The Old Woman in Virginia Woolf’s and Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu’s novels
Though not as prominent personalities and not so extensively present as the teenagers, the young ladies or the mature women in their 30s or 40s, old women do have their representative figures in the novels written by Virginia Woolf and Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu. In Virginia Woolf ’s novels the old women – Mrs. Haines from ‘Between the Acts’, the old Mrs. Oliver, Lucy Swithin or Lady Millicent Bruton are treated kindly, with amused understanding by the novelist, due to the respect they deserve for: 1. having been responsible educators for the young ones in their families and 2. for the veneration they have showed for their ancestors. Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu is less understanding, even with the old ladies in her novels, and presents vulgar characters such as Salema or Vera with obscene behaviour, still bearing a grudge after a lifetime of compromise and promiscuity. The only old lady who is ‚saved’ in the eyes of the Romanian novelist is Tana, whose singleness due to religious convictions offers her strength, balance and humanity.
Keywords: old women, dutiful daughters, respect for their ancestors, educators, vulgarity, religious convictions
I. ISTORIE, CRITICĂ, TEORIE LITERARĂ ŞI CULTURALĂ
II. HORTENSIA PAPADAT-BENGESCU
III. VIRGINIA WOOLF