
related
to him.
Long
ago,ago,
in the
of theof the
related
not
angerisis
theanger
But the
the anger,
the resentment,
I learned
Sugar,
sessions
Sugar,
I learned
that that
the resentment,
the anger,
Mother
withMother
sessionswith
canitsee
our time.
in time.
of women
disease
the
is
isis
the
disease
of women
in our
I canIsee
in it in
impersonal.It It
is impersonal.
to
that come
the letters
inletters
everyday,
voices,
women's
their
voices,
everyday,
or inor
the
that come
to
their
faces,
women'sfaces,
an
injustice,
against
resentment
the
emotion:
resentment
against
injustice,
an
emotion:
woman's
Thewoman's
office.The
the office.
it is impernot know
do know
ones
unlucky
The
impersonal
The
unlucky
ones
whowho
do not
it is imperpoison.
impersonalpoison.
329).
men
their
against
sonal,
their
men
(p. (p.
329).
turnititagainst
sonal,turn
win either
cannot
ones".
unlucky
"the
Annie
one
of of
"the
unlucky
ones".
She She
cannot
win either
one
presumably
ispresumably
Annie is
injustices,
the
to
herself
submit
will
she
finally
way.
that
finally
she will submit herself to the injustices,
that
see
cansee
wecan
Yetwe
way. Yet
or choice
no alternative
see
can no
because
stoically
her
lot,lot,
because
she she
can see
alternative
or choice
her
accepting
stoicallyaccepting
whatsoever.
whatsoever.
of "luck"
a matter
fiction
Lessing's
IfIf successful
in in
Lessing's
fiction
are are
a matter
of "luck"
relationships
successfulrelationships
them, more
against
dice loaded
the loaded
to have
tend
then
tend
to have
the dice
against
them, more
characters
femalecharacters
thenfemale
partners.
to unsuitable
themselves
often
because
they
commit
themselves
to unsuitable
partners.
commit
they
because
not
thannot
oftenthan
the woman
ofwoman
likelihood
is little
there
made
Once
is is
made
there
is little
likelihood
of the
commitment
thiscommitment
Once this
and
happiness
though
accordingly,
situation
changing
herher
situation
accordingly,
eveneven
though
happiness
and
adjusting
changingororadjusting
departure.
husband's
a
by
created
vacuum
a
in
fulfilment
cannot
survive
in
a
vacuum
created
by
a
husband's
departure.
survive
fulfilment cannot
marriage
outside
of fulfilment
some
seek
When
seek
some
kindkind
of fulfilment
outside
marriage
does
womandoes
Whenaawoman
the change,
is unsatisfactory)
husband
with
(because
with
her her
husband
is unsatisfactory)
the change,
relationship
herrelationship
(becauseher
an African
InAfrican
worse.
often
can
especially
can
often
be be
for for
thethe
worse.
In an
story,story,
emotionally,
especiallyemotionally,
and loneliness
of isolation
Grange"9
pressures
"Lucy Grange"'
how
"Lucy
9 Lessing
shows
how
pressures
of isolation
and loneliness
Lessingshows
the expense
her husband
towards
can
attitude
towards
her husband
at theat
expense
of mari-of mariattitude
woman's
affectaawoman's
can affect
nearest
from
miles
"fifty
a farm
tal fidelity.
onon
a farm
"fifty
miles
from
the the
nearest
living
Grange,living
LucyGrange,
fidelity.Lucy
of contact
feeling
individuality
maintain
town"
maintain
herher
individuality
andand
feeling
of contact
strugglestoto
71)struggles
(p.71)
town" (p.
of work
nature
the harsh
where
environment
with
in in
anan
environment
where
the harsh
nature
of work
world,
outsideworld,
theoutside
with the
and selfher self-respect
To retain
can
relationships.
To retain
her self-respect
and selfrelationships.
human
sterilisehuman
can sterilise
appearance
physical
her outward
for outward
confidence
is is
determined
to care
for her
physical
appearance
to care
determined
Lucy
confidenceLucy
neighbours.
her female
reaction
envious
despite
yet
envious
reaction
fromfrom
her female
neighbours.
One One
yet
scornful
thescornful
despitethe
gloves
wearing
patch
vegetable
Lucy
woman
Lucy
in in
thethe
vegetable
patch
wearing
gloves
full offull of
found
claims:"I"Ifound
woman claims:
another
ordered
"Lucy
comments:
cold
other
comments:
"Lucy
has has
ordered
another
dress dress
pat- patother
One
cream".One
cold cream".
the second-rate,
to accept
refuses
tern
71).
ButBut
sheshe
refuses
to accept
the second-rate,
to loseto lose
71).
(p.
town"(p.
fromtown"
tern from
"abdication
forces
who
arrives,
visitor
her
arrives,
who
forces
herher
"abdication
fromfrom
untila avisitor
individuality,until
her individuality,
"satisfactory
other
the
unlike
is
she
her
standards",
precisely
because
she
is
unlike
the
other
"satisfactory
solid solid
because
precisely
standards",
her
and
asserted
which
women
femininity
which
waswas
asserted
onceonce
and for
allfor
by all
a by a
femininity
their
withtheir
women... .. .with
29
29
mouth".
across
red
scrawlofofred
clumsy
across
thethe
mouth".
clumsyscrawl
a woman
insidious
shown
In
has
shown
the the
insidious
way way
a woman
can becan be
has
Lessing
storyLessing
thisstory
In this
no control.
she
circumstances
taken
ofof
through
circumstances
over over
whichwhich
she has
nohas
control.
through
advantage
takenadvantage
(Hardy
of Lucy's
a part
is all
The
is all
a part
of Lucy's
fate fate
(Hardy
treatstreats
certaincertain
stranger
anonymousstranger
The anonymous
that instincof death
bird
the of
vulture,
is the
characters
way):
hehe
is the
vulture,
the bird
death
that instincway):
same
thesame
charactersthe
indictment
a harsh
weakest.
tively
prey
is is
at at
its its
weakest.
It isIta is
harsh
indictment
from from
prey
his
whenhis
knowswhen
tively knows
in
and belief
integrity
a woman's
a destroyer
man,
Lessing
aa
man,
a destroyer
of aofwoman's
integrity
and belief
in
such
forsuch
Lessingfor
Lucy
solitude,
for
longs
Rawlings
Susan
While
herself
While
Susan
Rawlings
longs for solitude, Lucy
marriage.
hermarriage.
andher
herselfand
relationship
an adulterous
solitude
her
Grange
byby
her
solitude
intointo
an adulterous
relationship
with awith a
driven
Grangeisisdriven
her marthe fidelity
"standards"
own
stranger
ofof
her
own
"standards"
andand
the fidelity
of herofmarher
cost
thecost
atthe
strangerat
riage.
riage.
its expecit, rarely
about
writes
Marriage,
Lessing
writes
about
it, rarely
liveslives
up toup
its to
expecLessing
then,asas
Marriage,then,
synoseems,
it
not,
are
happiness
and
marriage
tations
in
modern
society:
marriage
and
happiness
are
not,
it
seems,
synosociety:
modern
tations in
of
65
page
a summary
from
standasas
Summer
passage
nymous.
from
page
65 of
might
a summary
mightstand
Thispassage
Summer
nymous.This
stories:
short
these
views
Lessing'sviews
of Lessing's
of
inin
these
short
stories:
and Michael
she [Kate]
because
marriage
This
marriage
because
bothboth
she [Kate]
and Michael
had had
happy
wasaahappy
This was
of discontent,
early
understood,
very
early
on,on,
thatthat
the the
corecore
of discontent,
or of or of
very
and
understood,and
marmodern
of every
part
unfailingly
hunger,
isis
unfailingly
part
of every
modern
marwhich
like,which
youlike,
hunger,ififyou
It
marriage.
Or with
partner.
either
with
riage
toto
dodo
with
either
partner.
Or with
marriage.
It
nothing
hadnothing
riage..•.. .had
of
to expect
educated
people
what
was
by by
what
people
werewere
educated
to expect
of
heightened
andheightened
fedand
was fed
of ordinary
the texture
because
great
marriage,
was
a very
great
dealdeal
because
the texture
of ordinary
a very
was
which
marriage,which
on
load heaped
a heaped
. Marriage
life
unsatisfactory.
Marriage
had had
had ahad
load
on
unsatisfactory
and
thinand
wasthin
life was
sustain.
notsustain.
couldnot
itit which
whichititcould
this view.
precisely
demonstrate
The
their
own
way,
demonstrate
precisely
this view.
Les- Lesway,
own
their
stories,inin
shortstories,
The short
therefore
fulfilment
happiness
sing's
onon
marriage
for for
happiness
and and
fulfilment
therefore
marriage
relying
women,relying
sing's women,
the probrealises
Lessing,
And
remain
institution.
And
for for
Lessing,
whowho
realises
the probinstitution.
the
victimsofofthe
remainvictims
solution.
lem,
to to
bebe
no no
solution.
seems
thereseems
lem,there
problems.
women
But
treat
those
women
whowho
face face
problems
outsideoutside
those
treat
Lessing
doesLessing
howdoes
But how
then
andrely
choose
it seems,
women,
the
Some
women,
it seems,
choose
and then
on rely on
Some
marriage?
contextofofmarriage?
the context
prefer
others
while
of identity,
husbands
them
some
kind
of identity,
while
others
prefer
to let to let
kind
some
them
give
husbandstotogive
in society.
status
their
their
determine
their
status
in society.
determine
position
andposition
workand
their work
in
who appears
designer,
theatrical
Barbara
aa
talented
young
theatrical
designer,
who appears
in
young
talented
Coles,
BarbaraColes,
husband,
List"
rather
20 , is
ShortList"20
work,
theShort
Of fthe
"One
work,
rather
thanthan
husband,
whose
"One Off
womanwhose
is aawoman
howher success,
Because
in her
establishes
asas
a woman
in her
ownown
right.right.
Because
of her of
success,
howa woman
her
establishesher
d-interviewer
journalist-turne
mediocre
a
of
ever,
she
becomes
the
victim
of
a
mediocre
journalist-turned-interviewer
victim
the
becomes
ever, she
first entheirenIn first
manoeuvre
out
who
sets
out
to to
manoeuvre
her her
into into
bed. bed.
In their
sets
determinedly
who determinedly
himself.
introduces
Spence
Graham
when
cool
counter,
politely
cool
when
Graham
Spence
introduces
himself.
politely
Barbaraisis
counter,Barbara
and "careless",
is casual
hostile,
Her
him,
although
not not
hostile,
is casual
and "careless",
although
him,
towards
reactiontowards
Her reaction
her,
forfor
a match
he
thinking
into
enough
Spence
into
thinking
he is
a is
match
for her,
hefor he
Spence
provoke
toprovoke
enoughto
is to be
Ironically
women.
"understands"
fancies
aa
man
who
"understands"
women.
Ironically
it is toitbe
who
man
as
himselfas
fancieshimself
own
his
causes
that
with.women
inexperience
his
of instinct
with.women that causes his own humi- humiandinexperience
instinctand
lackof
his lack
failure.
and failure.
liation and
liation
sets up
immediately
of seduction
game
little
His
inin
hishis
little
game
of seduction
immediately
sets up
tactic
openingtactic
His opening
her make
to let
refuses
not only
He only
Barbara.
a barrier
himself
and
Barbara.
He not
refuses
to let her
make
and
himself
between
barrierbetween
what she
andshe
he decides
butdecides
the
where
they
willwill
go, go,
but he
wherewhere
and what
they
where
about
choiceabout
the choice
rules
the
and
is,
game
his
what
realising
will
drink,
and
how
much.
Barbara,
realising
what
his
game
is,
and
the
rules
Barbara,
much.
how
and
will drink,
,
I]
30
like that,
"Very
to him:
he
herself
to him:
"Very
well,well,
he'she's
like that,
then then
all all
herself
resigns
by,resigns
abideby,
toabide
is to
he is
when
is
It
17).
(p.
with..."
over
it
get
and
right,
I'll
do
what
he
wants
and
get
it
over
with.
.
."
(p.
17).
It
is
when
wants
right, I'll do what he
control
he cannot
is slipping
over
control
his
Spence
control
over
herher
is slipping
(for (for
he cannot
control
thathis
feelsthat
Spencefeels
takes
sleep
shethinks)
to to
sleep
withwith
her her
takes
determination"
whatshe
"colddetermination"
the"cold
what
thinks) that
that the
hate her.
he begins
the more
becomes,
over.
hishis
position
becomes,
the more
he begins
to hateto
her.
position
weaker
theweaker
Butthe
over.But
eyes, open
greenopen
great eyes,
"her green
ofgreat
a glimpse
In
clinch,
he he
catches
a glimpse
of "her
catches
clinch,
desperate
In aadesperate
more than
anything
disliked
never
he had
and
his,
he he
knew
he had
never
disliked
anything
more than
knew
his,
beneath
dismalbeneath
and dismal
(p. 27).
to him"
repulsive
were
those
They
were
repulsive
to him"
(p. 27).
They
eyes.
'jewelled'eyes.
those 'jewelled'
his
anticipating
the game,
in game,
move
final
When
thethe
final
move
in the
anticipating
his
announces
Barbaraannounces
WhenBarbara
him
see
can
everyone
where
theatre
intention
to
escort
her
back
to
the
theatre
where
everyone
can
see
him
the
to
back
intention to escort her
he
stupidity.
his own
with
does
notnot
comprehend
his own
stupidity.
After After
he
comprehend
does
still
Spencestill
her,Spence
with her,
"her eyes;
sees
Spence
last thing
the thing
"hands
to to
herher
colleagues,
the last
Spence
sees are
"herare
eyes;
colleagues,
over"
herover"
"handsher
first instance
theinstance
had
eyes
same
sullen
(p.(p.
33);
those same
eyes
that that
had in
theinfirst
33);those
boredom"
withboredom"
sullenwith
p.
schoolgirl"
a
of
face
the
in
attracted
him
so
strongly
("emerald-like
eyes
in
the
face
of
a
schoolgirl"
p.
eyes
attracted him so strongly ("emerald-like
him.
repelhim.
7),
now repel
7), now
lity theme
the appearance/rea
reinforces
The
imagery
reinforces
the appearance/reality
theme
imagery
eye
recurrenteye
The recurrent
is but
he how
not what
Spence
of
concerns
Spence
the the
mostmost
is notiswhat
he is but
hehow he
concerns
What
story.What
thestory.
of the
be "seen
to
only
wanted
he
that
decided
had
appears
to
others.
Initially
he
had
decided
that
he
wanted
only
to
be
"seen
he
appears to others. Initially
affair
a brief
have
might
. He
public..He
out
might
have
a brief
affair
with with
this this
timesininpublic...
fewtimes
heraafew
with her
out with
an affair.
appearance
woman, but
than
notnot
it was
thethe
appearance
of anofaffair...
he . . he
it was
than
often
moreoften
butmore
woman,
his male
where
the pubs
woman
would
ofof
taking
thisthis
woman
intointo
the pubs
where
his male
taking
point
makeaapoint
would make
pub she
the
into
Barbara
colleagues
(p.(p.
10).
ButBut
he he
refuses
to take
Barbara
into the
pub
she
to take
refuses
10).
went"
colleagueswent"
him
recognise
would
her,
with
him
chooses
because
her
colleagues,
seeing
him
with
her,
would
recognise
him
seeing
colleagues,
her
because
chooses
that
role,
real role
journalist,that
as
is,is,
hishis
real
role,
thethe
wayway
imagined
as aa journalist,
hisimagined
insteadofofhis
role instead
for making
His concern
that
asas
Barbara's
companion.
His concern
for making
"im- "imcompanion.
Barbara's
himself,
seeshimself,
hesees
that he
eyes,
Lessing's
through
pressions",
"pose"
is so
and,and,
seenseen
through
Lessing's
eyes, his
real his real
so false
is false
!'pose"
his
pressions",his
the imgive
to
himself
allows
he
position
is
ludicrous
and
contradictory
—
he
allows
himself
to
give
the
imcontradictory
and
ludicrous
is
position
and father",
the husband
dependable;
pression
settled,
dependable;
the husband
and father",
yet he yet he
settled,
"being
pressionofof"being
and mother)
a wife
settled;
treats
is,is,
byby
thethe
way,
alsoalso
settled;
a wife
and mother)
like a like a
way,
(who
Barbara(who
treats Barbara
reassures
image
whose
man
a
of
that
prostitute.
His
own
view
of
himself,
that
of
a
man
whose
image
reassures
prostitute. His own view of himself,
the impression
giveimpression
to the
he does
women, isiscompletely
misguided.
ForFor
if heif does
wantwant
to give
misguided.
completely
women,
pursuing
place,
the first
in first
is he,
of
why
is he,
in the
place,
pursuing
Bar- Barwhy
dependable",
"settled,dependable",
being"settled,
of being
alacrity?
suchalacrity?
withsuch
bara
bara with
to him,
administered
When
acts
like
a prostitute("she
administered
to him,
a prostitute("she
like
acts
finally
Barbarafinally
When Barbara
consoles
afterwards
him"),
she
to to
please
him"),
and and
afterwards
consoles
him forhim
his for his
please
herself
settingherself
wassetting
she was
"a proper
to call
is call
inability
reaction
is to
her her
"a proper
little little
slut".slut".
reaction
Spence's
perform,Spence's
toperform,
inabilityto
one.isThis is
likeThis
actsone.
she like
when
He
a whore
yetyet
hates
her her
when
she acts
hates
a whore
like
herlike
treatsher
He treats
her character's)
contempt
surely
of of
showing
herher
ownown
contempt
(and (and
her character's)
showing
way
Lessing'sway
surelyLessing's
the winning
for
in in
society.
Barbara,
however,
holdsholds
the winning
however,
Barbara,
society.
standard
doublestandard
thedouble
for the
The story
t. story
non-involvemen
card
—- her
and
non-involvement.
The
rarely rarely
and
detachment
herdetachment
end
theend
inthe
cardin
response
the reader's
controls
Lessing
dips
and
in in
thisthis
way,
Lessing
controls
the reader's
response
way,
and
mind
hermind
intoher
dips into
reader,
the
to
feelings
to
Spence.
Lessing
won't
divulge
Barbara's
feelings
to
the
reader,
just
as just as
Barbara's
divulge
to Spence. Lessing won't
so Barbara
Spence.
Barbara
toto
show
anyany
open
feeling
towards
Spence.
And soAnd
Barbara
towards
feeling
open
show
refuses
Barbararefuses
and
by a zealous
Coles
undaunted
despite
the attack
on heron
by her
a zealous
and
the attack
despite
undaunted
emerge
doesemerge
Colesdoes
speaks
women
egotistical
stands
apart
from
the the
women
AnnaAnna
Wulf WuIf
speaks
of in of in
from
apart
stands
She
male.She
egotisticalmale.
The
Notebook.Barbara
GoldenNotebook.
The Golden
takes
her
work
firstfirst
andand
takes
menmen
as as
work
her
"put
does"put
Barbaradoes
31
4
they come" (p. 312).
Maureen Jeffries from "Between Men" 21 , however, is concerned
only to work so that she can meet men. At the age of thirty-nine, Maureen,
who has lived without marriage, finds that her "career", that of mistress
to various men, "all of them eminent or at least potentially eminent" (p.
150), has come to a standstill. As she looks back on her past affairs she sees
the pattern of her voluntary subjugation to her lovers' demands, at the expense of her own work as an artist: "she had never put her own talent,
painting, first but always the career of whichever man she was living with"
(p. 151). She is consoled, however, by a fellow "professional beauty",
Peggy, whose husband, Tom Bayley (one of Maureen's ex-lovers), has just
left her for a "pretty, sweet and dumb", but pregnant art student. With
the help of a bottle of brandy, the two women pour their hearts out to
each other, both bitter and sarcastic about their present predicaments. The
relationship they share is similar to that between Ella and Julia in The Go!den Notebook: "they are now friends on the basis of an aspect of their relationship which had always been subordinate before - criticism for men"
(p. 439). Maureen's confessions reveal the frustrations and humiliations
that she has experienced with the men she has lived with: "Not one of
those men did anything but make fun, or patronize me. . . all of them in
one way or another" (p. 158).
What she doesn't confess is that she has chosen to let herself be
treated like this (as Peggy points out). By becoming financially and emotionally dependent on men, she has abandoned her Own talents. The reason
for this self-denial seems to indicate Maureen's determination to gain some
kird of status from her relationships; for instance, she had achieved a cer tain status being the mistress of Jack Boles. The affair had been pubticised
for months in the newspapers ("famous film director shares flat in Cannes
with the painter Maureen Jeffries"). Yet she realises as soon as she leaves
the flat she will "step out, also, of the world of international money and
prestige" (p. 151). But, this is the world in which the male holds the power
and status, where emotional attachments are threatened and have little
chance of surviving, as evidenced by Maureen's eleven affairs. In The Golden Notebook, Anna comments: "[People] are refusing emotion because
at the end of emotion are property, money, power" (p. 529). Maureen,
however, cannot live without emotipnal attachments. When she is "between
men", herlife has no meaning. Ella, Anna's fictionalized self, sees the problem clearly:
Women's emotions are all fitted for a kind of society that no longer
exists. My deep emotions, my real ones, are to do with my relationship with a man... I ought to be like a man, caring more for my work
than for people; I ought to put my work first, and take men as they
come, or find an ordinary comfortable man for bread and butter
reasons - but I won't do it, I can't be like that... (p. 312).
Maureen, like Ella, "can't be like that"; as well, she will not be satisfied
with "an ordinary comfortable man".
32
the essential
expressed
Lessing
in 1972,
In
York
in 1972,
Lessing
expressed
the essential
York
New
interviewininNew
aninterview
In an
met a man
never
"I've met
and women:
it between
sees
difference,
sees
it between
menmen
and women:
"I've never
a man
she
asshe
difference,as
I've
and
affair
love
a
have
to
who
would
stop
his
work
entirely
in
order
to
have
a
love
affair
and
I've
order
in
entirely
work
who would stop his
would
lovers
lovers
would
22 None
wouldn't."
Maureen's
ofMaureen's
who
Noneof
woman
never
who
wouldn't."22
metaawoman
nevermet
the advantages
because
have
their
work
for for
her,her,
precisely
because
of theof
advantages
precisely
work
their
abandoned
haveabandoned
world.
in their
them,
against
that
them,
never
them,
in their
world.
nveragainst
them,
for
operatefor
that operate
and suggests
leftsuggests
a choice
But
sees
there
is ais
choice
left and
that thethat
twothe two
there
sees
least
Peggyatatleast
But Peggy
that Maureen
nevertheless,
It is clear,
together.
women set
dress
shop
together.
It is clear,
nevertheless,
that Maureen
shop
dress
upa a
setup
women
the more
however,
drinks,
more
will
thethe
more
sheshe
drinks,
however,
the more
the the
convincing;
lotofofconvincing;
takeaalot
will take
of
imagined
her
appealing
more
world
and
thethe
more appealing her imagined worldworld
of
and
away
slipsaway
realityslips
ofreality
world of
it
because
reality
the
from
over
takes
the
future
becomes
—
the
appearance
takes
over
from
the
reality
because
it
appearance
the
becomes
the future
they are
whatare
that they
still aware
is aware
is
proposition.
YetYet
sheshe
is still
that what
proposition.
attractive
anattractive
suchan
is such
"Genus"
(p. 160).
genius"
genus,
some
damned
genus,
genius"
(p. 160).
"Genus"
damned
good at
some
good
"bolshtringupup
is "bolshtring
at is
that Maureen
indicate
it may
may
Freudian
slip,
butbut
it may
alsoalso
indicate
that Maureen
thinks thinks
slip,
Freudian
beena a
havebeen
may have
on page
misgivings,
Wulf's
Anna
all
with
nono
exceptions.
Anna
Wulf's
misgivings,
on page
exceptions.
with
same
thesame
arethe
menare
all men
Maureen's:
ofThe
Golden Notebook,
Notebook, illuminate
470 of
The Golden
470
illuminateMaureen's:
the strength
women
in other
II am
in in
myself
andand
in other
women
at theatstrength
myself
amazed,
alwaysamazed,
amalways
we
asdo
living
is ironical,
This
of
men
up.up.
This
is ironical,
living
as we
in do
a in a
men
bolster
needtotobolster
our need
of our
truth
the
For
etc.
"castrating",
time
of
men's
criticising
us
for
being
"castrating",
etc.
For
the
truth
being
for
us
criticising
men's
time of
as a man
man
up aas
to build
is,
this
deep
instinctive
needneed
to build
up a man
a man
instinctive
deep
this
have
womenhave
is, women
of the
out
move
. I can't
.• .. .. what
is is
my
willingness.
. . I.can't
move
out of
the
willingness.
my
me
terrifiesme
whatterrifies
along
I just
started,
situation
I just
go go
along
withwith
it. it.
hasstarted,
onceitithas
situationonce
for twenty-one
situation
with
along
Maureen,
has
gone
along
with
her her
situation
for twenty-one
gone
has
Anna,
likeAnna,
Maureen,like
of her life
this pattern
changing,
of her
years.
little
hope
of her
changing,
onceonce
this pattern
of her life
hope
little
seems
Thereseems
years.There
rela[her]
of
terms
in
"defined
be
always
will
has
been
established.
She
will
always
be
"defined
in
terms
of
[her]
relaShe
has been established.
men"(The
tionship
p. 26).
withmen"
Go/den Notebook, p.
tionship with
(The Golden
in "Between
sympathetically
case
Although
put
Maureen's
case
sympathetically
in "Between
Maureen's
put
has
Lessinghas
AlthoughLessing
characof female
of this
Men",
the
underlying
criticism
of this
type type
of female
characcriticism
underlying
the
sense
cansense
onecan
Men",one
to
revealed
ter.
In
the
new
introduction
to
The
Go/den
Notebook,
Lessing
revealed
introduction
Go/den
Lessing
The
new
the
In
ter.
Maureen:
women
towards
her
women
likelike
Maureen:
feelingstowards
ownfeelings
her own
been semi-slaves
havesemi-slaves
• Women
they been
because
cowards
they
are are
because
they have
they
cowards
the
arethe
Womenare
for what
to stand
prepared
for
of of
women
prepared
to stand
up forup
what
women
number
Thenumber
long.The
solong.
for so
with is
love
in
are
they
man
a
with
they
really
think,
feel,
experience
with
a
man
they
are
in
love
with
is
experience
feel,
think,
really
they
thrown
stones
with
dogs
little
like
still
run
like
little
dogs
with
stones
thrown
run
still
womenstill
Mostwomen
small.Most
still small.
aggressive,
unfeminine,
at
man
says:
You
are are
unfeminine,
aggressive,
you areyou are
You
says:
man
whena a
themwhen
at them
or takes
marries,
woman
unmanning
It It
is is
mymy
belief
thatthat
anyany
woman,
whowho
marries,
or takes
belief
me.
unmanningme.
deserves
this threat,
seriously
way
at at
all,all,
a man
whowho
usesuses
this threat,
deserves
a man
way
any
seriouslyininany
gets
everything
(p.(p.
9).9).
shegets
everythingshe
but "semibe anything
cannot
them
But
and
women
likelike
them
cannot
be anything
but "semiwomen
and
Peggy
Maureen,Peggy
But Maureen,
Jong's
Erica
from
Wing
Isadora
slaves".
They
would
certainly
agree
with
Isadora
Wing
from
Erica
Jong's
with
agree
slaves". They would certainly
Fear of Flying: "Being
a hassle
in in
a man's
world
waswas
suchsuch
a hassle
that that
world
a man's
unmarried
"Beingunmarried
Damned
not much.
Butmuch.
better.
anything
better.
Marriage
waswas
better.
But not
Damned
Marriage
better.
be
hadtotobe
anythinghad
women
for single
clever
men
had
made
life life
so intolerable
for single
women
so intolerable
made
had
men
how
thoughthow
clever IIthought
3
instead."2
marriages
bad
even
that
most
would
gladly
embrace
even
bad
marriages
instead."2
embrace
3
gladly
that most would
History"
a Case
And
from
"Notes
for for
a Case
History"
who who
doesdoes
"Notes
from
Watson
MaureenWatson
isMaureen
And itit is
above
rise
just that.
to to
rise
above
herher
situation and
and find
find herself aa better
better
struggle
herstruggle
situation
Inher
that.In
just
33
place in a male-dominated society, that is in marriage, Maureen resembles
her namesake from "Between Men". (It is interesting to note the resemblance to that other Maureen in Summer. The Maureens of Lessing's world,
it would appear, are women who equate success in life with getting a man.)
"Notes for a Case History" 24 , however, is not told in a case history manner, except in the brief opening that describes Maureen Watson's childhood. The titte, nevertheless, obviously suggests the universality of Maureen's situation and struggle to overcome and rise above the tight strictures
of her society, class and sexual role. Her ambition, provided she manages
her virginity and "capital" well ("Her assets were a slight delicate prettiness, and a dress sense that must have been a' gift from God" p. 229), is a
marriage into a better class. She quickly realises that to succeed she must
use her main "asset", her sexuality, wisely. She must be prepared to give
something in return for the privilege of being courted. Prudently she "gave
an open mouth, and freedom to the waist" (p. 234).
Then something happens that Maureen has not foreseen as being a
threat to her plans. She meets Stanley Hunt, an apprentice architect, who
is trying in his own way to do exactly what Maureen is doing. They size
each other up "knowing they were the same kind". Gradually they both
begin to lower their sights, despite Stanley's reluctance. Maureen "opened
her mouth for him and let his hands go down to her thighs" but Stanley
"was not at all caught. . . He was still looking for something' better" (p.
236). He knows too that he has "assets": he "was good-looking, attractive to women. . . he ought to do better than marry Maureen". Impatient
with' his own lack of success, he soon forces Maureen to cross some borderline" when they are both very passionate one night. Marriage plans are
made because they feel so sexually attracted to each other, but both feel
they have chosen "second best". Maureen is confused and dissatisfied. For
once she has let her heart, not her head, rule and she regrets having let
"her mind [become] clouded by her response to his hands" (p. 237). She
did not "use her sexuality wisely" or intelligently, thereby letting herself
for a moment be ruled by her emotional response.
In a recent article, Lynn Sukenick discusses Lessing's heroines who,
in their emotional lives, try to resist a loss of personal will and consequent
loss of freedom. "Emotions", says Sukenick, are in Lessing's fic.tion "a
swiftly flowing stream that can put a woman up the creek in no time at
all." If one is touched or overwheFmed by emotion, "one is... vulnerable
to love, the resulting betrayal of men, and the trappings (and traps) of
domesticity".2 5 We can sympathise with Maureen's confusion; still, Lessing gives her character another chance to assert her independence, despite
her emotional' "lapse" and subsequent, ill-considered decision. Maureen's
performance as a charlady during Stanley's visit is a clear expression of her
own feelings and her contemptuous attitude toward her mother and her
fiance. It is but a brief protest, however, at their lack of understanding.
Realising the gesture of defiance is futile, Maureen has to beg and weep her
way back into Stanley's favour and ultimately into his power: "there was
' 1
34
(p. 243).
his"
all(p.
no
them,
thethe
advantage
was was
all his"
243).
advantage
them,
between
balancebetween
no balance
thisisone is
ofone
ending
stories,
IfIf one
Lessing's
stories,
thenthen
the the
ending
of this
Lessing's
with
familiarwith
oneisisfamiliar
submit
to
but
choice
no
herself
not
heroine
gives
herself
no choice
but to submit to the to the
gives
heroine
The
surprising.The
not surprising.
pressure
social
the
felt
male.
It
is
evident,
however,
that
Maureen
felt
the
social
pressure
to get to get
Maureen
that
male. It is evident, however,
had grown
shegrown
the girls
all girls
married:
onon
forfor
twenty-two
andand
all the
she had
twenty-two
getting
wasgetting
"shewas
married:"she
(p. 238).
babies"
second
or even
up
and
had
their
firstfirst
or even
second
babies"
(p. 238).
their
had
and
married
weremarried
withwere
up with
Grass
comments
Grass is
Thein
as Lessing
women,
She
who,
like
all all
women,
as Lessing
comments
in The
like
who,
woman
isaawoman
She is
but steelimpalpable
of that
sooner
or or
later,
of that
impalpable
but steellater,
sooner
Singing, "become
conscious,
"becomeconscious,
married".2
get
strong
married".2
66
pressuretotoget
strongpressure
this kind
of kind
is typical
feelings
own
Maureen's
toto
sort
outout
herher
own
feelings
is typical
of this
sort
refusal
Maureen'srefusal
fate
her ultimate
she leaves
of
like
thethe
other
Maureens
she leaves
her ultimate
fate
Maureens
other
like
character;
Lessingcharacter;
of Lessing
in
comments
Wult
The
The
Anna
marriage.
to aa man
and
drifts
into
a
loveless
marriage.
Anna
Wulf
comments
in
loveless
a
man and drifts into
because
usall
I dislike
women,
I dislike
us all
because
of of
women,
Golden Notebook: "Sometimes
I dislike
"SometimesI dislike
to think
not
we choose
our
when
it suits
us, us,
we choose
not to
think
it suits
when
not-thinking
fornot-thinking
capacityfor
our capacity
happiness(p.(p.
suppresses
when
outout
forfor
happiness..."
485).
Maureen
suppresses
Maureen
reaching
arereaching
485).
weare
when we
and (supposedly)
a husband
her
so so
thatthat
sheshe
can can
gain gain
a husband
and (supposedly)
social social
feelings
personalfeelings
her personal
story,
the
of
title
the
by
suggested
status.
Her
plight,
nevertheless,
as
suggested
by
the
title
of
the
story,
is
not is not
as
,
nevertheless
plight,
Her
status.
on young
by Lessing
comment
uncommon
therefore,
a telling
comment
by Lessing
on young
a telling
therefore,
andis,is,
uncommonand
the choice
" letchoice
"unthinkingly
women in
especially
those
whowho
"unthinkingly"
let the
those
especially
and
general,and
ingeneral,
women
them.
be
forthem.
madefor
be made
is as indewho
one is
women
It
toto
find
among
Lessing's
women
one who
as indeLessing's
among
find
then,
rare,then,
is rare,
It is
Judith".
Friend
in "Our
27
pendent
asas
Judith
Castlewell,
in "Our
Friend
Judith".22
Castlewell,
Judith
successful
andsuccessful
pendentand
enjoys
She,
how
thethe
"system"
worki,
enjoys
what what
othersothers
works,
"system"
how
knowing
however,knowing
She, however,
makes
What
173)
" (p.
think is
and
uncomforted"
(p.
173)
life. life.
What
makes
JudithJudith
uncomforted
and
"manless
isaa"manless
think
by
influenced
be
or
compromise
different
from
her
peers
is
her
refusal
to
compromise
or
be
influenced
by
to
refusal
her
is
peers
different from her
she would
group
If If
her
catcat
has
to be
"fixed"
thenthen
she would
ratherrather
it die; it die;
"fixed"
to be
has
her
pressures.
grouppressures.
are dedicated
that
books
she
displaying
books
that are
dedicated
displaying
s" about
contemptuouabout
"almostcontemptuous"
is"almost
she is
(p.
attention"
feel they
to
despises
people
whowho
feel they
need need
attention"
(p.
people
despises
certainly
"shecertainly
for"she
herfor
to her
177).
177).
But
keeps
so so
much
to herself
her ideas
about about
life andlife and
her ideas
to herself
much
keeps
she
becauseshe
But because
"I
her friend:
she admits
as admits
people
are
somewhat
limited,
as she
to hertofriend:
"I
limited,
somewhat
are
general
ceop1einingeneral
(p.
interested"
particulatly
don't
understand
human
behaviour
and
I'm
not
particularly
interested"
(p.
not
I'm
and
don't understand human behaviour
not tolerate
willtolerate
186).
only
onon
herher
own
terms
and and
will not
undueundue
terms
own
only
affairs
hasaffairs
Shehas
186).She
let them"
if I don't
human
one
can
interfere
with
meme
if I don't
let them"
with
interfere
can
one
: "No
involvement"No
humaninvolvement:
withdrawing
instinct,
(p.
relies
mainly
on on
instinct,
withdrawing
fromfrom
situa-situamainly
relies
she
catshe
Likeaacat
187).Like
(p. 187).
or natural.
tions
not
feel
comfortable
or natural.
comfortable
feel
not
does
shedoes
whereshe
tions where
in somebody
yourself
For
("when
youyou
submerge
yourself
in somebody
submerge
("when
involvement
Judith,involvement
For Judith,
spent
else")
and
thisthis
is what
she she
has has
spent
most most
of herof
lifeher life
is what
and
perception,
limitsperception,
else")limits
rationally
think
to
ability
avoiding.
one's
ability to think rationally
one's
ts restrict
entanglemenrestrict
Emotionalentanglements
avoiding.Emotional
In Go/den
freedom.
or
asas
curtailing
one's
freedom.
In The
one's
curtailing
Notewell
aswell
Go/den NoteThe
intelligentlyas
or intelligently
their concepbecause
book.
women
cancan
never
be happy
because
their concepbe happy
never
book. Lessing's
women
"free"
Lessing's"free"
involvement.
tions
incomplete
without
lovelove
or emotional
involvement.
or emotional
without
incomplete
are
freedomare
aboutfreedom
tions about
and prefers
the paradox
In
thethe
woman
hashas
realised
the paradox
and prefers
realised
woman
Judith",
FriendJudith",
"OurFriend
In "Our
what
feels
one
what
to
trust
her
own
intuition:
"if
one
cannot
rely
on
what
one
feels
what
can can
on
rely
cannot
to trust her own intuition: "if one
one
asks
(p.(p.
190).
190).
asks
she
on?"she
relyon?"
one rely
Judith,
bebe
thethe
truly
"free"
She
truly
terms. She
may
Lessing's terms.
then,may
inLessing's
Judith,then,
womanin
"free"woman
.....
35
35
cannot be "weakened" by love as Ella is by Paul in The Golden Notebook:
"He destroyed in her the knowing, doubting, sophisticated Ella and again
and again he put her intelligence to sleep. . . And when his own distrust of
himself destroyed this woman-in-love, so that she began thinking, she would
fight to return to naivety. . ." (p. 216). This parody of Lawrentian prose,
the most obvious allusion being the punning reference to Women in. Love,
adds a derisive tone to Ella's fate. Judith's strength lies in hercommitment
to herself. Yet her withdrawal from situations does not make her a particularly satisfactory character from the narrator's point of view, and at the
end of the story she closes up altogether:
She turned off the electric fire, and her face closed up. She smiled,
friendly and distant and said, 'I don't really see any point at all in
discussing it' (p. 190).
The electric fire has its own significance - like Judith it has no real warmth
and can be turned on and off when the situation requires it.
These last four stories discussed reveal Lessing's Women facing problems about involvement and independence. The solution to these problems
has been varied, showing the complexity of the situation from the characters' and Lessing's point of view, If Judith, however, is to be taken as representative of the "free" woman in Lessing's terms, then her freedom is just
as much a paradox as it is for the "free" women in The Golden Notebook.
Lessing, then, sees no compromise either way, and for this reason her
women are limited, committed to extreme life styles neither of which contains a happy medium.
Her characters suffer from an inability to sustain satisfactory personal
relationships because of the rigidly limited alternatives which, in Lessing's
view, are placed on them by society and its institutions. To be "free" is to
have the self divided, to be forced to choose between emotion and intellect.
Nowhere in the short stories does Lessing portray a "sexually democratic" relationship, one in which man and woman are equal on a basis of
friendship. In The Summer Before the Dark, however, Lessing's character
Kate Brown at least recognises the possibility:
Friendship was sexually democratic. Hearts did not get broken. Of
course not, careers were more important than love, or sex: probably
this was the sexuality of the future; romantic love, yearning, desperations of anykind would be banished into a neurotic past' (p. 60).
The "neurotic past" is presumably our present, but one wonders whether
the future, as Lessing sees it, will offer anything better. In Justine, Lawrence Durrell's character, Clea, expresses a similar concern:
Is there a friendship possible this side of love which could be sought
and found? I speak no more of love - the word and its conventions
have become odious to me. But is there a friendship possible to attain
which is deeper, even limitlessly deep, and yet wordless, idealess? It
seems somehow necessary to find a human being to whom one can
be faithful, not in the body (I leave that to the priests) but in the culprit mind?2 8
RM
a Platonic
fidelity
The
compatibility
andand
fidelity
— a -Platonic
compatibility
intellectual
onintellectual
stressisison
The stress
the modern
in modern
blethe
unattainain
rs find
charactefind
her
ideal,
and
her
characters
unattainable
and
Lessing
whichLessing
onewhich
ideal, one
the "real"
is with
concern
her
out,
pointed
world.
herself
has pointed
out,
her
concern
is with
the "real"
erselfhas
Lessingh
asLessing
Butas
world.But
Lessing's
presentation
matter,
not
subject
matter,
presentation
and and
stylestyle
Lessing's
subject
her
"ideal".InInher
the"ideal".
not the
successto explore
t, enabling
viewpoinenabling
short
viewpoint,
herher
to explore
successrealistic
herrealistic
reflecther
storiesreflect
short stories
relationheterosexual
modern
fully
ofof
modern
heterosexual
relationcomplexities
thecomplexities
convincinglythe
and convincingly
fully and
ships.
NOTES
inaccessible
were
workswere
hardboun-doriginal
Lessing'sworks
Since
inaccessible
of Lessing's
manyhardbound
editionsofSince many
originaleditions
be cited.
to cited.
have
reprints
in- some
paperback
or in
or
reprints
have
hadhad
to be
unavailable,paperback
casesunavailable,
some cases
11
2
Lessing",
Doris
Nation, March
6, 1967,p. 312.
Nation,
withDoris
Talkwith
March 6,1967,
"ATalk
Florence
Lessing",
Howe,"A.
FlorenceHowe,
and
ad. and
Voice",
A
PersonalVoice..
Voice.. ., . , ed.
Small Personal
A Small
Personal
D.M.
Voice",
in in
SmallPersonal
"TheSmall
Lessing,"The
D.M. Lessing,
1975),
Books,
Vintage
York:Vintage
(NewYork:
introd.
Books,
1975),
p. p.
4. 4.
Schleuter(New
PaulSchleuter
introd. Paul
3
Ibid,p.5.
3 Ibid.,
p. 5.
in
Newquist"
Voice,
46.
Roy
p. 46.
Personal
Voice, p.
Small Personal
Lessing
A Small
4 "Interview
byby
Roy
Newquist",
in, A
DorisLessing
withDoris
"Interviewwith
88-107.
pp.
1965)
Books,
Panther
In
TwoWomen
Women (1963;
Books,
1965)
pp.
88-107.
ln- A Man
LondOn:Panther
and Two
rpt. London:
Man and
(1963; rpt.
collection.
thiscollection.
forthis
referencesA Man will
titlefor
entreferences
fulltitle
In
subsequent
thefull
In-subsequ
replace the
will replace
6
from the
theStorm
Storm
6 A Ripple
Ripple from
1966)
Books,1966)
PantherBooks,
(1965;
p. 40.
London:Panther
rpt.London:
(1965; rpt.
7
Man,p.
A Man,
p. 180.
lnA
7 In
8
pp.
Stories
1972),pp.
Man and
andOther
Other
Stories (London:
Cape,1972),
8 In The
The Story of a8Non-Marrying
(London:Cape,
Non-Marrying Man
187-213.
9
Voice",
Voice,
PersonalVoice",
"T
he Small
ininA
Personal
Voice,
SmallPersonal
Small Personal
A Small
"The
10
p.
p. 14.
In
InA
Man, pp. 253-88.
A Man,
iI
cited
the Dark (London:
Hereafter
25.Hereafter
11 Thb
cited
as as
Before the
1973)p.p.25.
Summer Before
Cape,1973)
Thb Summer
(London:Cape,
Summer.
Summer.
12
13
14
89.
The
Bell Jar
Jar (1963;
1966),
p.p.
89.
Faber,1966),
The Bell
London:Faber,
rpt.London:
(-1963;rpt.
Books,
D.M. Lessing,
Lessing, The
PantherBooks,
GoldenNotebook,
Notebook, new
The Golden
(1972; London:
London:Panther
ed. (1972;
new ed.
1973) p. 329.
Laing
1965),
Penguin,
R.D.
DividedSelf
Self (1960;
Laing, The
The Divided
Penguin,
1965).
Laing
R.D. Laing,
Harmondsworth:
rpt.Harmondsworth:
(1960;rpt.
himself
both
with
cope
theorises
self
a a
false
false
self
to to
cope
with
both
himself
(his(his
des-desl invents
individuainvents
anindividual
thatan
theorises that
te comdisintegra
ty can
personalican
The
world.
pair
outside
world.
The
personality
disintegrate
comoutside
the
andthe
problems)and
or problems)
pair or
self.
false
the
of
unreality
growing
the
with
pletely
if
the
real
self
cannot
keep
pace
with
the
growing
unreality
of
the
false
self.
pace
keep
cannot
realself
the
pletely if
"Near Zero",
Zero",
New
Statesman, 8 November
653.
p. 653.
iss."Near
1963, p.
New Statesman,
November 1963,
16
17
Want
Men
Becoming
Marilyn
and
Doris
Lessing:
Becoming
the the
Men
We We
Want
to to
Lessing:
Doris
and
"Feminism
Webb,"Feminism
Marilyn Webb,
Marry",
Voice, January
Marry",Village
14.
p.14.
Village Voice,
1973,p.
January 1973,
Life",
"T
he Purpose
Nation,
PurposeofofLife",
"The
Nation,
1- 4 December
14
419.
p. 419.
1963, p.
December 1963,
37
37
8
19
19
Books,
PantherBooks,
1966)
London:Panther
rpt..London:
The Habit
The
Habitof
ofLoving
Loving(1957;
(1957; rpt.
1966)pp.
PP.183-90.
183-90.
In The.
TheHabitof
In
Habit ofLoving.
Loving,pp.71.6.
pp. 71-6.
20
In A Man,
20 In
pp.7-33.
7-33.
Man, pp.
21
22
23
24
Ibid.,
pp.148-160.
148-160.
Ibid., pp.
Ibid., Note 16,
Ibid.,
16, p.
p.16.
16.
Books,
PantherBooks,
ofFlying
Flying(1974;
Fear of
London: Panther
1974),
Jong,Fear
rpt. London:
Erica
(1974; rpt.
1974),p.78.
p. 78.
Erica Jong,
In A Man,
pp.226-243.
226-243.
Man, pp.
25
in Lessing:
Fiction",
Lessing's
in Doris
Reason
and
Doris
Lynn Sukenick,
and
Reason
in Doris
Lessing's
Fiction",
in Doris
Lessing:
"Feeling
Sukenick,"Feeling
of Wisconsin
Univ.
(Maditon:
Dembo
Critical Studies,
Studies, ed.
L.S.
andL.S.
Dembo
(Madison:
Univ.
of Wisconsin
Prattand
AnnisPratt
ed.Annis
1974),
Press,
PP.
pp.98-118.
Press,1974),
98-118-
26
Books,
PenguinBooks,
The
GrassisisSinging
Singing(1950;
Harmondsworth: Penguin
1961),
rpt. Harmondsworth:
The Grass
(1950; rpt.
1961),p.41.
p. 41.
27
28
mA
In
A Man,
pp.172-190.
172-190.
Man, pp.
Justine (1957;
Faber,1966),
Justine
(1957; rpt.
1966), p.214.
p. 214.
London: Faber,
rpt. London:
38
38-