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THE

MYTHOPOESIS OF LAWRENCE DURRELL

by PHYLLIS MARGERY REEVE B.A., B i s h o p ' s U n i v e r s i t y , 1958

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS i n t h e Department of English

We accept t h i s t h e s i s a s conforming required

THE

t o the

standard

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA A p r i l , 1965

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an a d v a n c e d degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall m a k e it freely available for reference and study* I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes m a y be granted by the H e a d of m yD e p a r t m e n t or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without m y written permission*

D e p a r t m e n t of The University of British Columbia Vancouver 8, C a n a d a ^e

D

^UJ/

£Q

T

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ii

ABSTRACT

In The A l e x a n d r i a Quartet Lawrence D u r r e l l develops a s e r i e s of images i n v o l v i n g m i r r o r s , t o suggest

that t r u t h , e s p e c i a l l y the

t r u t h about o n e s e l f , i s t o be approached o n l y through t h e j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f many memories, t i m e s and s e l v e s . i t s e l f through o t h e r s e l v e s , t h e a r t i s t

S i n c e t h e s e l f must

i s concerned

find

w i t h l o v e and

f r i e n d s h i p , where s e l f i s r e v e a l e d i n i t s r e l a t i o n t o t h e o t h e r . In n a r c i s s i s m and i n c e s t , t h e s e l f becomes t h e o t h e r , i n r e l a t i o n t o i t s own d i v i d e d

being.

The use o f m i r r o r a l l u s i o n s i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e a c q u i s i t i o n of self-knowledge

i s apparent

not o n l y i n t h e Q u a r t e t , but a l s o

i n D u r r e l l s p o e t r y and i n t h e e a r l y n o v e l s The B l a c k Book and The 1

Dark L a b y r i n t h .

I n t h e s e works t h e m i r r o r of self-knowledge i s

r e l a t e d t o t h e problem of a c t i o n .

Obsessive preoccupation with the

r e f l e c t i o n , t h e inward v i s i o n , p r e v e n t s one from a c t i n g o r c r e a t i n g or l o o k i n g outward.

When D u r r e l l * s man u n i f i e s t h i s r e f l e c t i o n o f

h i s v a r i o u s s e l v e s and t i m e s , he i s a b l e t o l i v e p r o d u c t i v e l y , as D a r l e y i s b e g i n n i n g t o do a t t h e end of t h e t e t r a l o g y . Both d e n o t a t i o n s of " r e f l e c t i o n " , t h e o u t e r image and t h e i n n e r thought,

are involved i n D u r r e l l * s a l l u s i o n s t o mirrors, since

both a r e a s p e c t s o f t h e s e l f , s i n c e t h e outward i s c o n t i n u a l l y t o suggest

used

t h e i n n e r , and s i n c e t h e g o a l i s t o u n i t e outward and

inner i n the u n i t a r y s e l f .

The p r o c e s s i s never

completed, and

D u r r e l l d e l i b e r a t e l y l e a v e s unanswered q u e s t i o n s about h i s major characters.

iii

F r e q u e n t l y t h e attempt t o f i n d an a c c u r a t e r e f l e c t i o n ceeds through

pro-

" i " whose words o r person

t h e means of another

may

serve as a m i r r o r .

The " m i r r o r ' may be a l o v e r , a f r i e n d o r even

a mere acquaintance

or a stranger.

r

The A l e x a n d r i a n s o f t e n watch

each o t h e r i n m i r r o r s , so t h a t t h e i n s i g h t g a i n e d may be not i n t o o n e s e l f o n l y , but a l s o i n t o t h e c h a r a c t e r o f another. The m u l t i p l e - v i e w m i r r o r , which r e f l e c t s and d i s t o r t s one o b j e c t i n v a r i o u s ways, i s important

i n D u r r e l l * s scheme.

There

are always s e v e r a l ways of v i e w i n g a n y t h i n g , and t h e d i s p a r i t y may occur w i t h i n t h e v i s i o n of one p e r s o n , as w e l l as among t h o s e of a number o f p e o p l e .

The d i s u n i f i e d

s e l f , w i t h i t s c o n f l i c t s and

p o l a r i t i e s , i s a distorting mirror.

To s a t i s f y t h e need f o r

d e f i n i t i o n o f o n e s e l f , one c r e a t e s from " s e l e c t e d f i c t i o n s " , from t h e r e l a t i v e t r u t h s o f l i f e ,

a s e l f and a w i l l which can

l o v e and a c t i n r e l a t i o n to o t h e r s e l v e s and w i l l s . s e l f must be c r e a t e d , t h e a r t i s t

Because t h e

i s a c r u c i a l symbolic

figure.

The m u l t i p l e - v i e w m i r r o r p r o v i d e s a n a r r a t i v e s t r u c t u r e f o r t h e Quart e t , t h e f o u r n o v e l s p r o v i d i n g f o u r views o f one s e r i e s of e v e n t s .

W i t h i n t h i s s t r u c t u r e , e p i s o d e s , images and phrases a r e

echoed i n v a r i o u s c o n t e x t s t o q u a l i f y and i l l u m i n a t e each o t h e r . Important t y p e s o f m i r r o r s a r e t h e a r t i s t , who h o l d s t h e m i r r o r up t o nature; t h e l o v e r , who sees o t h e r s i n c l o s e r e l a t i o n t o h i m s e l f , e s p e c i a l l y i f h i s l o v e i s homosexual o r i n c e s t u o u s ; the p a t i e n t o r hypochondriac, p a r a l l e l s a mental

whose o b s e s s i o n w i t h h i s p h y s i c a l s e l f

preoccupation.

iv

The

settings, Alexandria,

Greece and England are

of the i n n e r l a n d s c a p e s of t h e i r i n h a b i t a n t s . the m u l t i p l e t u m u l t s of the n o n - r a t i o n a l f o r i d e a l of c l a r i t y and

calm, and

microcosm.

s e l f , Greece i s a l o n g e d -

i s a comprehensive system of

hinged m i r r o r s , i n which i n n e r s e l f and

cosm and

reflects

civilization.

D u r r e l l * s "Heraldic Universe"

s e l f and

Alexandria

England i s "Pudding I s l a n d " , the

r e p r e s s i v e c o n v e n t i o n s of western

o t h e r , as do one

extensions

o u t e r world r e f l e c t

another s e l f , c r e a t o r and

Symbolism i s not

each

c r e a t i o n , macro-

merely a l i t e r a r y d e v i c e

but

a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of even the f a c t u a l l a n d s c a p e of h i s t r a v e l books. Temporal and

s p a t i a l p o s i t i o n s a r e r e l a t i v e and

prismatic.

h e r a l d r y i s both a m u l t i p l i c i t y of p o s s i b i l i t i e s and interrelated

a u n i t y of

realities.

T h i s t h e s i s proposes t o show the c o n s i s t e n t p a t t e r n s m i r r o r s and w i t h i n the

a s s o c i a t e d m o t i f s and context

of D u r r e l l * s w r i t i n g and

argument f o l l o w s the g e n e r a l

theory,

and

general

the

in relation

psychologists.

sequence o u t l i n e d above,

w i t h the v a r i o u s uses of a c t u a l m i r r o r images, proceeds t o l o v e , a r t , i l l n e s s and

of

t o suggest t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e

t o the work of some contemporary w r i t e r s , c r i t i c s and The

Durrell*s

landscape as r e f l e c t o r s and

l o o k at the " H e r a l d i c " t o t a l i t y .

beginning consider

concludes w i t h

a

V

C O N T E N T S

Abbreviations Summary o f A l e x a n d r i a n s Introduction: A l i c e i n Alexandria CHAPTER I : A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

The M i r r o r Image

Motifs Related t o the Mirror The Two Meanings of " R e f l e c t i o n " The S i n g l e Image R e f l e c t i o n i n Another S e l f R e f l e c t i o n o f Another S e l f Multiple-View M i r r o r s : Prism-Sightedness The M u l t i p l e - V i e w P l o t

CHAPTER I I : A. B. C.

12 21 24 31 35 37 48

The M i r r o r of A r t

A r t i n Alexandria A r t & A r t i s t and A l e x a n d r i a The A r t i s t as a M i r r o r of S o c i e t y

CHAPTER I I I : A. B. C. D. E.

1 2 5

59 62 74

The M i r r o r o f Love

The Language o f Love Love as Knowledge The M u l t i p l e Views of Love The M i r r o r o f Incest The F i v e - S e x e d M i r r o r

CHAPTER IV: CHAPTER V:

The M i r r o r o f Malady;

79 81 86 93 102 I l l n e s s and M u t i l a t i o n .

112

The Landscapes of t h e Mind

A. B.

Alexandria Greece

122 132

C.

England

133

CHAPTER V I : APPENDIX:

Conclusion:

Time and t h e H e r a l d i c U n i v e r s e

D u r r e l l as an E l i z a b e t h a n

BIBLIOGRAPHY

..

135 142 154

1

ABBREVIATIONS

i In references to books by Lawrence D u r r e l l , the following abbreviations have been used:

A & 0

Art and Outrage (London, 1959)

B

Balthazar (New York, 1961)

BL

B i t t e r Lemons (London, 1957)

BB

The Black Book (New York, 1963)

C

Clea (New York, 1961)

PL

The Dark Labyrinth (London, 1961)

J_

Justine (New York, 1962)

Key

A Key to Modern Poetry (London, 1952)

M

Mountolive (New York, 1961)

P

The Poetry of Lawrence D u r r e l l (New York, 1962)

Pope

Pope Joan (London, 1960)

Cor

A Private Correspondence (New York, 1963)

PC

Prospero's C e l l (London, 1945)

MV

Reflections on a Marine Venus (London, 1953)

S

Sappho (London, 1950)

A l l page references w i l l be included i n the body of the text.

2 A B r i e f Summary of the

The

Alexandrians

p l o t of The A l e x a n d r i a n

Quartet

d e f i e s summary, but

b r i e f o u t l i n e of c h a r a c t e r s and

t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p s might be

f u l t o readers

The

of t h i s t h e s i s .

i s arranged r o u g h l y Darley:

i n order

of

Pursewarden:

importance.

and

works i n the

Egyptian

and D a r l e y

office.

He

spokesman f o r D u r r e l l .

are

often suicide

novels.

a n e u r o t i c Jewish C l e o p a t r a , f o r m e r l y the of a w r i t e r A r n a u t i and now She

Nessim:

British-

His unexplained

i s a c e n t r a l problem f o r a l l f o u r Justine:

i s mistress

of

Clea.

a s u c c e s s f u l w r i t e r , who war

help-

f o l l o w i n g dramatis personae

a n o t - y e t - s u c c e s s f u l w r i t e r , the n a r r a t o r Justine, Balthazar

a

married

of both D a r l e y

and

wife

t o Nessim. Pursewarden.

a wealthy Copt, engaged i n s u b v e r s i v e

attempts

t o smuggle arms t o P a l e s t i n e . Melissa:

a frail and,

Greek p r o s t i t u t e , the m i s t r e s s of

b r i e f l y , of Nessim.

Her

Darley

former l o v e r i s a

Jewish businessman Cohen, through whom she

learns

compromising f a c t s about Nessim*s a c t i v i t i e s . Clea:

an a r t i s t , the f r i e n d , and Darley;

the l e s b i a n l o v e r of J u s t i n e , and

confidante Balthazar:

an aging

l a t e r the m i s t r e s s ,

of n e a r l y

the

everyone.

doctor, philosopher,

l e a d e r of the A l e x a n d r i a n

pederast

cabal.

He

and

a

reveals to

of

3

D a r l e y t h e double meaning of t h e events c h r o n i c l e d i n J u s t i n e and i s i n s t r u m e n t a l i n o t h e r moments of truth. Mountolive;

the B r i t i s h ambassador t o Egypt.

Leila:

Nessim*s mother and m i s t r e s s o f t h e y o u t h f u l p r e ambassadorial

Liza:

Pursewarden*s b l i n d Mountolive*s

Narouz:

Mountolive. s i s t e r and m i s t r e s s , l a t e r

wife.

Nessim*s b o r t h e r , i n l o v e w i t h C l e a . physically

He i s

g r o s s , t h e o p p o s i t e of t h e suave Nessim,

and remains on t h e l a n d .

He i s at times

possessed

by strange powers o f speech which he employs f a n a t i c a l l y i n the Coptic Scobie:

cause.

a comic c h a r a c t e r , an o l d wanderer f i n a l l y more o r l e s s i n t h e employ of t h e p o l i c e The

major c h a r a c t e r s spend many pages r e t e l l i n g

his t a l l tales. connected

with

He i s homosexual and vaguely Tiresias.

Pombal:

a Frenchman, f r i e n d

Capodistria:

a pleasantly satanic friend f o r p o l i t o a l reasons

Amaril:

department.

of Darley.

and dabbles

a d o c t o r , once G l e a ' s l o v e r . i n t h e r o m a n tic

of everyone.

He d i s a p p e a r s

i n b l a c k magic,

He i s t h e p r i n c i p a l

p u r s u i t o f Semira, f o r whom, w i t h

the a s s i s t a n c e o f p l a s t i c s u r g e r y and C l e a * s a r t he f a s h i o n s a nose.

4

Maskelyne:

officer

i n t h e war o f f i c e , aware of Nessim*s

s u b v e r s i o n , and unsympathetic towards him and h i s f r i e n d s . Keats:

a journalist, Pursewarden.

t h e would-be

b i o g r a p h e r of

5

INTRODUCTION Alice

i n Alexandria " L e t ' s c o n s i d e r who i t was t h a t dreamed i t a l l ... He was p a r t of my dream of course - but then I was p a r t o f h i s dream too!"1-

So speaks a b e w i l d e r e d its at

s e l f confronted with the p o s s i b i l i t y that

e x i s t e n c e depends on t h e p e r c e p t i o n s , t h e i l l u s o r y p e r c e p t i o n s t h a t , of another

s e l f whose view may d i f f e r from i t s own.

No

matter how much she may " c o n s i d e r " , t h e r e i s no way of knowing which view i s r i g h t o r p a r t l y r i g h t , o r whether one o r both a r e f a l s e . t h i s s e l f cannot how i t appears

know t h e t r u t h about i t s own s e l f h o o d without

i n t h e dream of t h e o t h e r .

The name of t h i s

And

knowing

particular

s e l f i s A l i c e , t h e o t h e r i s t h e Red K i n g , and t h e s e t t i n g i s L o o k i n g G l a s s Land.

The image b a s i c t o Lewis C a r r o l l ' s f a n t a s y , t o g e t h e r w i t h

the o t h e r images and m o t i f s which emerge from i t a r e remarkably to

similar

those i n Lawrence D u r r e l l ' s A l e x a n d r i a n Q u a r t e t . A l i c e never

s o l v e s t h e problem o f t h e Red King's dream, t h e

problem o f h e r own e x i s t e n c e i n space and t i m e .

She h e r s e l f i s

Lewis C a r r o l l . Through t h e Looking G l a s s and What A l i c e Found T h e r e . ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1897), p . 209. x

®In t h e Key D u r r e l l quotes a l e t t e r from Lewis C a r r o l l t o a l i t t l e g i r l , as an example o f "detachment o f t h e o b j e c t from i t s frame o f r e f e r e n c e " and as an a n t i c i p a t i o n of s u r r e a l i s m : "'And I l i k e two o r t h r e e h a n d f u l s of h a i r , o n l y t h e y should always have a l i t t l e g i r l ' s head beneath them t o grow on, o r e l s e , whenever you open t h e door, t h e y get blown a l l over t h e room, and then t h e y get l o s t , you know.*" ( p . 87) He l i n k s C a r r o l l w i t h Rimbaud, L a f o r g u e and N i e t z s c h e as important f i g u r e s i n t h e "Semantic D i s t u r b a n c e " (pp. 39 - 40) and quotes t h e Cambridge H i s t o r y o f E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e an A l i c e ' s p r o blems w i t h space and t i m e . (p. 69)

6 a r e f l e c t i o n i n the m i r r o r , ans

so i s t h e Red

King whose dream

c o n t a i n s her e x i s t e n c e , and who

f i n a l l y appears t o be not a k i n g

or

even a chessman, but a b l a c k k i t t e n .

in

an i n v o l u t i o n of r e f l e c t i o n w i t h i n r e f l e c t i o n .

is

expressed i n terms of t h e geography of L o o k i n g - G l a s s Land,

which bears comparison

Her i d e n t i t y i s enmeshed Her

dilemma

w i t h the geography of D u r r e l l * s A l e x a n d r i a .

The t e r r a i n i s a chessboard and the c h a r a c t e r s are chessmen;

Alice

h e r s e l f i s a pawn and thus r e s t r i c t e d , though not p a r a l y s e d i n her movement, w h i l e around perspectives. of

her r e a l i t y moves i n many d i r e c t i o n s

A game of chess goes on and on through f o u r volumes

the A l e x a n d r i a Q u a r t e t .

I t i s a game by correspondence,

l i k e B a l t h a z a r ' s p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e s e a r c h e s , begins i n the tic

and

search f o r u n i t y .

and,

cabbalis-

The game, c a r r i e d on by t e l e g r a m and i n

code, becomes i n v o l v e d i n M o u n t o l i v e * s u n c o v e r i n g of Nessim*s subv e r s i o n , and i n D a r l e y ' s p e n e t r a t i o n of the r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n which he h i m s e l f i s concerned. Dostoevsky,

i n h i s Notes from Underground, uses t h e

board t o i l l u s t r a t e h i s c o n t e n t i o n thfct man but

chess-

strives for certainty,

s h r i n k s from the r e a l i z a t i o n of h i s g o a l .

Conscious

man

i s a f r i v o l o u s and incongruous c r e a t u r e , and perhaps, l i k e a chess p l a y e r , l o v e s the p r o c e s s of the game, not the end of i t . And who knows ( t h e r e i s no s a y i n g w i t h c e r t a i n t y ) ^ , perhaps t h e o n l y g o a l on e a r t h t o which mank i n d i s s t r i v i n g l i e s i n the i n c e s s a n t p r o c e s s of a t t a i n i n g , i n o t h e r words, i n l i f e i t s e l f , and not i n t h e t h i n g t o be a t t a i n e d , which must always be expressed as a f o r m u l a , as p o s i t i v e as t w i c e two makes f o u r , and such p o s i t i v e n e s s i s not l i f e , gentlemen, but the b e g i n n i n g of death.- 1

i n E x i s t e n t i a l i s m from Dostoevsky t o S a r t r e , ed. W a l t e r Kaufmann (New York 1957), p. 77, h e r e a f t e r c i t e s as Notes. D u r r e l l uses a q u o t a t i o n from Notes t o head h i s c r i t i c a l essay e n t i t l e d "The World W i t h i n " . (Key, p. 49)

7

The

s e a r c h f o r t h e knowledge of s e l f i s d e s i r a b l e , but

knowledge of s e l f

achieved

suggests the r e d u c t i o n of i n d i v i d u a l i t y t o

mathematical a b s t r a c t i o n . O t t o Rank d i s c u s s e s the m y t h o l o g i c a l o r i g i n s of l i n k i n g i t with p r i m i t i v e maternity

symbols and w i t h the " p r i m i -

t i v e symbolism of death and r e s u r r e c t i o n . " ggyptian

snake game, was

I t s ancestor, the

the s u b j e c t of a legend i n which

b r o t h e r s t u r n e d t h e game i n t o a d u e l i n which one an e y e .

chess,

of them l o s t snake, and

her

sons engage i n a s t r u g g l e which r e s u l t s i n Narouz's death and

the

1

D u r r e l l s L e i l a i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a pet

two

1

l o s s of Nessim*s

eye.

In L o o k i n g - G l a s s walking

away from i t ,

leaving i t .

Land, A l i c e can approach her o b j e c t o n l y by and D a r l e y understands

Alexandria only a f t e r

T h i s r e v e r s a l of s p a t i a l r e l a t i o n s i s one of t h e major

i l l u s i o n s c r e a t e d by a m i r r o r . A l i c e f i n d s t h a t time t o o assumes t h i s p r o p e r t y of space; White Queen screams b e f o r e she i s h u r t , and H a t t a i s t r i e d he

commits h i s

before

crime.

Loding-Glass m i r r o r , and

the

p o e t r y , t o be r e a d , must be seen r e f l e c t e d i n a

i s even then not understood

Dumpty's e x e g e s i s .

until

s u b j e c t e d t o Humpty

Similarly, Justine i s puzzling u n t i l

reflected

J-Art and A r t i s t , (New York, 1932), pp. 308, 310. c f . V l a d i m i r Nabokov, The Defense (New York, 1964), and the review by Robefct J . Clements i n Saturday Review, 26 September 1964, 45-46.

8

and

r e v i s e d by t h r e e o t h e r p e r s p e c t i v e s . B e s i d e s the paradox of t h e Red

King's dream, the

of t h e s e l f i n t h e o t h e r i s suggested dum

reflection

i n the t w i n s h i p of Tweedle-

and Tweedledee, i d e n t i c a l b r o t h e r s w i t h arms around each o t h e r ' s

necks.

One

i s i n c l i n e d t o suspect t h a t t h e y s u f f e r from what

D u r r e l l ' s S c o b i e d e l i c a t e l y r e f e r s t o as " t e n d e n c i e s " .

Supposing

t h e i r b a t t l e t o p a r a l l e l the snake-game d u e l , t h e y have the problem of Nessim and Narouz,which i s both i n c e s t u o u s and homosexual, as w e l l as t h a t of L i z a and Pursewarden, which i s merely i n c e s t u o u s . C l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o the phenomenon of r e v e r s e d movement i n time and

space i s the memory of L o o k i n g - G l a s s

people.

Remembrance

i s not o n l y of t h i n g s p a s t , but of t h i n g s f u t u r e too; one what has not yet o c c u r r e d .

Time, memory and

remembers

i d e n t i t y are d i s a r r a n g e d

so as t o become r i d i c u l o u s c o n c e p t s , and t h e i r e x p r e s s i o n i s i n c l u d e d i n t h e major image of t h e m i r r o r , an image of As e a r l y as 1936,

space.

1

D u r r e l l wrote t o Henry M i l l e r :

I AM SLOWLY BUT VERY CAREFULLY AND WITHOUT CONSCIOUS THOUGHT DESTROYING TIME. I have d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e i d e a of d u r a t i o n i s f a l s e . We have i n v e n t e d i t as a p h i l o s o p h i c jack-up t o the i d e a of p h y s i c a l d i s i n t e g r a tion. THERE IS ONLY SPACE. A s o l i d o b j e c t has o n l y t h r e e dimensions. Time, t h a t o l d appendix, I've lopped off. So i t needs a new a t t i t u d e . An a t t i t u d e without memory. A s p a t i a l e x i s t e n c e i n terms of the paper I'm w r i t i n g on now at the moment. (Cor. p. 19, D u r r e l l ' s c a p i t a l s )

-••Note the r e f e r e n c e t o A l i c e i n My F a m i l y and Other A n i m a l s by D u r r e l l ' s b r o t h e r G e r a l d . See the Penguin e d i t i o n (1962), pp. 9, 221, 225, 261.

9

In A l e x a n d r i a ,

the t r u e s e l f

i s t o be approached, never q u i t e

a c h i e v e d , o n l y through the j u x t a p o s i t i o n of many memories, t i m e s , selves. other

There can be no

s e l v e s , and

l o v e and

solipsism.

the a r t i s t

mental i n v e r s i o n , and neuroses. of the

To

the

itself

through

i s concerned w i t h r e l a t i o n s h i p s ;

f r i e n d s h i p , where s e l f

i d e n t i t y of s e l f w i t h o t h e r

S e l f must f i n d

i s revealed

i n the other;

with

i n narcissism, incest, physical

s e l f - o b s e s s i o n s of hypochondria

m i r r o r , the t r i c k m i r r o r and

the

the

and

and

suggest t h e s e p a t t e r n s , D u r r e l l develops the

conventional

with

image

multiple-view-

mirror. A l e x a n d r i a n s meet i n m i r r o r s , t a l k . t o themselves i n m i r r o r s ,

speak t o each other

s i t naked i n f r o n t of m i r r o r s ,

on m i r r o r s , p o i n t guns at m i r r o r s .

sum

As m i r r o r

a f t e r mirror

of them a l l i s not

z i n g of n a r r a t i v e and

p i e c e of background

and

of images.

a heap of g l a s s , but

a simultaneous

symbol, a c t i o n , c o n s c i o u s n e s s and

He

therefore alludes frequently to

i t s p u r s u i t of the One,

p h y s i c a l breakages. n i s e " , and

The

furni-

i s o f f e r e d f o r mention i n p a s s i n g ,

and

t o medicine and

the

crystalli-

unconscious.

For the d i s i n t e g r a t e d s e l f , D u r r e l l p r e s c r i b e s u n i t y , focussing

write

Each m i r r o r as i t o c c u r s i n the

course of the n a r r a t i v e i s an u n o b t r u s i v e ture.

i n mirrors,

the Gnosticism

i t s healing

of

a r t i s t wants " t o combine, r e s o l v e and

harmo-

comes up w i t h a world view which s t a r t s from D u r r e l l ' s

v e r s i o n of " r e l a t i v i t y " , the r e l a t i o n s h i p of the s e l f t o i n c l u d i n g i t s own

and

other

everything,

selves

'a note of a f f i r m a t i o n - the c u r v a t u r e of an embrace, the w o r d l e s s n e s s of a l o v e r s * code - some f e e l i n g t h a t the world we l i v e i n i s founded on something too simple

10

t o be o v e r d e s c r i b e d as cosmic law, but as easy t o g r a s p , as say, an a c t o f t e n d e r n e s s i n t h e p r i m a l r e l a t i o n between animal and p l a n t , r a i n and s o i l , seed and t r e e s , man and God. A r e l a t i o n s h i p so d e l i c a t e t h a t i t i s a l l t o o e a s i l y broken by t h e i n q u i r i n g mind and c o n s c i e n c e . ' (C_, pp. 238 - 239) When t e n d e r n e s s without d e c e p t i o n i s a c h i e v e d , t h e a r t i s t b e g i n s t o be s u c c e s s f u l . D i s c u s s i o n i n t h i s paper w i l l not be l i m i t e d t o t h e Q u a r t e t , because

t h i s v e r y l a c k of l i m i t a t i o n seems v i t a l t o D u r r e l l ' s

and a r t .

thought

As t h e l e t t e r quoted above s u g g e s t s , t h e Quartet was not

a sudden c r e a t i o n , d e s p i t e t h e b r i e f time of a c t u a l

composition.

These i d e a s o f space-time, s e l f , t e n d e r n e s s , and t h e images which suggest them appear t r a v e l books.

i n D u r r e l l ' s e a r l y n o v e l s , h i s p o e t r y and h i s

In t h e t e t r a l o g y t h e y a r e c o n c e n t r a t e d and developed

t o u n i t y , but t h e y have been t h e r e a l l a l o n g .

A c o l l e c t i o n of h i s

p r i m a r y m o t i f s o c c u r s i n t h e poem,. " C i t i e s , P l a i n s and People": the m i r r o r :

0 world of l i t t l e

mirrors i n the l i g h t ,

The f a c e s of t h e i n n o c e n t s i n w e l l s . p h y s i c s and p s y c h o l o g y : The t i d e b o u n d , t e p i d , c a u s e l e s s Continuum o f t e r r o r s i n t h e s p i r i t .

Ego, my dear, and i d L i e so p r o f o u n d l y h i d In space-time v o i d . illness:

U n t i l your p a i n became l i t e r a t u r e .

Yet here was a window I n t o t h e g r e a t sick-room,

Europe.

• ••

... through i n t r o s p e c t i o n and d i s e a s e . l o v e as

communication: ... how sex became A l e s s e r s o r t of speech, and t h e members d o o r s . (P, 134 - 149)

11

The

first

m o t i f t o be d e a l t w i t h w i l l be t h e m i r r o r , s i n c e

t h i s image, o r some n o t i o n of r e f l e c t i o n , i s c o n t i n u a l l y present i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e o t h e r themes of t h e v a r i o u s forms o f l o v e , illness,

landscape

The

and p h i l o s o p h y .

" h i n g e d - m i r r o r " view has taken v a r i o u s forms i n t h e

t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y n o v e l , p r o b a b l y most i m p r e s s i v e l y i n P r o u s t . V i r g i n i a Woolf*s Orlando has "a g r e a t v a r i e t y o f s e l v e s t o c a l l upon", and i s seeking " t h e key s e l f , which amalgamates and c o n t r o l s them a l l " .

1

V l a d i m i r Nabokov's n o v e l P a l e F i r e p r e s e n t s two a u t o -

b i o g r a p h i e s , each of which i s a l s o a commentary on t h e o t h e r , and one

o f which i s by a s c h i z o p h r e n i c t o f u r t h e r m u l t i p l y e n t i t i e s ;

and i t p r e s e n t s them by means o f such a maze o f c r i s s - c r o s s ences as t o i n f i n i t e l y m u l t i p l y t h e b a s i c two views.

refer-

Zemblan, t h e

language of h i s m y t h i c a l kingdom, i s c a l l e d " t h e tongue of t h e mirror".^

These and o t h e r works w i l l be mentioned where comparison

seems i n t e r e s t i n g and r e l e v a n t .

1(London, 1928), pp. 278, 279. 2(New York, 1962), p . 242.

12

CHAPTER ONE.

A.

The M i r r o r Image

Motifs related t o the M i r r o r .

In D u r r e l l ' s poem "On M i r r o r s " , t h e m i r r o r s have been t u r n e d t o t h e w a l l , so t h e i n h a b i t a n t o f t h e house i s d e p r i v e d means o f viewing

of t h i s

himself. You gone, t h e m i r r o r s a l l r e v e r t e d , Lay banging i n t h e empty house, Redoubled t h e i r e f f o r t s t o impede Waterlogged images of f a c e s p l e a d i n g . So F o r t u n a t u s had a m i r r o r which I m p e r i l l e d h i s reason when i t broke; The s l e e p e r s i n t h e i r d o r m i t o r y o f g l a s s S t i r r e d once and s i g h e d but never woke. Time amputated so w i l l b l e e d no more But f l o w l i k e r e f u s e now i n c l o c k s On c l i n i c w a l l s , i n l i b r a r i e s and b a r r a c k s , Not made t o spend but k i l l and n o t h i n g more. Yet m i r r o r s abandoned d r i n k l i k e ponds: (Once t h e y resumed t h e c h i l d h o o d o f l o v e ) And o v e r f l o w i n g , s p r e a d i n g , swallowing L i k e water l i g h t , show one a v e r t e d f a c e , As i n t h e c a p s u l e of t h e human eye Seen at i n f i n i t y , t h e o u t e r end o f t i m e , A man and woman l y i n g sun-bemused In a blue v i n e y a r d by t h e L a t i n s e a , Steeped i n each o t h e r ' s minds and b r e a t h i n g L i k e wicks i n h a l i n g deep i n golden o i l .

there

(P, p. 27) At t h e same time t h i s i n h a b i t a n t s u f f e r s another d e p r i v a t i o n i n the departure

o f h i s companion, who a l s o served as a s o r t o f

m i r r o r i n which he c o u l d l o o k f o r knowledge o f h i m s e l f .

T h i s double

l o s s , o f m i r r o r s and o f a l o v e d p e r s o n , i s d e s c r i b e d i n M o u n t o l i v e . At t h e C o p t i c wake, as p a r t of t h e d u t i e s t o t h e dead, " t h e m i r r o r s were s h i v e r e d i n t o a thousand fragments". (M, 313)

The dead i s

13

Narouz, t h e mourner i s Nessim and t h e image o f t h e s h i v e r e d m i r r o r s suggests

their

The

division.

r e v e r s e d m i r r o r s of t h e poem become h o s t i l e t o attempted

r e f l e c t i o n s , "redoubled of

faces pleading".

t h e i r e f f o r t s t o impede/Waterlogged images

Water, i s r e l a t e d t o t h e m i r r o r because i t t o o

can r e f l e c t ; N a r c i s s u s , t h e prime l o v e r of s e l f , saw h i m s e l f i n t h e water, of

but water has wider c o n n o t a t i o n s ;

e s p e c i a l l y i t i s symbolic

b i r t h and r e b i r t h i n t h e p e r e n n i a l l i t e r a r y theme o f t h e j o u r n e y

by water.

The f a c e s i n t h e poem a r e "waterlogged".

t o o much water, t o o much s e a r c h i n g o f t h e s e l f .

They have had

Excessive

intro-

v e r s i o n i s an impediment t o i n t r o s p e c t i o n o r t o a view of t h e s e l f * as i t r e a l l y i s .

The f a c e s p l e a d f o r an o p p o r t u n i t y t o be r e f l e c t e d

a c c u r a t e l y , but they a r e a l r e a d y w a t e r l o g g e d , and t h e m i r r o r s do not

help. The

poem a l l u d e s t o F o r t u n a t u s ' m i r r o r which " i m p e r i l l e d h i s

reason when i t b r o k e " .

The m i r r o r i s supposed t o r e v e a l a t r u e

image o f t h i n g s as they a r e , as reason would l o g i c a l l y deduce them. The

self reflected

i n t h i s m i r r o r i s a s c i e n t i f i c a l l y proven

r e d u c i b l e t o a formula. and

The s e l f r e v o l t s a g a i n s t t h i s

self,

reflection,

by i m p l i c a t i o n a g a i n s t r e a s o n , because, i n t h e words o f Dostoevsky's

underground man,

R e a s o n . i s n o t h i n g but reason and s a t i s f i e s o n l y t h e

r a t i o n a l s i d e of man's n a t u r e , w h i l e w i l l whole l i f e ,

i s a m a n i f e s t a t i o n of t h e

t h a t i s , o f t h e whole human l i f e

i n c l u d i n g reason and

14

a l l the

impulses".

1

This " w i l l "

seems t o be the " s e l f " we

d i s c u s s i n g , or at l e a s t the p r e s e r v e r most important

have been

of the u n i t a r y e x i s t e n c e ,

i s most p r e c i o u s

and

- that

i s , our p e r s o n a l i t y ,

individuality".

D u r r e l l ' s A l e x a n d r i a n s have been c r i t i c i s e d

"what our

for their

2 l a c k of w i l l ,

but

of what t h e y are Also,

t h i s c r i t i c i s m misses the p o i n t t h a t w i l l i s p a r t

seeking

and

t h e r e f o r e t h e y cannot yet p o s s e s s i t .

such o b j e c t i o n s assume t h a t w i l l must always be

itself

i n a c t i o n , and

I am

c o n t r a r y t o r e a s o n , and

not

sure t h a t t h i s i s so.

t o break the m i r r o r

c a l l y to achieve a better r e f l e c t i o n .

manifesting W i l l may

of reason i s

be

paradoxi-

In. R e f l e c t i o n s on a Marine

Venus,^ D u r r e l l a l l u d e s t o the inadequacy of reason and r e l i g i o n as m i r r o r s , t h a t i s , as a i d s t o s e l f - k n o w l e d g e . One r e q u i r e s a degree of knowledge t o r e c o g n i z e its

one's own

r e f l e c t i o n and

realize

implications. (Reason and r e l i g i o n ) are e q u a l l y s u s p e c t . They are both fogged m i r r o r s , b a d l y i n need of c l e a n i n g . But the i g n o r a n t man can get n o t h i n g from e i t h e r - not even a r e f l e c t i o n of h i s own s t u p i d i t y . (MV, p. 169)

Notes, pp. 73, 74. See a l s o F r e d e r i c k J . Hoffman, Samuel Becket: the Language of S e l f (Carbondale, 111., 1962), pp. 4, 7, 9. The underground man i s " d e f e a t e d by the m i r r o r of s e l f w i l l " . "The power of the w i l l ... i s ... turned almost e n t i r e l y inward ... a p e r v e r s e i n t e r e s t i n t o r t u r e d s e l f - a n a l y s i s " . The b e l o v e d " i s a m i r r o r i n which the underground man sees o n l y the e f f e c t s of a c l o s e d s e l f " . e.g. L i o n e l T r i l l i n g , "The Q u a r t e t : Two Reviews", i n The World of Lawrence D u a e l l , ed. H a r r y T. Moore (Carbondale, 111., 1962), pp. 56-60. T h i s volume w i l l h e n c e f o r t h be r e f e r r e d t o as World. 2

^ D u r r e l l ' s mirror i s i n n o n - f i c t i o n too. Note the t i t l e " R e f lections". T r a v e l , as w i l l be seen i n the d i s c u s s i o n of l a n d s c a p e , i s f o r him a form of i n t r o s p e c t i o n .

15

Reason a l s o c o u l d i n s i s t irrational

self

on s e l f - a n a l y s i s beyond t h e p o i n t which t h e

can b e a r .

Time i s "amputated" i n t h e poem because t h e o t h e r meaning of " r e f l e c t i o n " i n v o l v e s memory, b r i n g i n g past c a r d i n g t h e s u p e r f l u o u s time between. " t i m e " , as an impersonal

Also, Durrell

of the l i f e

shown, " i n c l o c k s " , i s " r e f u s e " now.

eliminates

i s no l o n g e r a p a r t o f l i f e .

processes.

Time, as i t i s

I t " w i l l b l e e d no more", because

The c l o c k s i n which i t f l o w s

refuse are i n c l i n i c s , places of sickness; l i b r a r i e s , and memory; and b a r r a c k s , p l a c e s o f r e g i m e n t a t i o n and

a l l these

p l a c e s a r e important

t h e f a c e even

Ponds do not d r i n k ,

The key t o t h e paradox i s t h e m i r r o r .

pond i n r e f l e c t i n g t h e f a c e " d r i n k s " i t , t a k e s The

p l a c e s of a r t ,

t o D u r r e l l ' s Alexandrians.

though i t i s a v e r t e d , t h e y " d r i n k l i k e ponds". a r e what we d r i n k .

like

and d e s t r u c t i o n ;

The. abandoned m i r r o r s become a c t i v e and r e f l e c t

but

and d i s -

means of s c i e n t i f i c measurement and r e c o g -

n i z e s i t o n l y as one aspect

it

i n t o present,

The

i t w i t h i n t h e water.

mention of l o v e i s i n p l a c e , f o r t h i s r e f l e c t i o n i s not c o n s c i o u s l y

sought by t h e s e l f

r e f l e c t e d but i s a g r a t u i t o u s o f f e r i n g , and t h e

" m i r r o r " o f t e n t a k e s t h e form o f another person through whom t h e s e l f is

found, o r perhaps t h e form o f one's own a r t .

The m i r r o r t h e n

seems t o be t h e human eye which " s e e s " i n v a r i o u s ways, " p e r c e i v e s " , o r , i n t h e way i n which a seer sees - i n t o " i n f i n i t y , t h e o u t e r end of t i m e " . The

f i n a l m i r r o r i n t h e poem i s a b l e n d of t h e m i r r o r s which

D u r r e l l most t r u s t s . "steeped

The l o v e r s r e f l e c t

each o t h e r ' s

i n each o t h e r ' s minds", i n v o l v i n g i n t e l l e c t

s e l f , are as w e l l as sense,

16

the u n i t a r y image. anean' landscape

T h e i r s e t t i n g i s "by t h e L a t i n sea", a M e d i t e r r -

l i k e the i s l a n d t o which D u r r e l l sends D a r l e y t o

c l a r i f y h i s r e f l e c t i o n i n both senses of t h a t word. m i r r o r , as from a lamp w i t h "wicks l i g h t , i l l u m i n a t i o n , new

From t h i s ,

i n h a l i n g deep i n g o l d e n

oil",

knowledge come.

I n t o t h i s poem, D u r r e l l has

crowded s u g g e s t i o n s of the v a r i o u s

forms which the m i r r o r s i n the Quartet a r e t o t a k e : reason and

s c i e n c e , time, n a r c i s s i s i s m , s i c k n e s s , a r t ,

d e s t r u c t i o n , seascape The

and

l a n d s c a p e , and l o v e .

s e l f ^ m i r r o r i n g i t s e l f was

Quartet was

written.

Gregory

D u r r e l l ' s theme l o n g b e f o r e the

i n the B l a c k Book s u f f e r s from

extreme s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and

i s always aware of h i m s e l f "as

a c t o r on an empty s t a g e , h i s o n l y audience the c r i t i c a l pp. 200-201). ego",

Gregory

an an

self".

(BB,

In h i s room, t h e " l a b o r a t o r y which I have made of

my

rages i n r e v e r i e u n t i l e v e r y t h i n g becomes i n t o l e r a b l e ;

then he sobers h i m s e l f by l o o k i n g i n the m i r r o r . The B l a c k Book i s a b e g i n n e r ' s work, and the m i r r o r symbolism i s much l e s s s u b t l e than i t i s i n the A l e x a n d r i a Q u a r t e t , but

this

l a c k of s u b t l e t y l e a v e s c l u e s t o some of the i m p l i c a t i o n s of D u r r e l l ' s l a t e r uses of s i m i l a r d e v i c e s . the e f f i g y which he would hex

Gregory

aspires to invultuation,

i s h i s own.

But

he i s u n s u c c e s s f u l :

" D a i l y I p i e r c e the image of m y s e l f , and n o t h i n g happens". reflecting

s e l f has no power over t h e a c t i n g s e l f .

t i o n where t h e r e should be a u n i t y : imagined

my

actions.

Self reflecting

" A l l my

life

There i s a

impotent,

The separa-

I have done t h i s

I have never t a k e n p a r t i n them". (BB, p.

s e l f i s s p e l l b o u n d and

and

split

-

196)

i n t o unconnected

17

parts: 'Ended. I t i s a l l ended. I r e a l i z e t h a t now, l i v i n g here on t h e green carpet and l i v i n g t h e r e i n t h e m i r r o r .... T h i s i s my e t e r n a l t o p i c , I , Gregory S t y l i t e s , d e s t r o y e d by t h e problem of p e r s o n a l a c t i o n . ' (BB, p . 228) Gregory's statement o f h i s problem f o l l o w s mention o f another s e p a r a t i o n i n what s h o u l d be u n i f i e d , t h e g u l f "between t h e people and t h e i r makers - t h e a r t i s t s " , r e s u l t i n g i n an impotent c i v i l i z a t i o n and a new Dark Age. The problem of p e r s o n a l a c t i o n a r i s e s when t h e s e l f l o s e s contact with the s e l f r e f l e c t e d .

Will

reflecting

cannot produce

action,

which l e a d s outward, because t h i s w i l l i s d i r e c t e d inward o n l y . V i c t o r Brombert

1

sees D u r r e l l ' s time as "a mode o f a c t i o n "

distinct

from P r o u s t ' s which i s a "mode o f memory", and t h i s time i s r e l a t e d t o " t h e m i r r o r - d i s e a s e of thought, t h e s o l i p s i s t i c awareness o f 'others', the w a l l e d - i n q u a l i t y of experience

While concerned w i t h

t h e j u x t a p o s i t i o n of v a r i o u s s e l f - r e f l e c t i o n s and v a r i o u s t i m e s p a s t , B a r l e y cannot a c t and cannot c r e a t e a r t . When he r e c o n c i l e s t h e r e -

L a w r e n c e D u r r e l l and h i s F r e n c h R e p u t a t i o n , "World, pp. 174, 183. lM

T h e d i s t i n c t i o n between P r o u s t ' s and D u r r e l l ' s uses o f "time", " r e f l e c t i o n " , and "memory" i s f a r from c l e a r . In a sense memory r e p l a c e s a c t i o n i n t h e p r o c e s s o f P r o u s t i a n t i m e . As Joseph Wood K r u t c h e x p l a i n s , "The q u a l i t y o f a d i r e c t e x p e r i e n c e always eluded one and ... o n l y i n r e c o l l e c t i o n c o u l d we grasp i t s r e a l flavour". (Remembrance of T h i n g s P a s t , New York, 1934, v o l . I , p. v i i ) . A s i m i l a r t h e o r y i s suggested by t h e v e r y s t r u c t u r e o f the.cQuartet, but f o r D u r r e l l t h e memory "which c a t c h e s s i g h t o f i t s e l f i n a m i r r o r " (B, p . 14) by t h a t a c t o f s e l f - p e r c e p t i o n does become a c t i o n , memory p r o j e c t i n g beyond i t s e l f i n t o t h e f u t u r e of C l e a - remembering t h e f u t u r e , as i n A l i c e ' s l o o k i n g glass. 2

18

f l e c t i o n s , he a l s o moves forward i n time and can b e g i n t o c r e a t e . The

s t a t e of n o n - a c t i o n , which Brombert

c a l l s " e x a s p e r a t e d and i m -

potent d e s i r e " , f i n d s i t s symbol i n t h e m i r r o r . here t h e importance

Brombert

notes

o f t h e eye i n a l o o k i n g - g l a s s world and i n

Durrell's visually rich Alexandria.

The eye o f f e r s t e m p t a t i o n s

and arouses d e s i r e s which i t i s powerless t o s a t i s f y .

Hence t h e

p r o p h e t i c eye and t h e b l i n d eye a r e major p a r t s of t h e m i r r o r imagery. Bombert t h i n k s D u r r e l l * s mirror-complex

resembles

a game.

Perhaps t h i s i s another commentary on B a l t h a z a r ' s chessboard. The

s e a r c h f o r D u r r e l l ' s hidden m i r r o r s i s something

game i n i t s e l f .

of a

P r o b a b l y , l i k e most i n v e s t i g a t i o n s of l i t e r a r y

catchwords,

i t can be p r e s s e d t o o f a r .

unsuspected

and i n t r i g u i n g bypaths on t h e road t o A l e x a n d r i a .

s i d e r t h e case of Maskelyne, M o u n t o l i v e i s ambassador.

But i t can a l s o l e a d t o Con-

t h e head o f t h e War O f f i c e i n Egypt

while

He i s a p r a c t i c a l man, a man o f " a c t i o n " ,

i n t h e sense of " g e t t i n g t h i n g s done", and has no p a t i e n c e w i t h Mounto l i v e ' s unexplained delays.

F o r him, t h e problem

of Nessim i s a matter

of s t a r k b l a c k and w h i t e , u n c o m p l i c a t e d by t h e mesh of human which b i n d s M o u n t o l i v e and t u r n s h i s c u r r e n t s awry.

relativity

In Time and Western

Man, a book which i n t e r e s t e d B u r r e l l and i n f l u e n c e d him c o n s i d e r a b l y , Wyndham Lewis d i s c u s s e s t h e t h e o r y t h a t t h i n g s a r e as t h e y appear t o one's senses

(a s t i c k seen p a r t l y i n water i s bent) and r e f e r s t o

"Maskelyne*s

illusions".

T h i s Maskelyne was a c o n j u r o r who m y s t i f i e d

a u d i e n c e s at t h e t u r n of t h e c e n t u r y .

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e t h e o r y Lewis

19

Is examining, an i l l u s i o n "would be r e a l - s i n c e i t appeared Now

we

r e t u r n t o the

real".

mirror:

As most of Maskelyne's i l l u s i o n s are e f f e c t e d by arrangements of l o o k i n g g l a s s e s , t h e y would v e r y w e l l i l l u s t r a t e t h i s t h e o r y , which i s almost e n t i r e l y based on the e x p e r i e n c e s of a l o o k i n g g l a s s w o r l d . I t i s a world i n which the image comes t o l i f e , and t h e p i c t u r e , under s u i t a b l e c o n d i t i o n s moves and l i v e s i n s i d e i t s frame. The

i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h i s passage f o r the A l e x a n d r i a

various.

In the

Balthazar's

first

proof

place, Darley's

of t h e i r f a l s i t y .

s t o r y , d i s c a r d i n g red h e r r i n g and arguable b a s i c t r u t h . for

Darley

i s not

t r u e f o r him. object

and

image of s e l f , the

Maskelyne c o n s t r u c t e d who

played

c a r d s and

t h i s does not

present

un-

what i s t r u e

make i t l e s s

many r e f l e c t i o n s of

c r e a t i o n of a work of a r t .

one

that

The

historical

automata, the most famous of which were Psycho, may

t h e r e f o r e bear some remote r e l a t i o n t o

drew p i c t u r e s , an a r t i s t - r o b o t ,

2

symbols; and

of concern f o r human r e l a t i o n s .

law

and

the

who an

h i s lack

Psycho's i n t r o s p e c t i v e m y s t i c i s m

among h i s s t r o n g

T i m e and Western Man

Zoe

D u r r e l l ' s Maskefyne resembles

automaton i n h i s s c r u p u l o u s adherence t o the l i t e r a l

1

single

are concerned w i t h the making of images,

t o the T a r o t

Zoe's a r t are not

despite

r e f l e c t i o n becomes as r e a l as

i n v e s t i g a t i o n of the psyche and

and

are

a detective

i s r e l a t i v e i n Alexandria;

The

A g a i n we

Quartet i s not

p r o c e e d i n g towards the

Many l o o k i n g - g l a s s e s

of each o t h e r .

i l l u s i o n s are t r u e ,

The

t r u e f o r J u s t i n e , but

which i t r e f l e c t s . the

Truth

Quartet

points.

(Boston, 1957)

p.

403.

E n c y c l o p a e d i a B r i t a n n i c a , (1951), v o l . I I , p. 789b; v o l . V I , p. 263b.

20

Maskelyne c o n s t r u c t s automata i n t h a t h i s d i s c o v e r y of Nessim*s s e c r e t r e n d e r s Nessim, M o u n t o l i v e and Pursewarden unable t o d i r e c t t h e course Still

o f events by t h e i r own w i l l s . u s i n g Maskelyne's t r i c k s as i l l u s t r a t i o n , Lewis

l a t e s a magical

t r i c k i n which t h e p s y c h o - c o n j u r o r

Then i f each p i e c e were put i n t o a separate g l a s s r e c e p t a c l e , not o n l y t h e same s e l f , but t h e whole s e l f , would be found s t a r i n g at t h e s p e c t a t o r out of each of i t s p r i s o n s .

postu-

c u t s up t h e s e l f :

1

Perhaps t h i s p i c t u r e of t h e d i v i d e d but i n s e p a r a b l e s e l f i s behind C a p o d i s t r i a ' s homunculi, who, even i n an atmosphere of formaldehyde, l a n g u i s h w i t h l o v e and j e a l o u s y .

These p i c k l e d people s t a r e at t h e

s p e c t a t o r as a r e f l e c t i o n r e t u r n s t h e gaze o f t h e person

reflected.

Maskelyne performs a s i m i l a r t r i c k i n h i s s e p a r a t i o n of h i s o f f i c i a l s e l f from h i s human But,

self.

i n the m u l t i p l e m i r r o r s of the l o o k i n g - g l a s s world, i t i s

Maskelyne who i s r i g h t , as M o u n t o l i v e and Pursewarden must concede. He knows t h e f a c t s , knows what should be done about them, and does it.

T h i s i s one p o i n t at which one q u e s t i o n s what D u r r e l l means by

" a c t i o n " and whether he c o n s i d e r s i t d e s i r a b l e . l i e s with the w i l l . according t o r u l e .

The answer

probably

Maskelyne a c t s not a c c o r d i n g t o h i s w i l l , but He i s what Dostoevsky*s r e c l u s e c a l l s a "normal"

man, a "man o f c h a r a c t e r , an a c t i v e man", and t h i s s o r t of man i s "pre-eminently to

a limited creature".

a c t , you know, you must f i r s t

2

Dostoevsky e x p l a i n s , "To b e g i n

have your mind completely

iTime and B e s t e r n Man, p . 406 ^Notes, pp. 55, 65.

at ease

21

and no t r a c e of doubt l e f t

in it".

To anyone who sees h i m s e l f

r e f l e c t e d i n many m i r r o r s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y ,

such a s t a t e i s i m -

possible.

B.

The Two Meanings of " R e f l e c t i o n "

The

two meanings o f " r e f l e c t i o n " , t h e o u t e r image and t h e

i n n e r thought,' a r e both i n v o l v e d i n D u r r e l l ' s a l l u s i o n s t o m i r r o r s , s i n c e both a r e r e f l e c t i o n s of v a r i o u s a s p e c t s

of the s e l f ,

since

the outward i s c o n t i n u a l l y used t o suggest t h e i n n e r , and sincet h e g o a l i s t o u n i t e outward and i n n e r i n t h e u n i t a r y The

3

self.

i n n e r sense o f " r e f l e c t i o n " , d e f i n e d by S a r t r e as " t h e

attempt on t h e p a r t o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s

t o become i t s own o b j e c t " , i s 1

always concerned w i t h time and memory, l o o k i n g back and o r d e r i n g the past

i n the l i g h t

of present

thought.

I t rearranges

without a l t e r i n g i t , as a l l m i r r o r s r e a r r a n g e

reality

s p a t i a l and dimen-

s i o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s , o r t h e v i s u a l i l l u s i o n t h e r e o f , without a c t u a l l y moving

anything. Memory i s r e f l e c t e d r e a l i t y — l i k e t h e m i r r o r , the c r y s t a l o r t h e echo. The t h i n g remembered i s not q u i t e as i t was; c u r i o u s l y , i t i s t h e same, though changed.... Perhaps t h e f a s c i n a t i o n i n a l l r e f l e c t i o n i s t h e essence o f p o e t r y . ^

Art

i s a means o f r e f l e c t i o n i n e i t h e r sense, whether i t h o l d s t h e

m i r r o r up t o n a t u r e i n a d e l i b e r a t e l y p a t t e r n e d

comment on present

J-Being and Nothingness (New York, 1956), p . 633. 2

E.A.

C o l l a r d , e d i t o r i a l i n t h e Montreal

January 11, 1964, p . 8.

Gazette,

22

r e a l i t y , or r e c o l l e c t s emotion i n t r a n q u i l l i t y i n an e q u a l l y l i b e r a t e r e - c r e a t i o n of past

de-

experience.

S a t r e ' s d e f i n i t i o n a p p l i e s e q u a l l y w e l l t o i n n e r and reflection;

i n both cases, the

at or t h i n k i n g about i t s e l f . m i r r o r , one

them, and "My

1

subject

object,

Pressing h i s face

sees o n l y h i s eye,

enormous and

i n order t o

a f t e r l i v i n g away from A l e x a n d r i a , D a r l e y

(C, p.

discovered

a new

looking

i s t o see one's s e l f i n a

A l i c e walked away from the f l o w e r s

sympathy had

ment."

I f one

i s i t s own

must step back s e v e r a l p a c e s .

a g a i n s t the g l a s s , the grotesque.

subject

could

element i n s i d e i t s e l f

say,

- detach-

From the

self's

point

of view, i t i s a d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of u n i t a r y p e r s o n a l i t y i n t o p a r t s , s u b j e c t and

o l i v e and

object.

separate

But

two

from an o u t s i d e view, i t i s a

c o n c e p t s , of s u b j e c t

Maskelyne are both r i g h t and

are opposed.

reach

33)

T h i s detachment i s p a r a d o x i c a l .

u n i o n of two

outer

They are d e a l i n g w i t h the

and

of o b j e c t .

Mount-

both wrong, a l t h o u g h t h e y same s i t u a t i o n , but

the

s i t u a t i o n as viewed by M o u n t o l i v e d i f f e r s r a d i c a l l y from t h a t viewed by Maskelyne, and

the d i f f e r e n c e i s i n t h e v i e w e r .

t h i s r e l a t i v e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n i s t a k i n g p l a c e w i t h i n the

Moreover,

individual.

Jung's i n t r o v e r t has t o d e a l w i t h the e x t e r i o r w o r l d , and t h e i o r world pursues h i s e x t r a v e r t i n t o h i s o u t e r l i f e :

" i f a man

f i x e d upon t h e o u t e r r e a l i t y , he must l i v e h i s myth; i f he

interis

i s turned

Icf. J u s t i n e and Messim, " t h e i r open eyes s t a r i n g i n t o each o t h e r . w i t h the s i g h t l e s s n e s s of inhuman o b j e c t s " . (M, p. 215)

23

towards the real

i n n e r r e a l i t y , then must he dream h i s o u t e r , h i s s o - c a l l e d

life". The

1

q u e s t i o n , as A l i c e and t h e Red

the l i n e between dream and t h e r e i s ho l i n e ; each o t h e r . d r i a , but

King knew, i s where t o draw

r e a l i t y , t r u t h and

perhaps i n n e r and

the Alexandrians

own

Groddeck contends t h a t "man

image, t h a t a l l h i s i n v e n t i o n s and

finance, l i t e r a t u r e , vocabulary, a s p e c i a l sense symbolic

1

c o l l e c t i v e s e l v e s , and

and

primitive

the world

...'my w i l l ' and

between t h e o u t e r world and No",

3

and

by what I accept

'my

"'I've

(M, p . 145)

each a r t i f a c t

Jung t o o d e f i n e s "the w o r l d " as "how

experience".

wish f o r t h e

C i v i l i z a t i o n i s a mirror a minor of i t s d e s i g n e r .

I see the w o r l d , my

presentation'".

Even the d i f f e r e n c e s

210

2

G r o d d e c k , p.

3

J u n g , p.

237

25

Yes

the p r e - n a t a l e x i s t e n c e , " i t

seems l i k e l y t h a t I must then have taken e v e r y t h i n g t h a t

J u n g , p.

attitude to

reject.

Groddeck s p e c u l a t e s c o n c e r n i n g

1

2

always b e l i e v e d

t h e i n n e r dream are c r e a t e d by "my or

in his

p h i l o s o p h i e s are i n

s e c r e t w i s h e s , and we

of the city-man, don't we? "

the

a c t i v i t i e s , h i s science, a r t ,

i n d u s t r i e s and

of h i s n a t u r e

t h a t our i n v e n t i o n s m i r r o r our

of our

Alexan-

Alexandrians

c r e a t e s the world

D u r r e l l ' s C l e a remarks about bombing-planes:

end

to

t h a t A l e x a n d r i a i s p a r t of a landscape of

mind, so t h a t at t i m e s t h e r e i s no d i s t i n c t i o n between and A l e x a n d r i a .

Perhaps

o u t e r are the same, or images of

Sometimes D u r r e l l s u b o r d i n a t e s

i t t u r n s out

falsehood.

surrounded

24

me t o be p a r t o f m y s e l f , s e l f and environment being T h i s p r i m i t i v e s t a t e endures i n A l e x a n d r i a , being one

a l s o d e s c r i p t i o n of s e l f .

o f t h e most p r e v a l e n t Discussing

one u n i t e d

whole".

d e s c r i p t i o n o f environment

The r e c u r r e n c e

of the mirror

image i s

and s u b t l e examples o f t h i s tendency.

p h i l o s o p h i c a l i d e a l i s m , Wyndham Lewis

postulates

a world i h which a l l phenomena of t h e environment a r e p r o j e c t i o n s from the

s e l f , which, i n t h e e x t e r i o r w o r l d , i s i t s e l f a mere r e f l e c t i o n : The i m p r e s s i o n of r e a l i t y t h a t you r e c e i v e from w i t h i n has t h i s p e c u l i a r i t y , namely, t h a t t h e i l l u s i o n i n t h i s case i s y o u r s e l f . . . . In t h e case o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y , i f you c o n s i d e r the e x t e r i o r world as a m i r r o r w o r l d , you a r e i n s i d e the image i n t h e m i r r o r (Lewis's i t a l i c s ) . . . . The ' o b j e c t s * t h a t a r e i t s o r i g i n a l s e x i s t merely f o r i t . . . t h e s o l i d p r o j e c t i o n s as i t were o f t h i s one, i m m a t e r i a l t h i n g . Looked a t i n t h a t way, t o be c o l o u r e d . and t o be extended i s , c o n v e r s e l y , i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n t o be u n r e a l . ^

Here t h e i n n e r i s p r o j e c t e d dependent on t h e i n n e r .

i n t o t h e outer

so t h a t t h e o u t e r

becomes

There i s an i d e n t i t y o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and

environment, and t h e d i s t i n c t i o n between t h e " r e f l e c t i o n " o f thought and

t h e " r e f l e c t i o n " o f t h e m i r r o r becomes b l u r r e d .

C.

The S i n g l e Image The

simplest

form o f t h e m i r r o r

image i s t h a t

person sees h i s own r e f l e c t i o n i n a s i n g l e - v i e w , o r garden m i r r o r . It and

even o f t i m e .

non-magical common

In a sense, t h e m i r r o r has an e x t r a

i s , - i n actual fact

i n which a

dimension.

a plane s u r f a c e , but usurps t h e q u a l i t y o f depth

When an Alexandrian

looks

i n t h e m i r r o r he i s l i k e l y

t o see not o n l y h i s f a c e , but h i s mind and h e a r t , p a s t , present and

x

p.

92

2

j3p. 405, 406

25 f u t u r e , r e t u r n i n g h i s gaze.

J u s t i n e , whose s e l f - o b s e s s i o n i s

severe

enough t o have at l e a s t p r e t e n s i o n s t o n e u r o s i s , spends an i n o r d i n a t e amount of time b e f o r e a m i r r o r . the time she

s c a r c e l y sees her present

former husband and

beauty at a l l .

Arnauti,

her

companion i n her w i l d goose chase a f t e r a n a l y s t s ,

quotes her as s a y i n g , "'I aging

V a n i t y i s not her motive; most of

f u r y * " . ( J , p. 192)

always see i n the m i r r o r the image of She

an

t a l k s t o the m i r r o r r a t h e r than t o

her l o v e r , about a c t i o n s performed " t o i n v i t e s e l f - d i s c o v e r y " . What she

says r e v e a l s a m i r r o r - m i n d , r e f l e c t i n g the words and thoughts of

o t h e r minds. ( J , pp. an i n n e r m i r r o r . political

and

202-203)

The

outer mirror i s u s u a l l y r e l a t e d t o

A f t e r a t e n s e d i s c u s s i o n w i t h Nessim of i n t r i g u e s

e r o t i c , a d i s c u s s i o n c o n t a i n i n g many unspoken

she goes t o the m i r r o r t o study "her own p. 212)

But

sorrowful,haunted

the r e v e l a t i o n which f o l l o w s i s Nesslm's, not

S e l f - d i s c o v e r y has

something t o do w i t h the

suggestions, face". her

(J_,

own.

s e l f ' s relationship to

other

selves. Nessim encounters m i r r o r s as o f t e n as J u s t i n e does, though l e s s deliberately.

He

Examining h i s own

t r i e s t o see h i m s e l f as he appears t o J u s t i n e . ( M , r e f l e c t i o n , he i s s i c k w i t h

s e l f - l o a t h i n g and

contempt, s t r i c k e n w i t h the m u l t i p l i c i t y of h i s own Under the

s t r a i n , he t o o becomes p r e o c c u p i e d

addresses h i s r e f l e c t i o n as i f i t were a s e p a r a t e was,

and

mind

e n t i t y , but

should be a g a i n , p a r t of h i m s e l f : Now t o o he n o t i c e d t h a t he i n v o l u n t a r i l y r e p e a t e d phrases a l o u d t o which h i s c o n s c i o u s mind r e f u s e d t o l i s t e n . 'Good', she heard him t e l l one of h i s m i r r o r s , 'so you are f a l l i n g i n t o a n e u r a s t h e n i a * . (J_, p. 159)

195)

self-

m o t i v e s / (M,. p.

w i t h h i s own

p.

202)

and one

that

26

The

split

i n h i m s e l f becomes so acute t h a t he

sees i n a complete

s t r a n g e r "a s t r o n g yet d i s t o r t e d resemblance t o h i m s e l f as he i n t h e m i r r o r " . (J_, p. 194) the m i r r o r , and the on i t s

He

separated

imagines the r e f l e c t i o n coming out

p a r t of the s e l f assuming an

from

existence

own. A p u b l i c o f f i c i a l w i t h power t o command a c t i o n and,

t o r e a l i z e h i s own

dream image of h i m s e l f , Mountolive

r e v e a l i n g glimpses

i n m i r r o r s as he p a s s e s by.

t i o n s i s p r o v i d e d t h r o u g h another's

t h e m i r r o r and

t h i s banishes

i n a m i r r o r " . (M, p. 130)

ficial

s e l f obscures

But,

h i s neurasthenia, Mountolive

encounter w i t h h i s own

wonders, "Am

regarding

w i t h the

super-

and the s t a t e ' s . As Nessim

I s l o w l y becoming

i n t o t h e low

Here he f i n d s h o r r o r s enough t o r e f l e c t

sym-

handsome he

His

questioned irresistible

w i t h L e i l a , which i s an

s e l f and w i t h the Egypt of h i s p a s t ,

d i s g u i s e s h i m s e l f and v e n t u r e s

Seeing

illusions

This preoccupation

A f t e r h i s re-encounter past

reflec-

once a r r a y e d i n h i s own

t h e r e a l problems, h i s own

(M, p. 141)

of these

several

shortcomings with h i m s e l f i n

c o n d i t i o n i s s t a t i c , when the need i s f o r a c t i o n .

to myself?"

catches

i s " q u i t e s u r p r i s e d t o see how

looked

supposedly,

S i r L o u i s , the

some of M o u n t o l i v e ' s

t h e i r e x a l t e d rank. (M, pp. 76, 79) b o l i c f i n e r y , Mountolive

One

reflection.

ambassador t o R u s s i a , d i s c u s s e s h i s own

scious.

turned

l i f e of t h e Arab

he

Quarter.

the h o r r o r s of h i s own

uncon-

h i s i n c o g n i t o s e l f i n the m i r r o r , he i s a g a i n " q u i t e

s u r p r i s e d " , t h i s time at the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n .

(M, p. 285)

Mountolive's

s u r p r i s e at h i s r e f l e c t i o n s i m p l i e s a deeper s o r t of s u r p r i s e . image of t h e handsome ambassador g i v e s way w i t h t h e l i v e s of o t h e r men,

t o t h a t of a man

The

involved

f i n d i n g h i m s e l f a major c h a r a c t e r i n a

27

story of treason, s u i c i d e , f r a t r i c i d e , of M o u n t o l i v e ' s

i n c e s t and a d u l t e r y .

The p r o c e s s

s e l f - d i s c o v e r y i s marked by h i s s u r p r i s e at t h e unexpec-

t e d c h a r a c t e r of h i m s e l f and t h e o t h e r

s e l v e s on whose r e l a t i v e

existence

h i s own depends. Pursewarden's use o f m i r r o r s i s a c o n s c i o u s

one.

a r t i s t , whose a e s t h e t i c t h e o r i e s a r e v e r y l i k e those and

he understands t h e n a t u r e

mirror

of t h e symbol.

o f Mr. D u r r e l l ,

He s c o l d s h i m s e l f

(B_, p. 121) and mocks t h e r e f l e c t i o n of " t h e great

himself"

He i s an

i n the

Pursewarden

(M, p. 158), c a s t i n g an e v e r - s o - s l i g h t shade o f mockery onto

the hundreds o f pages o f h i s p o n t i f i c a t i o n s which s w e l l t h e A l e x a n d r i a Quartet.

He has a h a b i t of w r i t i n g on t h e m i r r o r w i t h h i s shaving

sometimes a q u o t a t i o n f o r contemplation t i m e s a mock e p i t a p h , which i s d e a d l y

or f o r s a t i r e

stick,

(B_, p. 123); some-

s e r i o u s i n i t s s u g g e s t i o n of

fundamental u n c e r t a i n t y : 'I never knew which s i d e my a r t was b u t t e r e d ' Were t h e Last Words t h a t poor Pursewarden u t t e r e d ! F i n a l l y , t h e m i r r o r r e c e i v e s h i s s u i c i d e message, w i t h i t s warning t o Nessim, t h e r e a l e p i t a p h t h i s t i m e . (B_, p. 150; M, p. 214). mirror i s multiple-viewed,

Pursewarden's

however, and t h i s man who p r o c l a i m s

h i s views

a u t h o r i t a t i v e l y throughout t h e book, remains an enigma, w i t h at l e a s t t h r e e motives f o r s u i c i d e ; t o h i s f r i e n d Mountolive; i n l o v e w i t h Mountolive;

h i s necessary

h i s incestuous

b e t r a y a l o f h i s f r i e n d Nessim l o v e f o r L i z a , who i s f a l l i n g

o r h i s awareness t h a t he had reached t h e apex

of h i s a r t i s t i c accomplishment and u s e f u l n e s s . a satisfactory Besides

None of t h e motives i s

explanation. these

continuous

m i r r o r m o r t i f s , each r e f l e c t i n g a

major c h a r a c t e r , t h e r e a r e r e f l e c t i n g images s c a t t e r e d though t h e f o u r

28

books, always showing at l e a s t

a h i n t of some t r u t h not

h i t h e r t o apparent.

Narouz sees h i s c r i p p l e d f a t h e r p o i n t i n g a p i s t o l at h i s r e f l e c t i o n r e a l i z e s the i n t i m a c y of the r e l a t i o n s h i p s which b i n d h i s p a r e n t s Mountolive,

Nessim and M o u n t o l i v e ,

(B, p. 249;

M,

p. 37

- 38)

Nessim and Narouz and

their

and

parents.

D a r l e y and M e l i s s a say good-bye i n a cab

t a l k of the q u a d r i l a t e r a l l o v e which i n c l u d e d them w i t h Nessim and and

and

and

Justine,

are aware t h a t "the d r i v e r watched us i n the m i r r o r l i k e a spy....

He watched us as one

might watch c a t s making l o v e " . ( J , p. 225

In t h i s s i m i l e , the t e n d e r l o v e , pornography and f i n d i n g himself

l e a v e - t a k i n g becomes a strange

bestiality.

-

226).

complex of

Pombal, the casanova, confused

i n l o v e , a d d r e s s e s h i s own

r e f l e c t i o n ; he "who

at

believed

so many t h i n g s about l o v e " i s s e e i n g unsuspected t r u t h s about

himself

and h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o o t h e r s .

and,

one

D a r l e y and

Pombal

g a t h e r s , most of t h e male c h a r a c t e r s i n the Q u a r t e t ,

s e l v e s and The

(C_, p. 41)

each o t h e r

barber's

i n the barber-shop m i r r o r s

( J , p. 36;

name, Mnemjian, suggests memory, time and

r e p r e s e n t a t i o n or image of t r u t h . l i k e t h e m i r r o r , he

He

B, p.

24).

a l s o mimesis, a

knows e v e r y t h i n g about everyone;

contains hidden t r u t h .

In h i s shop i s a group p h o t o -

graph, which s e r v e s as a m i r r o r f o r memories. " t h e p e r f e c t e d image of a s c h o o l t e a c h e r " .

The

pictured Darley i s

(B_, p.24)

e f f e c t u a l f i g u r e i s not the f i n a l form of D a r l e y , but b e f o r e he looked

gaze at them-

The

threadbare

in-

i t i s Darley

i n t o the m u l t i p l e m i r r o r s .

At C a r n i v a l the whole group, d i s g u i s e d , anonymous, i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from one

another even i n sex,

find in their collective

a perception i n t o t h e i r c o l l e c t i v e nature

reflection

and the a m b i g u i t i e s

t i o n s which b i n d them a l l t o g e t h e r : They put on t h e v e l v e t e e n capes and a d j u s t e d t h e i r masks l i k e the a c t o r s t h e y were, comparing

and

decep-

29

t h e i r i d e n t i c a l r e f l e c t i o n s as t h e y stood s i d e by s i d e i n t h e two s w o l l e n m i r r o r s among the palms.... The i n q u i s i t o r s of p l e a s u r e and p a i n , the A l e x a n d r i a n s . (B_, pp.198 - 199) The

portentous

works a l s o .

g l a n c e i n the m i r r o r o c c u r s i n D u r r e l l ' s

lesser

In The Dark L a b y r i n t h , Fearmax becomes aware of h i s

l o n e l i n e s s and

own

l a c k of humor o n l y when he f o c u s s e s on h i s r e f l e c t i o n

i n a h o t e l m i r r o r and

i n shopwindows. (PL, pp.

115,

117)

And

Joanna,

i n D u r r e l l ' s v e r s i o n of R o y i d i s ' Pope Joan, b e g i n s her a l a r m i n g a f t e r contemplating

her own

career

beauty m i r r o r e d i n a pond. (Pope, pp.

A l l t h i s g a z i n g i n m i r r o r s i s not e n t i r e l y a c c i d e n t a l on p a r t of D u r r e l l * s p e o p l e . ism and

comment on i t ,

multiple mirrors. perceptions.

Most of them r e c o g n i z e t h e i r own

as w i l l be

27)

the

narciss-

seen more i n the d i s c u s s i o n of

They use m i r r o r metaphors i n t h e i r own

Mountolive

26 -

i n t h e embassy i n R u s s i a "had

comments and

a sudden image

of them a l l f l o a t i n g b e l l y upward i n a snowy l a k e , l i k e b o d i e s of t r a p p e d f r o g s gleaming upward through t h e m i r r o r of i c e " , (M, p. O f t e n t h e y r e c o g n i z e t h e i r problem, the s t a t i c examination and,

of

self,

as Pursewarden says, t h e y "are i n c a p a b l e of t h i n k i n g f o r o u r s e l v e s ;

about, y e s " .

(C_, p.

134)

D u r r e l l ' s Sappho, l i k e J u s t i n e , sees the r e f l e c t i o n of an fury

62)

(and l i k e J u s t i n e i s i n v o l v e d i n a c o n f u s i o n of l o v e and

aging

politics):

The moment at the m i r r o r i s t h e worst of the day. We measure our self-contempt w r i n k l e by w r i n k l e , Our d i s g u s t i s at the s t a l e b r e a t h , l a c k l u s t r e eye, A l l the wear and t e a r of b e i n g without ever becoming. (S^ P. 79) Being

i s s t a t i c , becoming i s a c t i v e .

l o g y , but ments.

D u r r e l l does not end h i s t e t r a -

s u f f i x e s a number of suggested

s t a r t i n g p o i n t s f o r new

develop-

D a r l e y has f r e e d h i m s e l f from the s t a g n a t i o n of b e i n g and a t t a i n e d

30

a kinetic

s t a t e of becoming.

The

What the a r t i s t

creates i s himself.

s e l f i n the B l a c k Book i>s f r u s t r a t e d by the v e i l of

which h i d e s i t s own

essence:

" i am

again

s t a n d i n g naked i n f r o n t of

the m i r r o r , p u z z l e d by the o b s t r u c t i n g f l e s h " . does see the r e f l e c t i o n , i t i s not

(BB,

(BB,

b a s i c and

p. 222)

p. 203)

i s unable t o

There i s something unknown w i t h i n h i m s e l f ,

quiescent

and

unreachable:

present

(BB,

p. 71)

flesh.

consciousness" totality'".

The

germ of s e l f i s b e i n g ,

Jung has d e f i n e d t h e ego i n c o n t r a s t t o the

my

something fig-

f a c e i n the

essence, hidden by

as " o n l y the

s u b j e c t of

my

s e l f , which i s "the

s u b j e c t of

my

Groddeck d e s c r i b e s the problem of the i n e s c a p a b l e

1

"he

outstare

"the o t h e r , the not-me, the

ment, t h e embryo, the white something which l i e s behind mirror".

When he

q u i t e what he wished i t t o be:

f i n d s h i m s e l f f a c e t o f a c e w i t h h i s anonymity, and it".

flesh

the

I:

' I am I* - we cannot get away from i t , and even w h i l e I a s s e r t t h a t the p r o p o s i t i o n i s f a l s e , I am o b l i g e d t o act as i f i t were t r u e . r

2

But

" i am

i " i s a tautology;

the problem i s t o f i n d a meaningful sub-

s t i t u t e phrase f o r t h e second " i " . t o me and

t o be

s e l f - l i b e r a t i o n and

"But

the key t o e v e r y t h i n g

s e l f - d i s c o v e r y - an important

a r t i s t i c b i a s of mind". (A & 0, p. 24)

seems religious

D u r r e l l means t h e s e

words

t o a p p l y t o Henry M i l l e r ' s Sexus, but t h i s " b i a s of mind", concerned w i t h f r e e i n g the it,

s e l f f o r a c t i o n by u n r a v e l l i n g t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s which b i n d

i s the b i a s of h i s own

!p. 2

p.

mind and

of the minds of h i s puppets.

540 82

J o h n Press f i n d s that D u r r e l l ' s poetry " r e v e a l s the patterns of a mind t h a t s h i f t s c o n t i n u a l l y l i k e s u n l i t water r e f l e c t e d i n a m i r r o r " . The Chequer*d Shade (London, 1958), p. 40. Sometimes one s u s p e c t s D u r r e l l ' s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h mirrors i s i n e v i t a b l e and compulsive. 3

31

D.

R e f l e c t i o n i n Another S e l f

F r e q u e n t l y , t h e r e f l e c t i o n of t h e s e l f i s not a simple I t o I r e l a t i o n s h i p , but proceeds

through t h e means o f another

words o r person may serve as a m i r r o r . t h i s sort

whose

The most obvious m i r r o r of

i s l o v e , i n which p a r t n e r s r e f l e c t

s u b j e c t w i l l warrant

"i",

a chapter t o i t s e l f .

each o t h e r ; and t h i s

F o r t h e moment, l e t us

c o n s i d e r t h e m i r r o r i n g of t h e s e l f i n o t h e r s e l v e s .

Pursewarden,

w i t h h i s p r o l i f i c i n s i g h t s i n t o e v e r y t h i n g , f u n c t i o n s as a c r u e l l y a c c u r a t e m i r r o r o f D a r l e y , t h e o t h e r a r t i s t , and, p r o b a b l y c r u e l l y , of other c h a r a c t e r s .

Balthazar describes t h i s

less

quality,

t h e m i r r o r being t h e s e e i n g , p e r c e i v i n g , r e f l e c t i n g eye:

" H i s (Purse-

warden's) eyes ... looked i n t o o t h e r eyes, i n t o o t h e r i d e a s , w i t h a r e a l candour, r a t h e r a t e r r i f y i n g

sort of l u c i d i t y " .

(B_, p. I l l )

He i s not a c o m f o r t a b l e s o r t of companion, even t o h i m s e l f , as h i s suicide indicates.

He i s c o n s c i o u s of t h e m i r r o r i n g o f s e l v e s by

o t h e r s e l v e s , and, as u s u a l o n l y p a r t l y i n j e s t , uses t h e i d e a t o j u s t i f y t h e B r i t i s h monarchy: A R o y a l F a m i l y i s a m i r r o r image o f t h e human, a l e g i t i m a t e i d o l a t r y . . . . No, t h e y a r e a b i o l o g i c a l necessity, Kings. Perhaps they m i r r o r t h e v e r y c o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e psyche? (M, pp. 62, 63)

F o r Pursewarden who works f o r t h e F o r e i g n o f f i c e , as w e l l as f o r M o u n t o l i v e

t h e ambassador and Nessim t h e c o n s p i r a t o r , t h e

B r i t i s h i m p e r i a l t r a d i t i o n complete w i t h s t i f f

upper l i p i s p a r t of

32 v i t a l personal

problems.

1

But, Pursewarden's g l a s s c o u l d be seen o n l y d a r k l y .

The s e l v e s

which m i r r o r one another a l s o confuse one another w i t h masks o f s u p e r f i c i a l i t i e s and obscure t h e t r u t h s which might

have been r e f l e c t e d :

"we

l i v e i n t h e s h a l l o w s of one another's p e r s o n a l i t i e s and cannot r e a l l y see i n t o t h e depths beneath".

(B_, p . 141)

N a r c i s s u s ' s pond i s clouded over

w i t h t h e p a l e cast of t h o u g h t - r e f l e c t i o n , i t s waters

stagnant.

D a r l e y h i m s e l f i s a m i r r o r , o b s e r v i n g , a b s o r b i n g , and r e f l e c t i n g all

i n his writing.

I n a b a l l r o o m w i t h " s h i v e r i n g m i r r o r s " C l e a asks

him, "Why do you p r e f e r t o s i t a p a r t and study us a l l ? " The

(B_, p . 233)

s h i v e r i n g m i r r o r s a r e p a r t o f an e f f e c t i v e d e s c r i p t i o n of s e t t i n g ,

but t h e y serve as a symbolic complement t o C l e a ' s q u e s t i o n .

Durrell's

i m i r r o r s u s u a l l y e x h i b i t t h i s d u a l n a t u r e , simuUtaheously

tangible

and

characteristic

symbol o f i n t a n g i b l e .

of any s u c c e s s f u l The

self

impassioned

Perhaps t h i s i s t h e e s s e n t i a l

thing

symbol.

sees i t s r e f l e c t i o n i n c u r i o u s p l a c e s .

A f t e r Narouz*s

o r a t i o n f o l l o w s " t h e g e r m i n a l s i l e n c e i n which you can

hear t h e v e r y seeds i n t h e human psyche wards t h e l i g h t

of s e l f - r e c o g n i t i o n " .

Pursewarden*s remark.

s t i r r i n g , t r y i n g t o move t o -

(M, p . 125)

T h i s again i s

Narouz i s c l o s e t o t h e b a s i c n a t u r e o f t h i n g s ,

The p o s s i b i l i t y of a p o l i t i c a l theme f o r t h e A l e x a n d r i a Quartet i s suggested by C h a r l e s R o l o i n h i s review of M o u n t o l i v e : " i t may be t h a t t h e theme o f t h e s e r i e s w i l l t u r n out t o be t h e f a t a l t e n dency of t h e E n g l i s h i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t t o be b l i n d e d by r o m a n t i c i s m " . ( A t l a n t i c , C C I I I , No. 4 ( A p r i l , 1959), p . 134). M o u n t o l i v e and L e i l a are England and Egypt, west and e a s t . The l i g h t e r books, E s p r i t de Corps and S t i f f Upper L i p , a r e based on D u r r e l l ' s e x p e r i e n c e s i n t h e d i p l o m a t i c c o r p s . Two thousand y e a r s a f t e r Caesar, A n t o n i e s a r e s t i l l f i n d i n g t h e i r downfalls i n Egypt.

33 a man of t h e l a n d , u n c i v i l i z e d . face of h i s consciousness,

The a r c h e t y p a l forms a r e near t h e s u r -

and h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h h i s p a r e n t s , h i s

b r o t h e r , and h i s v a i n l y l o v e d C l e a a r e fundamental and q u i t e simple i n themselves.

F o r him, c o m p l i c a t i o n s a r i s e from w i t h o u t .

Because he i s

i n t o u c h w i t h t h e e s s e n t i a l t h i n g s , he i s a s e e r , and h i s own nature

i s capable

simple

o f m i r r o r i n g t h e t r u t h of many s o p h i s t i c a t e d s e l v e s .

E u t h Adams i n The Dark L a b y r i n t h f i n d s t h e t r u t h about l i f e i n her b r o t h e r . looking-glass

H i s death i s a removal i n t o h i s a p p r o p r i a t e w o r l d , a world:

'I l e a r n e d from him t h a t death doesn't e x i s t except i n t h e i m a g i n a t i o n . Thus I was h a r d l y sad when h i s d i s c o n t e n t c a r r i e d him through t o the other side - l i k e stepping i n t o a m i r r o r * . (PL, p . 249) There i s no d e a t h , T h i s i s suggested

o n l y t h e m i r r o r i s t h e i m a g i n a t i o n , t h e mind, t h e s e l f . a l s o i n P a r l e y ' s o b s e r v a t i o n on Pursewarden's

death:

Nor, f o r t h e purpose of t h i s w r i t i n g , has he ceased t o e x i s t ; he has simply stepped i n t o t h e q u i c k s i l v e r o f a m i r r o r as we a l l must t o leave our i l l n e s s e s , our e v i l a c t s , the h o r n e t s * nest o f o u r d e s i r e s , s t i l l o p e r a t i v e i n t h e r e a l world - which i s t h e memory o f o u r f r i e n d s . ( J , p . 118) A few hours b e f o r e h i s s u i c i d e , Pursewarden s p i t s upon t h e m i r r o r , and h i s r e f l e c t i o n l i q u e f i e s , d i s i n t e g r a t e s as he h i m s e l f was soon t o do, death a l l o w i n g t h e " r e a l " s e l f t o become i d e n t i c a l with t h e m i r r o r

self.

( J , p . 119) In P u r r e l l ' s poem "The P i l o t " , t h e r e i s a q u e s t i o n as t o who t h e p o t t e r i s and who t h e p o t . Sure a l o v e l y day and a l l weather L e a d i n g westward t o I r e l a n d and On t h e q u a r t e r s of heaven, h e l d The Hunter and A r c t u r u s g e t t i n g The e l e c t of heaven a l l b u r n i n g

our childhood. by s t a r s , ready on t h e wheel.

T h i s l o v e l y morning must t h e p i l o t l e a n i n g In t h e eye o f heaven f e e l t h e i s l a n d

34 T u r n i n g beneath him, b u r n i n g s o f t and b l u e And a l l t h i s m o r t a l globe l i k e a g r e a t lamp With spines of r i v e r s , f a m i l i e s of c i t i e s Seeming t o t h e s o l i t a r y boy so L o c a l and queer yet so much a p a r t of him. The enemies o f s i l e n c e have come n e a r e r , T u r n , t u r n t o t h e morning on w i l d elbows: Look down through t h e f i v e senses l i k e s t a r s To where our l i v e s l i e s m a l l and e q u a l l i k e two g r a i n s B e f o r e Chance - t h e hawk's eye o r t h e p i l o t ' s Round and s h i n i n g on t h e open sky, R e f l e c t i n g back t h e innocent world i n i t . (P, P. 9) The world r e f l e c t s t h e l i f e o f t h e p i l o t , and h i s eye i n t u r n r e f l e c t s " t h e innocent w o r l d " . m i r r o r s another

We a r e a l l m i r r o r s t o g e t h e r .

s e l f which i s m i r r o r i n g i t ,

the o t h e r , each a l s o m i r r o r s i t s e l f .

The s e l f

and t h e r e f o r e i n m i r r o r i n g

T h i s crosseyed r e f l e c t i n g

process

may be e l u c i d a t e d by r e f e r e n c e t o E r i c h K a h l e r ' s essay "The Nature of t h e Symbol"." " 1

Inasmuch as t h e human being has come t o extend h i s e x i s t e n c e over m a n i f o l d spheres, h i s communication w i t h h i s o u t e r world t u r n s i n t o a communication w i t h h i s s e l f , o f h i s p r a c t i c a l work w i t h h i s t h e o r e t i c a l mind, and - s i n c e t h e o u t e r expansion r e f l e x i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n an i n n e r , p s y c h i c expansion - of h i s Ego w i t h h i s I d , w i t h t h e l i g h t e d depths of h i s u n c o n s c i o u s n e s s . The

i n v o l u t i o n of r e f l e c t i o n s and communications seems t o be approach-

ing the desired r e u n i f i c a t i o n of the i n d i v i d u a l

self.

S y m b o l i s m i n R e l i g i o n and L i t e r a t u r e , e d . R o l l o May (New York, 1961), p . 52. 1

Rank shows how t h e Pythagoreans brought t h e numbers o f man and t h e u n i v e r s e i n t o "an inward r e l a t i o n " , so t h e y a r e "mirror-images of one a n o t h e r " . ( A r t and A r t i s t , p . 117, Rank's I t a l i c s ) I t i s n o t , as i n t h e p o p u l a r song, " I see t h e moon, t h e moon sees me, but " I see me i n t h e moon; t h e moon sees t h e moon i n me" - a s o r t of cosmic solipsism. 2

35 E.

R e f l e c t i o n s o f Another

Self

Sometimes t h e s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t o f someone e l s e .

r e f l e c t i o n i s not one's own, but

One comes t o know t h e other b e t t e r by s t u d y i n g

his reflection.

D a r l e y l i k e s t o d e s c r i b e h i s m i s t r e s s e s as they

pose

before m i r r o r s .

We have n o t i c e d J u s t i n e ' s h a b i t of h o l d i n g l o n g

con-

versations with her r e f l e c t i o n . has

M e l i s s a ' s m i r r o r , as R i c h a r d

Aldington

p o i n t e d out, not o n l y r e f l e c t s but i s a r e f l e c t i o n of h e r :

s i n g l e poignant

s t r i p of cracked m i r r o r " . (J_, p. 1 9 9 )

M e l i s s a , s o l i t a r y , "poignant" Nessim's servant

and broken.

"a

That i s

1

I n t h i s m i r r o r she sees

S e l i m appear t o r e f l e c t Nessim's g r i e f , which i s i n

t u r n a r e f l e c t i o n o f h e r own g r i e f .

Here a r e m i r r o r s w i t h i n m i r r o r s ,

Darley l e a r n i n g about M e l i s s a , M e l i s s a l e a r n i n g about Nessim.

And

each r e f l e c t i o n o f someone c l o s e t o o n e s e l f i s a l s o a r e f l e c t i o n of one's s e l f , and l o v e r s a r e r e f l e c t i o n s m i r r o r s a r e r e l a t e d , because, D a r l e y o t h e r * s oondit i o n ;

of each o t h e r .

suggests,

they are "fellow-bankrupts".

M e l i s s a and

he and she r e f l e c t (J_, p . 23)

M e l i s s a ' s o l d , r i c h , u g l y l o v e r Cohen i n a mirror, D a r l e y "for the f i r s t

time t h a t he p r o b a b l y

the poignant

Seeing

realizes

l o v e d M e l i s s a as much as I d i d " .

T h i s r e f l e c t i o n r e v e a l s t h e ambiguous and complex n a t u r e the p o s s i b i l i t y of a tender

each

of love:

r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e g r o s s Cohen and

M e l i s s a , t h e hardness i n t h i s poignancy and t h e f r i e n d l i -

ness i n enmity, which t a k e s D a r l e y t o Cohen's deathbed when M e l i s s a

refuses

t o go. The

m i r r o r and a sudden r e a l i z a t i o n

often coincide.

En r o u t e

t o t h e f a t e f u l duckhunt, t h e c u l m i n a t i o n of t h e many m y s t e r i e s

of t h e

36

first

n o v e l , D a r l e y r e c o g n i z e s t h e i r mutual f r i e n d C a p o d i s t r i a as

"the a u t h o r of a l l J u s t i n e ' s m i s f o r t u n e s " , hood.

the r a p i s t

of her

"From time t o time", he catches Nessim*s eye i n t h e

mirror.

Nessim*s r e f l e c t e d

answers t o many q u e s t i o n s .

s m i l e c o n t a i n s , but does not ( J , p.

To know a n o t h e r , one presented

t o one's own

the n a t u r a l i s t perception.

driving

r e v e a l , the

210)

must have more views of him t h a n t h a t

naked eye.

In D u r r e l l ' s poem "Fabre" (P, p .

i s f a u l t l e s s i n "exact

He may

child-

o b s e r v a t i o n " , but

i n e p t i n human

have mastered the t h i r t e e n s c i e n t i f i c ways of

i n g at a b l a c k b i r d , but not

106),

the c o u n t l e s s ways of l o o k i n g at a man

lookor

woman: I f r e a l women were l i k e moths he d i d n ' t n o t i c e . There was not a l o o k i n g - g l a s s i n t h e whole house. F a b r e ' s s c i e n t i f i c method cannot cope w i t h human r e a l i t y , because i t depends t o t a l l y on h i s own communication w i t h o t h e r The

m i r r o r may

detached s e l f , never on involvement

selves.

be a f f e c t e d by i t s own

A l e x a n d r i a , as a m i r r o r of t h e s e p e o p l e , the mind, w i t h a human c h a r a c t e r .

The

another f i n d s a l s o h i s own

Again,

and

pot.

The

truth.

Greek poet, C.P.

act of

reflection.

becomes them, a landscape of

s e l f r e v e a l i n g t r u t h about i t i s an ambiguity of p o t t e r

Cavafy, i d o l i z e d i n the Quartet

" o l d poet of the c i t y " , has a poem which i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s . boy

and

as

the

A handsome

l o o k s b r i e f l y at h i m s e l f i n a l a r g e o l d m i r r o r i n amansion t o

which he goes on

business:

The o l d m i r r o r was g l a d now And was proud t o have r e c e i v e d upon i t s e l f That e n t i r e beauty f o r a few m i n u t e s . 1

T h e m i r r o r i n t h e H a l l " , The Poems of C.P. John Mavrogordato (London, 195]), p. 192. l n

Cavafy, t r a n s .

37

Darley's

attempt t o r e f l e c t

n a r r a t i v e i s the d e t e r m i n i n g

h i s fellow Alexandrians

act i n h i s own

in his

development.

George S t e i n e r d i s c u s s e s the manner i n which D u r r e l l ' s c h a r a c t e r s m i r r o r each o t h e r , and "although

f i n d s t h e s e m i r r o r s "dangerous" because

t h e y m u l t i p l y v i s i o n and

o f f from the o u t s i d e " ' .

1

The

d r i v e i t inward, they a l s o shut i t

o u t s i d e becomes i n s i d e , so t h e r e i s no

o b j e c t i v i t y , o n l y an e x c e s s i v e

s u b j e c t i v i t y , and

mind i s t o "watch the m i r r o r watching Vou". C a v a f y ' s m i r r o r r e t u r n s a p e r c e p t i o n not but

only to

F.

Multiple-View

the main a c t i v i t y

("Cradle Song", P_, p.

t o t h e boy who

of 16)

looks i n t o i t ,

itself.

Mirrors:

Prism-Sightedness

I remember her s i t t i n g b e f o r e the m u l t i p l e m i r r o r s at the dressmaker's, b e i n g f i t t e d f o r a s h a r k s k i n costume, and s a y i n g : "Look! f i v e d i f f e r e n t p i c t u r e s of the same s u b j e c t . Now i f I wrote I would t r y f o r a m u l t i - d i m e n s i o n a l e f f e c t i n c h a r a c t e r , a s o r t of p r i s m - s i g h t e d n e s s . Why should not p e o p l e show more t h a n one p r o f i l e at a t i m e ? " ( J , p. 27) J u s t i n e i s a d v i s i n g D a r l e y t o do p r e c i s e l y what t h e i r has

set out t o do.

creator

This l i t t l e

scene i s a p a r a b l e of the method

D u r r e l l employs i n the Q u a r t e t .

He g i v e s at l e a s t f i v e views of

J u s t i n e , f o r i n s t a n c e , not And

t h i s whole c o n t i n u e s

p a r t s , but

one

of which shows her whole p e r s o n .

t o elude

condensation

remains p r i s m - l i k e , complete but

and

refractive.

We

and

which p r o f i l e we

i n t o the sum

shattered,

of i t s

scintillating

cannot look e q u a l l y at a l l the m i r r o r s at once, see depends on which m i r r o r we

"Lawrence D u r r e l l :

The

use and

Baroque N o v e l " , World, p.

on where

21.

38

we a r e s t a n d i n g w h i l e we use i t .

The p r i s m i n t h e poem "By t h e

Lake", r e f l e c t s a woman who i s r e m i n i s c e n t o f both J u s t i n e and Melissa: I f seen by many minds at once your image As i n a p r i s m f a l l i n g breaks i t s e l f , Or l o o k i n g upwards from a gleaming spoon Defies: a s m i l e squeezed up and v a n i s h i n g In r o u n d e l s o f d i v e r s i o n l i k e t h e moon. Yet t h e r e you a r e confirmed by t h e s m a l l e s t Wish o r k i s s upon t h e r i s i n g darkness But r o o t l e s s as a wick a f l o a t i n water, F a t h e r l e s s as shoes w a l k i n g over dead l e a v e s ; A p a t i e n t whom no envy s t i r s but j o y And what t h e h a r s h chords o f e x p e r i e n c e l e a v e s T h i s dark s o f t eye, so l i q u i d now and hoarse W i t h p l e a s u r e : o r your arms i n m i r r o r s Combing out s o f t l y h a i r As l o v e l y as a p l a n e t ' s and remote. How many Whispered Melissa, Captured How many

several small forevers i n the rind of the ear by t h i s M e d i t e r r a n e a n sea-edge, and t o l d ? additions t o the t o t a l silence?

S u r e l y we i n c r e a s e d you by v e r y l i t t l e , But as w i t h a net o r gun t o make your v i c t i m s men? (P,

p . 84)

The image ' d e f i e s " c a p t u r e , p r e s e n t s a d i f f e r e n t f a c t t o each of t h e "many minds".

The s u b s t i t u t i o n o f mind f o r eye suggests a g a i n t h e

two t y p e s o f " r e f l e c t i o n " . images i s a q u e s t i o n :

The s i g n i f i c a n c e o f any o r a l l o f t h e

"How many s e v e r a l s m a l l forevers..,?/How

additions t o the t o t a l s i l e n c e ? "

many

The sum of t h e prismed views makes

a t o t a l which i s s i l e n c e , empty, incomplete and i n a r t i c u l a t e .

So

a l t h o u g h t h e minds v i e w i n g t h e woman a r e many, t h e y i n c r e a s e t h e concepts of h e r u n i t a r y s e l f "by v e r y l i t t l e " ,

and t h e e f f e c t has been

on themselves as much as on h e r , s i n c e t h e y have made i t p o s s i b l e f o r

39

her t o ensnare " v i c t i m s " , and f o r t h e s e v i c t i m s t o be

men.

The m i r r o r - p r i s m i s m u l t i p l e - v i e w e d i n two ways:

i t presents

s e v e r a l views of a s i n g l e o b j e c t , and t h e o b j e c t i s viewed persons.

View and viewer a r e both The

symbolism

by

several

prismatic.

i n t r i c a t e e f f e c t which may

be a c h i e v e d by u s i n g m i r r o r -

and m u l t i p l e p o i n t s of view i s suggested by Lawrance Thompson's

d e s c r i p t i o n of W i l l i a m F a u l k n e r ' s The

Sound and t h e F u r y

Each of t h e s e f o u r s t r u c t u r a l u n i t s , t h u s c o n t i g u o u s , h i n g e d , set at a d i f f e r e n t angle from t h e o t h e r s , might be c a l l e d analagous t o t h o s e hinged and c o n t i g u o u s haberdashery m i r r o r s which permit us t o contemplate the immediate p i c t u r e r e f l e c t e d i n any s i n g l e one of t h o s e m i r r o r s , and t h e n t o contemplate secondary o r s u b o r d i n a t e p i c t u r e s which a r e r e f l e c t i o n s of r e f l e c t i o n s i n each of the separate m i r r o r s . 1

T h i s i s l i k e J u s t i n e ' s m i r r o r and similar to Durrell's.

2

suggests a n a r r a t i v e

principle

Each of t h e f o u r s e c t i o n s might c o n c e i v a b l y

be r e a d as a s e p a r a t e e n t i t y , b u t , t h u s r e a d , i t i s not t h e same s t o r y as i t i s i n c o n t e x t .

The r e f l e c t i o n s of r e f l e c t i o n s w i t h i n

reflections

l e a d t h e r e a d e r deep i n t o a world where s e l f i s e n c l o s e d on a l l s i d e s by i t s e l f .

• -

.

In a comment on the Undergroyn.d

Man,

F r e d e r i c k J . Hoffman

speaks of " t h e m i r r o r images, which m u l t i p l y and f r a c t i o n a t e the

self,

" M i r r o r Analogues i n The Sound and t h e F u r y " i n W i l l i a m Faulkner: Three Decades of C r i t i c i s m , ed. E . J . Hoffman and Olga W. V i c k e r y (New York, 1963), p. 224. 1

0 n e i s u n l i k e l y t o mistake D u r r e l l ' s v o i c e f o r F a u l k n e r ' s . , N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e r e a r e resemblances: m i r r o r s r e p l a c i n g time, v a r i o u s views e l i m i n a t i n g t h e need f o r c h r o n o l o g y , i n c e s t c o m p l i c a t i n g the p r o c e s s of s e l f - d i s c o v e r y ; l a n d s c a p e made i n s e p a r a b l e from c h a r a c t e r ; G o t h i c elements shadowing t h e p r e s e n t . 2

40

so t h a t one s e l f becomes many fragments, i n c l o s e - o r d e r d u p l i c a t i o n s of i t s e l f " .

1

T h i s h i n t s at t h e s i n i s t e r aspect

c o n f i n i n g and d i s i n t e g r a t i n g n a t u r e

of

of the mirror-view, the

prism-sightedness.

D u r r e l l l i k e s t o appeal t o t h e p h y s i c i s t s t o support matic t h e o r y o f f i c t i o n . presented

One might once have imagined a n o v e l which

various different

viewpoints,

t h e sum o f which was a f u l l y

rounded p i c t u r e o f something o r someone. a book i m p o s s i b l e .

his pris-

But E i n s t e i n has made such

The n a r r a t o r can no l o n g e r pretend

t o be anonymous

or d i s i n t e r e s t e d , because now he h i m s e l f i s a f a c t o r t o be c o n s i d e r e d i n the a n a l y s i s of anything that

he o b s e r v e s .

Werner Heisenberg

explains

s c i e n t i f i c laws " d e a l no l o n g e r w i t h t h e p a r t i c l e s themselves but

w i t h our knowledge" o f t h e m .

2

The i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h i s extend f a r beyond

t h e bounds o f a p p l i e d s c i e n c e : F o r t h e f i r s t time i n t h e course o f h i s t o r y man on e a r t h f a c e s o n l y h i m s e l f . . . The f a m i l i a r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f t h e world i n t o s u b j e c t and o b j e c t , i n n e r and o u t e r w o r l d , body and s o u l , somehow no l o n g e r q u i t e a p p l i e s .... In s c i e n c e , a l s o , t h e o b j e c t o f r e s e a r c h i s no l o n g e r n a t u r e i n i t s e l f but r a t h e r n a t u r e exposed t o man's q u e s t i o n i n g , and t o t h i s extent man here a l s o meets h i m s e l f . We a r e back a g a i n t o t h e i d e a t h a t e v e r y t h i n g

i s a mirror.

Heisenberg

i m p l i e s t h a t a l l man's s e a r c h f o r knowledge i s a s e a r c h f o r h i s at l e a s t t h a t t h e two searches

are inseparable.

self,

In o r d e r t o come

anywhere near t h e o b j e c t , t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r must d i s c o v e r which i s o b j e c t

^Samuel B e c k e t , p . 43 " T h e R e p r e s e n t a t i o n of Nature i n Contemporary P h y s i c s " , M#y, pp. 221, 226 - 227, See D u r r e l l ' s Key, passim, e s p e c i a l l y Chapter 2. 2

41

and which s u b j e c t and The

Because he

He

cannot see beyond h i m s e l f , t h e

does not know whether or not

makes Pursewarden, who

may

scientist

as Wyndham Lewis

the theory

i s true.

be p a r t i a l l y modelled on Lewis,

Durrell

exclaim,

dares t o dream of c a p t u r i n g t h e f l e e t i n g image of t r u t h i n a l l i t s

gruesome m u l t i p l i c i t y ? * " the

other.

t o e j e c t t h e word " t r u e " from h i s v o c a b u l a r y ,

p o i n t s out."'"

"'Who

from the

disentanglement i s never complete and t h e o b j e c t i n i t s e l f

i s unattainable. has had

d i s e n t a n g l e one

'real*

and

the

(C, p . 136)

'unreal', the noneelf

Lewis mentions the " m i r r o r - i m a g e r y " as Whitehead and

D i s c u s s i n g t h e impingement and

t h e s e l f upon each

of such p o s t - r e l a t i v i t y

R u s s e l l ; subjective experience,

h a l l u c i n a t i o n s , i s the l o c a t i o n of ' r e a l i t y ' . t h i n g i t s e l f , but

installed itself

"The

other,

philosophers

i n c l u d i n g dreams and

What i s r e a l i s not

the image of t h a t t h i n g - one

d a r k l y , never f a c e t o f a c e .

of

the

can see o n l y i n a g l a s s

r e a l i t y " , says Mr.

Lewis, "has

definitely

i n s i d e t h e contemporary mind".

Jung a l s o speaks of "images", and subjectively conditioned:

he t o o warns t h a t t h e y

are

" i t i s e s s e n t i a l t h a t t h e image s h a l l

not

immediately be assumed t o be i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e o b j e c t ; i t i s w i s e r r e g a r d i t as an image of t h e s u b j e c t i v e r e l a t i o n of t h e o b j e c t " . ^ d e c i s i v e r e a l i t y i s t h a t of t h e " p r i m o r d i a l images" or which " i n t h e i r t o t a l i t y r e p r e s e n t m i r r o r r e p r e s e n t s the present

of c o n s c i o u s n e s s

"somewhat as a m i l l i o n - y e a r o l d c o n s c i o u s n e s s becoming, being

and

^•pp. 367, 2

pp.

600,

The

"archetypes",

a psychic mirror-world".

contents

to

Jung's

i n a form

might see them", s e e i n g

p a s s i n g t o g e t h e r w i t h whatever precedes becoming

368, 500.

453.

42

and endures beyond p a s s i n g . moment i s improbably'.

"To t h i s c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h e p r e s e n t

I t i s p o s s i b l e t o see how

m i r r o r view e l i m i n a t e s t h e need f o r s t r i c t c l o c k time;

chronology i s l e s s important

for a novelist

the

adherence t o t h e o r d e r of

than the r e l a t i o n s h i p s among

human e x p e r i e n c e s and p e r c e p t i o n s . These p r i m o r d i a l images a r e t h e a r c h e t y p e s which Narouz f i n d s i n h i s own of

mind at C a r n i v a l , when t h e r e i s a

c o n c e n t r a t i o n ' o f images,

" d e s i r e s engendered i n t h e f o r e s t s of the mind, b e l o n g i n g not t o

themselves

but t o remote a n c e s t o r s speaking through them". (B, p.

165)

They a r e what D a r l e y c a l l s "the mythopoeic r e f e r e n c e which u n d e r l i e s f a c t " , s u p e r s e d i n g t h e d e t a i l s o f d a t a and i n f o r m a t i o n , "the g r a v e y a r d of

relative fact".

(C, p. 176)

I f t h e s e images are r e a l i t y , and i f t h e y

a r e t i m e l e s s ^ t h e n r e a l i t y i s t i m e l e s s , and D u r r e l l , w i t h Jung's a s s i s t a n c e , has succeeded

i n " e l i m i n a t i n g time";

(Cor, p. 19.

Above p.

But even t h e s e images do not appear t h e same t o everyone, Jung d e c l a r e s , "The world e x i s t s not merely appears t o me",

and "One

sees what one

8)

and

i n i t s e l f , but a l s o as i t

can best see from oneself".' ' 1

P r o u s t , c o n t e m p l a t i n g the s e v e r a l v e r s i o n s of M. Swann, agrees t h a t "each t i m e we

see the f a c e o r hear t h e v o i c e i t i s our

own

r e c o g n i s e and t o which we

i d e a s of him which we

Groddeck*s world c o n s i s t s of p o l a r i t i e s ; i t s o p p o s i t e w i t h i n i t s e l f " and and an outward cause".

He

listen

"everything contains

can be shown t o have "both an

16

'Swann's Way,

p.

inward

sees a worldwide tendency towards " t h i n k i n g " ,

c o n s c i o u s r e f l e c t i o n , which i s f o r each person an attempt

pp.- 472,

.

15

to chart a

43

world outside h i m s e l f T h e o r d e r t o chart t h a t w o r l d .

problem i s t o get o u t s i d e t h e s e l f i n I f t h i s cannot be done, t h e maps w i l l

a l l be d i f f e r e n t , each one c h a r t i n g o n l y i t s c a r t o g r a p h e r ' s mind. D u r r e l l d e s c r i b e s Groddeck's system o f p o l a r i t i e s as a s e e k i n g " t o f r e e h i m s e l f from t h e o p p o s i t e s o f b e i n g , and t o emerge i n t o Reality

.... The keynote i s r e i n t e g r a t i o n and acceptance

r i n g o p p o s i t e s " . (Key, p . 83)

T h i s i s what o c c u r s i n C l e a .

p o l a r i t i e s , the opposite mirror-views not proved the l i f e

incorrect

stream

of t h e war-

of t h e f i r s t

The

three novels are

o r d i s m i s s e d , but a r e a c c e p t e d , a s s i m i l a t e d i n t o

of the s u r v i v o r s .

The acceptance

of the p o l a r i t i e s i s

a l s o an escape from them, because t h e s e l f i s no l o n g e r d i s t o r t e d and tormented by them, but h a v i n g a c c e p t e d them f o r what t h e y a r e , can d e a l w i t h them, t a k e them i n t o account by them.

and not be thrown o f f balance

T h i s i s r e i n t e g r a t i o n o f i n n e r and o u t e r r e a l i t y , s e l f and

n o t - s e l f , and a l s o s e l f and s e l f , a p p l i e s a l s o t o human n a t u r e .

since the p r i n c i p l e of p o l a r i t i e s

The " r e a l i t y " i n t o which one i s t o

emerge may be a condition i n which a c t i o n i s d e s i r a b l e and p o s s i b l e . And

i t may a l s o be J u n g i a n R e a l i t y , s i n c e i t i s i n C l e a t h a t D a r l e y

comes t o terms w i t h h i s a r c h e t y p e s r e b i r t h which a r e almost the r e s u l t

and e x p e r i e n c e s , a death and a

t o o Jungian t o be t r u e .

i s r e i n t e g r a t i o n , t h e s e l f made whole.

a l s o i n t h e sense o f " h e a l e d " .

In e i t h e r

case,

T h i s i s "made whole"

D u r r e l l quotes E i n s t e i n on t h e g o a l o f

the s e a r c h i n g mind which " l o o k s on i n d i v i d u a l e x i s t e n c e as a s o r t o f p r i s o n and wants t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e u n i v e r s e as a s i n g l e

pp. 90, 81, 105.

significant

44

whole". (Key, p . 34)

In o r d e r t o e x p e r i e n c e

t h e whole, he must

first

know t h e p a r t which i s h i s " i n d i v i d u a l e x i s t e n c e " and p l a c e i t i n p o s i t i o n r e l a t i v e t o t h e whole. lifted

Neither

s e l f nor universe

out o f t h i s s i n g l e s i g n i f i c a n t whole.

Alexandrians

can be

The i n t e n t i o n o f t h e

then seems t o be r e p a i r i n g t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n brought

about by p r i s m - s i g h t e d n e s s ,

b r i n g i n g multiple m i r r o r s i n t o j u x t a p o s i t i o n ,

from many and from o p p o s i t e s r e b u i l d i n g t h e one. It i s no easy t a s k which i s f o r m u l a t e d Balthazar.

i n the epigraph t o

The words a r e de Sade's, from J u s t i n e , h i s t e r r i b l e

on t h e a m b i g u i t i e s

farce

o f good and e v i l and o f human views o f t h e s e .

His

J u s t i n e , l i k e Durrell's„has t o d e a l w i t h t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f p r i s m sightedness: 'The m i r r o r sees t h e man as b e a u t i f u l , t h e m i r r o r l o v e s t h e man; another m i r r o r sees t h e man as f r i g h t f u l and h a t e s him; and i t i s always t h e same being who produces t h e impressions'. Bonamy Dobree has p o i n t e d out t h a t i n t h i s q u o t a t i o n d i f f e r e n t

mirrors

have d i f f e r e n t

As e x -

emotions, as w e l l as v a r y i n g p o i n t s o f v i e w " .

1

p l a i n e d by Sade's monk Clement, h i m s e l f a p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f v i o l e n t p o l a r i t i e s , t h e motions which t h e man arouses i n t h e m i r r o r a r e c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e n a t u r e the

o f t h e m i r r o r , t h e s e l f ' s response determined by

s e l f , a response inward r a t h e r t h a n outward as i t seems.

He uses

t h e image o f t h e m u l t i p l e m i r r o r , t h e t r i c k m i r r o r such as one f i n d s i n a Pun House at t h e f a i r , "some of which d i m i n i s h o b j e c t s , o t h e r s of which e n l a r g e them; some render

f r i g h t f u l images o f t h i n g s , some l e n d

"Durrell's Alexandrian

S e r i e s " , World, p . 189.

45

them charm".

The f r i g h t f u l n e s s o r charm depends not on t h e o b j e c t t o

which i t i s a t t r i b u t e d but on t h e s u b j e c t which a t t r i b u t e s i t .

1

D u r r e l l ' s people a r e v e r y much aware o f t h e gruesome m u l t i p l i c i t y of t r u t h .

B a l t h a z a r speaks o f t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f ever

a t t a i n i n g " t r u t h naked and unashamed", because "we always see h e r as she

seems, never as she i s .

(B, p . 233)

Each man has h i s own i n t e r p r e t a t i o n " .

And Pursewarden w r i t e s , "There a r e o n l y as many r e a l i t i e s

as you c a r e t o i m a g i n e " . (B, p . 152) same t h i n g . many.

They a r e not s a y i n g q u i t e t h e

B a l t h a z a r i s seeing each man's view as one m i r r o r o f

Pursewarden here p l a c e s t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y w i t h i n t h e i m a g i n a t i o n .

The m u l t i p l e - m i r r o r i s a m u l t i p l e o f a m u l t i p l i c i t y .

Again,

i n n e r and

o u t e r w o r l d s m i r r o r one another; t h e i n n e r s e l f , l i k e t h e o u t e r i s d i s u n i f i e d and unable t o r e a c h a s i n g l e c o n c l u s i o n about a

world,

simple

truth.

Darley

s p e c u l a t e s on B a l t h a z a r ' s r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f h i s own

story:

" i mean t h a t I must t r y and s t r i p t h e opaque membrane which

stands between me and t h e r e a l i t y o f t h e i r a c t i o n s - and which I suppose i s composed o f ray own l i m i t a t i o n s o f v i s i o n and temperment. My envy of Pursewarden, my p a s s i o n f o r J u s t i n e , my p i t y f o r M e l i s s a . D i s t o r t i n g m i r r o r s , a l l of them". (B_, p . 28) everything

He wants t o s t r i p away

but f a c t , a t a s k never t o be a c c o m p l i s h e d .

emotions which Sade a l s o p r e s e n t s t h e same s e l f .

The v a r i o u s

as d i s t o r t i n g m i r r o r s a r e a l l w i t h i n

He must d e a l not o n l y w i t h o t h e r persons whose views

c o n f l i c t w i t h h i s but a l s o w i t h t h e c l a s h i n g views w i t h i n h i m s e l f . The

hinged

m i r r o r i s an image of t h e s e l f as much as o f t h e w o r l d .

The

J u s t i n e of C l e a has changed c o n s i d e r a b l y from t h e J u s t i n e o f t h e

"••D.A.F. de Sade, J u s t i n e ( P a r i s , 1953), pp. 171 - 172.

46

first

n o v e l - o r has she?

She s a y s , "*You see a d i f f e r e n t me

... But

once a g a i n t h e d i f f e r e n c e l i e s i n you, i n what you imagine you s e e l * " (C, p . 53)

Not "what you s e e " but "what you imagine you s e e " . The

d i f f e r e n c e between seer and seen i s g r e a t e r

than i t seems, obscured

by a v e i l of d e l u s i o n . If the s e l f not

a unity.

contains

c o n f l i c t s and p o l a r i t i e s , t h e s e l f i s

The view which p r e s e n t s t h e concept of one s e l f i s a

d i s t o r t e d view.

D u r r e l l has s a i d , o u t s i d e

t h e Q u a r t e t , " I imagine

t h a t what we c a l l p e r s o n a l i t y may be an i l l u s i o n , and i n . t h i n k i n g of it

as a s t a b l e t h i n g we a r e t r y i n g t o put a l i d on a box w i t h no s i d e s "

1

Pursewarden s a y s , " ' P e r s o n a l i t y as something w i t h f i x e d a t t r i b u t e s i s an i l l u s i o n - but a n e c e s s a r y i l l u s i o n i f . we a r e t o l o v e * * " 15)

The n e c e s s i t y

t o o t h e r selvws:

(B_, pp. 14 -

of a u n i t a r y s e l f a r i s e s because of our r e l a t i o n s h i p "Our view of r e a l i t y i s c o n d i t i o n e d

by our p o s i t i o n

i n space and time - not by our p e r s o n a l i t i e s as we l i k e t o t h i n k " . Where we a r e i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e o b j e c t

determines our view o f i t . The

d i s t o r t i n g emotions do not proceed from a u n i f i e d p e r s o n a l i t y ;

no

s i n g l e commanding view d i r e c t s D a r l e y t o envy, d e s i r e o r p i t y . i s a rather unsatisfactory more aware of t h e o t h e r . of o n e s e l f ,

s t a t e of a f f a i r s , e s p e c i a l l y as one becomes There i s a need f o r d e f i n i t i o n and d i s t i n c t i o n

and so one. c r e a t e s

C, pp. 55, 277)

from " s e l e c t e d f i c t i o n s " .

(B_, pp. 14 - 15;

These a r e " f i c t i o n s " not because t h e y a r e f a l s e but

because t h e y a r e o n l y . r e l a t i v e l y t r u e . and

This

From them i s c o n s t r u c t e d . a

self

a w i l l , which can l o v e and a c t i n r e l a t i o n t o o t h e r s e l v e s and w i l l s .

"The

K n e l l e r Tape", World, p . 163

47

Because the s e l f must be c r e a t e d , the a r t i s t i n A l e x a n d r i a , and Quartet

i s an important

figure

because the s e l f i s c r e a t e d i n o r d e r t o l o v e , the

can c l a i m t o be an " i n v e s t i g a t i o n of modern l o v e " . The

n o t i o n t h a t the s e l f i s an i l l u s i o n or a d e l i b e r a t e

f a b r i c a t i o n from h a l f - t r u t h s i s not t o t h i n k of h i m s e l f as an i l l u s i o n . Balthazar's,saying

a comfortable

one;

no one

likes

On t h e o t h e r hand, as D a r l e y

" T r u t h i s what most c o n t r a d i c t s i t s e l f

recalls

in.time*";

he

a l s o remembers Pursewarden's " ' I f t h i n g s were always what t h e y

seemed,

howimpoverished would be the i m a g i n a t i o n

The

of man!*" (B, p. 23)

t i n u a l c r e a t i o n of o n e s e l f means t h a t l i f e w i t h o t h e r dynamic, f o r c e s .

con-

i s dynamic, i n communication

There i s m u l t i p l i c i t y w i t h i n the mind, but

a p r i s m i s an a t t r a c t i v e o b j e c t , " t h i s e t e r n a l r e f r a c t i o h / O f t h e t h i n k i n g mind t o u c h i n g

reality".

(Sappho, p. 134)

"Touching r e a l i t y " because the

view of e x t e r n a l o b j e c t s i s s u b j e c t i v e l y c o n d i t i o n e d ; one t h e world

as w e l l as o n e s e l f , making a coherent

jointed planet.

Again,

the p r o c e s s

pondences, and t h e o u t e r world

i s creating

sphere from t h e

deals with r e l a t i o n s h i p s , c o r r e s -

i s c r e a t e d by a b s o r p t i o n i n t o the

To see and a t t r a c t w i t h i n myself The sweetest and most naked correspondences Of n a t u r e , d e s c r i b e d t h r o u g h t h e l o o k i n g - g l a s s I (Sappho, p. T h i s , as Pursewarden o b s e r v e s , p. 159)

i s "not

Everyone can be an a r t i s t .

s e l e c t e d and

separated

inner:

am.

75)

o n l y t h e w r i t e r ' s problem".

(M,

"Growing up means s e p a r a t i o n i n t h e

i n t e r e s t s of a b e t t e r , more l u c i d j o i n i n g up". must be

dis-

The

desirable f i c t i o n s

out, t o be r e f a s h i o n e d

which can f u n c t i o n i n " l u c i d j o i n i n g s up" w i t h

others.

into a personality

48

G.

The M u l t i p l e - V i e w

The

s t r u c t u r e of t h e A l e x a n d r i a Quartet

t o t h e hinged and

Plot

mirrors.

The s t o r i e s o f D a r l e y * s

i s itself

analagous

a f f a i r s with J u s t i n e

C l e a , o f Nessim's p o l i t i c a l i n t r i g u e , M o u n t o l i v e * s

c o n f l i c t of

l o y a l t i e s and d u t i e s , and Pursewarden*s s u i c i d e , a l l i n t r i c a t e l y mixed w i t h each o t h e r and w i t h s m a l l e r r e l e v a n t s t o r i e s , a r e seen from d i f f e r e n t

p o i n t s o f view, each o f which c o n t r a d i c t s something

i n t h e o t h e r s and adds some new d e t a i l s not seen elsewhere. not

Where i t does

c o n t r a d i c t o r add, i t r e c a s t s events innew p e r s p e c t i v e s ,

shifting

r e l a t i v e p o s i t i o n s , and thus o f t e n a l t e r i n g t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f a happening.

The f o u r t h book a s s i m i l a t e s t h e o t h e r views and addssnew

l i g h t , but s t i l l

does not present

a complete s i n g l e r e f l e c t i o n .

There a r e more than f o u r m i r r o r s , however, because t h e n a r r a t o r s a r e generous i n q u o t i n g Pursewarden and A r n a u t i . episode

others, e s p e c i a l l y

Balthazar,

Events are r e t o l d , l i t e r a l l y r e c r e a t e d .

o f t h e b r o t h e l t e n t i s t o l d from D a r l e y * s viewpoint

from Narouz*s t h r o u g h B a l t h a z a r ; i s expressed,

The

and l a t e r

i n t h e one d i s g u s t and s e l f - l o a t h i n g

i n t h e o t h e r a grotesque wonder.

The v a r i o u s

versions

of D a r l e y ' s a l l i a n c e w i t h J u s t i n e a r e never r e s o l v e d ; we a r e not sure how much o f J u s t i n e i s p a s s i o n and how much i s p o l i t i c s .

The l o s s o f

B a l t h a z a r ' s watch-key i s examined from s e v e r a l a n g l e s and t h i s mystery t o o i s not completely

solved.

T h i s r e t e l l i n g of episodes

from v a r i o u s a n g l e s

d e v i c e and c o u l d be r a t h e r a r t i f i c i a l . kaleidoscope

i s a fairly

What t u r n s t h e Quartet

simple

into a

o f many c o m p l e x i t i e s and i n v o l u t i o n s , i n s t e a d of a s c e n i c

t o u r which p r e s e n t s p h o t o g r a p h i c

views w i t h o n l y t h e d i r e c t i o n changed,

49 i s t h e c o n t r a p u n t a l o c c u r r e n c e and r e c u r r e n c e of p a r t i a l l y remembered f a c e s , o b j e c t s , events and p h r a s e s .

R e c o g n i t i o n of one of t h e s e r e -

p e t i t i o n s b r i n g s the r e a d e r up s h o r t and depths of memory - h i s own,

sends him d e l v i n g i n t o the

D a r l e y ' s and t h e " c o l l e c t i v e " memory f o r

the a s s o c i a t i o n i t has awakened.

Pursewarden's shaving m i r r o r ,

B a l t h a z a r ' s watch-key, Nessim's R o l l s Royce w i t h d a f f o d i l hubcaps, t h e c h i l d r e n ' s b l u e h a n d p r i n t s on t h e Arab w a l l s , the song "Jamais de l a vie",

t h e scent of Jasmine, t h e c o l o u r mauve i n d e s c r i p t i o n s of l a n d -

scape.

O b v i o u s l y t h e s e are not a l l of e q u a l s t a t u r e s y m b o l i c a l l y , but

t h e y serve a s i m i l a r purpose i n b u i l d i n g up through r e p e t i t i o n s connections a r i c h - t e x t u r e d world. framework of r e p e t i t i o n s .

and

A f t e r a l l , l i f e does proceed

in a

D a r l e y n o t e s t h a t he found " C l e a at t h e

exact s t a t i o n i n p l a c e and time where I had once found M e l i s s a . " (C, p. but most of t h e s e s i m i l a r i t i e s - w i t h - a - d i f f e r e n c e a r e not commented t h e y o c c u r and

i n s i d i o u s l y work upon t h e r e a d e r ' s c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

76),

on; Several

t i m e s D a r l e y and h i s m i s t r e s s awake t o the song of a b l i n d muessin. ( J , p. 25; C,

p. 99)

The m i s t r e s s and t h e p l a c e v a r y , and t h e former

situation

i s not mentioned, but t h e b l i n d muezzin i s c o n s t a n t , and t h e r e a d e r knows he has been here b e f o r e .

The words " s e l e c t e d " (or " s e l e c t i v e " )

fictions

appear i n at l e a s t t h r e e c o n t e x t s , and make t h e i r p o i n t ; t h a t t h e whole f a b r i c of A l e x a n d r i a i s composed of such f i c t i o n s pp. 55,

277)

(B, pp. 14 - 15;

C,

Twice we w i t n e s s t h e b u t c h e r i n g of l i v e camels, once w i t h i n

t h e c i t y and onee i n the d e s e r t

( J , p. 62; 81, pp.

121-122)

1

•^-Gilbert Murray r e p o r t s S t . N i l u s * account of "the sacramental e a t i n g of a camel by an Arab t r i b e " . "The camel was devoured on a p a r t i c u l a r day at the r i s i n g of t h e morning s t a r . He was cut t o p i e c e s a l i v e , and every fragment of him had t o be consumed b e f o r e t h e sun r o s e . I f the l i f e had once gone out of the f l e s h and b l o o d , t h e s a c r i f i c e would have been s p o i l t ; i t was t h e s p i r i t , t h e v i t a l i t of the camel t h a t h i s t r i b e s m e n wanted". ( F i v e Stages of Greek R e l i g i o n (Doubleday Anchor e d i t i o n ) , p. 20. Cf F r e u d , Totem and Taboo, i n The B a s i c W r i t i n g s (New York, 1938), pp. 913, 924.

50

Both t i m e s the h o r r o r i s a p p r o p r i a t e t o the immediate scene and

also

to

people

who

something t e r r i b l e and mysterious observe

them.

i n g - g l a s s world; its

intrinsic

The

about the b u t c h e r s and the

r e p e t i t i o n s are r e f l e c t i o n s i n D u r r e l l ' s

at each o c c u r r e n c e t h e r e p e a t e d m o t i f c a r r i e s not

s i g n i f i c a n c e , but t h a t of the m i r r o r as w e l l and

the d e s c r i p t i o n back towards the memory, back w i t h i n the In

look-

the f i r s t

only

directs

self.

n o v e l , when J u s t i n e i n t r o d u c e s D a r l e y t o Nessim,

she i s compared t o a gun-dog b r i n g i n g the prey t o her master, and D a r l e y observes t h a t "whatever she had done had for

him".

( J , p. 32)

sense

In the f o u r t h n o v e l , she d e l i v e r s D a r l e y t o

Nessim as i f he were a p a r c e l his

been done i s a

e a r l i e r o b s e r v a t i o n was

(C, p. 49) and now

Darley r e a l i z e s that

t r u e r than he had thought.

s i m i l e i s p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p r o p r i a t e now

The

gun-dog

t h a t he r e a l i z e s what J u s t i n e

and Nessim were doing at t h e i r s p e c t a c u l a r duck-hunt. r e l a t i o n s h i p has become immensely c o m p l i c a t e d and Here, i n t h e normal sense, D a r l e y has proceeded

The

triangular

yet i t i s t h e same.

onward i n t i m e ,

but

by such means as t h i s d u p l i c a t i o n of metaphors he a c h i e v e s a c o n n e c t i o n of

past and p r e s e n t , t h a t i s t e c h n i c a l l y and t h e o r e t i c a l l y almost

a

juxtaposition. In

the r e l a t i o n s h i p of J u s t i n e and Nessim, D u r r e l l ' s m u l t i p l e -

mirror technique

i s at i t s most i n t r i c a t e and e f f e c t i v e .

p i n p o i n t the essence

of what i s between them, and

s i n c e whatever i t i s i s dynamic.

Darley*s f i r s t

m a g n i f i c e n t two-headed animal a marriage

can be".

cannot

We

never

expect

do

to,

i m p r e s s i o n i s of "the ( J , p. 32)

This

i d e n t i t y p e r s i s t s even when t h e y a r e estranged; t h e i r moods and s t a t e s of

mind are r e f l e c t i o n s of each o t h e r .

both commit, t h e y s t i l l

No matter how

seem w e l l matched.

many i n f i d e l i t i e s

I t i s J u s t i n e who

speaks of

51

p r i s r a - s i g h t e d n e s s , and a f f a i r s which may

she i s seen i n a p r i s m ,

or may

not

i n fragments of

be s i n c e r e , i n fragments of

i n t r i g u e , s o c i a l c o n v e r s a t i o n and

intellectual

love

political

speculation.

Her

appearance i s sometimes b e a u t i f u l , sometimes d e f i n i t e l y u n a t t r a c t i v e and

even d u l l , a peasant w i t h brown paws.

sometimes t h e charming but omniscient,

simple

s i n i s t e r and pcLished.

cuckold,

Nessim t o o i s p r i s m a t i c , sometimes t h e

arch-deceiver,

His r e l a t i o n s h i p s with h i s

and

h i s l a n d are s i m i l a r l y ambiguous.

and

stupid.

He

brother

i s s t r o n g and weak, b r i l l i a n t

When Nessim r e v e a l s h i s p l a n s t o h e r , J u s t i n e f i n d s that m i r r o r s have been t r a n s c e n d e d . and

They are f a c e t o f a c e , mind t o mind,

the o n l y m i r r o r they need i s one

another.

The

surface Justine i s

"the J u s t i n e thrown back by p o l i s h e d m i r r o r s , or engraved i n expensive c l o t h e s and

f a r d s " , and her body i s "a p l e a s u r e — s e e k e r ,

to r e a l i t y " .

(M, p. 201)

But

now

a

mirror—reference

she i s r e a l i t y i t s e l f , not merely a

m i r r o r - r e f e r e n c e of i t . Nessim's p e r c e p t i o n goes beyond t h e ties.

They use t h e m i r r o r - t r i c k s of d i s t o r t i o n and

d e l i b e r a t e l y and At the

i n the i n t e r e s t s of t h e i r

superficiali-

ambiguity,

but

cause.

s t a r t of h i s a f f a i r w i t h J u s t i n e , D a r l e y t h i n k s of

"Nessim's handsome f a c e s m i l i n g at her from every m i r r o r i n the room". ( J , p. 47) men.

T h i s m i r r o r r e f l e c t s the t r u t h about her l i a i s o n s w i t h

Nessim watches her w i t h D a r l e y "as

enormous t e l e s c o p e ; own

hopes and

plans".

i s unaware how i s a plan.

seeing our

The

much he

i f through the wrong end

of

an

s m a l l f i g u r e s away on t h e s k y l i n e of h i s

( J , p. 85)

At the time he w r i t e s t h i s ,

Darley

i s i n v o l v e d i n Nessim's p l a n , or even t h a t

t e l e s c o p e i s something l i k e the m a r v e l l o u s

t o have been atop the l e g e n d a r y

both

there

g l a s s supposed

l i g h t h o u s e of Pharos at A l e x a n d r i a .

52

D a r l e y t h i n k i n g of Nessim o b s e r v i n g them seems t o be heeding D u r r e l l ' s " C r a d l e Song" a d v i c e t o "watch t h e m i r r o r watching B a l t h a z a r ' s watch-key i s a p p a r e n t l y

s t o l e n by e i t h e r J u s t i n e

or Nessim f o r any

of s e v e r a l p o s s i b l e reasons

and/or j e a l o u s y .

The

key becomes a symbolic

you".

connected w i t h

means t o u n l o c k i n g

s e c r e t of one's v a r i o u s m i r r o r s and hence of o n e s e l f . he

c o u l d not

(B, p. 98)

he has f a i l e d ,

not, a f t e r a l l ,

failed.

says

signally",

s i n c e the r e l a t i o n s h i p i n q u e s t i o n

has

D a r l e y , q u e s t i o n i n g Nessim's motives i n l o v i n g

M e l i s s a , a s k s , "Where does one p. 134)

the

Balthazar

" f i n d the key t o a r e l a t i o n s h i p which f a i l e d

and

espionage

hunt f o r the key t o such a p a t t e r n ? "

T h i s l o v e i s m i r r o r - l i k e t o o , Nessim w i t h D a r l e y ' s

mistress

r e f l e c t i n g D a r l e y w i t h Nessim*s w i f e , a l l f o r ambiguous motives. Nessim does produce t h e l o s t addressed

key,

( J , pp.

174

- 175)

When

he accompanies the act w i t h wards

t o J u s t i n e i n the m i r r o r and w i t h a b o l d s t a r e at h i s

reflection.

(B,

own

T h i s scene comes at a h i g h p o i n t of

t e n s i o n when p o l i t i c s and p a s s i o n are at t h e i r c r i s e s , and when Nessim i s e x p e r i e n c i n g a p e c u l i a r s e l f - a p p r a i s a l i n h i s concern and

over Narouz.

over J u s t i n e

Here occur h i s strange dreams of h i s c i t y ' s

past.

Many k i n d s of r e f l e c t i o n s of h i s s e l f are t r y i n g t o come t o l i g h t once.

He appears a " v u l g a r double of h i m s e l f , a m i r r o r

unexpected d i s t o r t i o n s " .

reflecting

In the Key D u r r e l l t a l k s of the theme of

the double i n l i t e r a t u r e as symptomatic of a s p l i t

i n t h e psyche, (p.42)

T h i s i s what he makes the metaphor mean f o r Nessim, h i s own l i v i n g on s e v e r a l level's'at once. ( J , p. 240; r e a l i z a t i o n of t h e i r m u l t i l e v e l l i f e own

at

f r i e n d s h i p f o r Nessim had

M,

p. 191)

double, Mouhtolive's

comes w i t h an awareness t h a t h i s

prevented

h i s s e e i n g the t r u t h about

him;

53

he i s f o r c e d by h i s p o s i t i o n t o take a m u l t i v i e w e d i s uncomfortable.

The

t h i n g s s e v e r a l ways at once.

Mountolive

another metaphor t h a t

process

sees

He hates not Nessim but an "image" of

of t h e m u l t i p l e views of the man.

In t h i s confused

sees an u n s e t t l i n g r e f l e c t i o n of h i m s e l f ;

h a l l he caught

The

f e a t u r e s of Nessim and Maskelyne are somehow

merged i n a " t r i c k of double exposure",

Nessim, one

look.

s i g h t of h i s own

state,

"Crossing the

f a c e i n the great p i e r g l a s s and

was

s u r p r i s e d t o n o t i c e t h a t i t wore an e x p r e s s i o n of f e e b l e p e t u l a n c e " . F e e b l e p e t u l a n c e i s the s o r r y attainment

of h i s w i l l t o a c t i o n .

Nessim t o o p r e s e n t s a problem of a c t i o n , but a d i f f e r e n t He a c t s when he l e a s t

appears

by r e p e t i t i o n of p h r a s e .

t o do so, and t h i s i s a g a i n

one.

suggested

A f t e r C a p o d i s t r i a ' s f a k e d death and

after

T o t o ' s murder, D a r l e y n o t i c e s t h a t Nessim wears the e x p r e s s i o n o f one

r e s t i n g a f t e r a " g r e a t e x p e n d i t u r e of energy".

pp. 12,

218)

Mountolive;

The

reasons

( J , p. 205;

B_,

f o r the e x p r e s s i o n a r e not r e v e a l e d u n t i l

t h e y aie h i n t s of another view of Nessim.

u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y g l a n c e d i n a m i r r o r he was

Darley

not i n t e n d e d t o

has

see.

Reading Pursewarden*s l e t t e r s t o h i s s i s t e r , D a r l e y wonders, "if

two

or more e x p l a n a t i o n s of a s i n g l e human a c t i o n are as good

as each o t h e r then what does a c t i o n mean but an i l l u s i o n ? " H i s query i s i l l u s t r a t e d who

immediately

has read Pursewarden*s l e t t e r s t o h i s w i f e and

pression opposite to Darley*s. and

as he i s c o n f r o n t e d by

a good man;

(C, p. Keats,

r e c e i v e d an

To L i z a , Pursewarden i s a great

t o h i s w i f e , he i s d e s p i c a b l e .

The

176)

imgenius

act i n q u e s t i o n i s

h i s s u i c i d e , and t h e r e i s doubt as t o whether i t i s an a c t i o n at a l l . I t appears

t o be immediately

motivated

by M e l i s s a ' s disclosure made w h i l e

54 "examining t h e c a v i t i e s i n her t e e t h w i t h a hand m i r r o r " , a r e f l e c t i o n of the

something

repellent

i n an a t t r a c t i v e f a c e , as Nessim's crime i s i n

context of h i s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h Pursewarden.

(M, p. 177)

In h i s

s u i c i d e l e t t e r t o M o u n t o l i v e , Pursewarden says h i s death " w i l l o t h e r deeper problems views of h i s a c t .

t o o " (M, p. 184)

and suggests t h e r e are o t h e r

He d e n i e s i t i s an a c t , and t e l l s M o u n t o l i v e ,

must a c t where I cannot b r i n g myself t o " . blem o f Nessim

solve

or the problem of L i z a ?

"You

I s he r e f e r r i n g t o the p r o -

But t o M o u n t o l i v e , Pursewarden's

death i s an a c t , "the bare a c t of Pursewarden ( t h i s i n c o n v e n i e n t plunge i n t o anonymity)", because

i t i s kinetic;

i t s e t s i n motion f o r c e s

compel him t o o t o a c t . (M, p. 186, D u r r e l l ' s i t a l i c s ) " s o l i t a r y a c t of cowardice", one who

which

I t i s Pursewarden's

(M, p. 214) a n e g a t i v e a c t i o n on the p a r t of

performs i t , but p o s i t i v e t o o t h e r s .

It a l t e r s " a l l the d i s p o s i -

t i o n s on t h e chessboard", A l i c e ' s chessboard j a r r e d p i e c e s have s h i f t e d t h e i r r e l a t i v e p o s i t i o n s .

suddenly so a l l t h e

For M o u n t o l i v e and Nessim,

t h i s ends the d e l u s i o n of "a p e r f e c t f i n i t e a c t i o n , f r e e and h e e d l e s s as the d i r e c t e d w i l l " .

The a c t i o n d i r e c t e d by Nessim's w i l l has been

c r o s s e d by t h e act of another w i l l where c h o i c e i s p o s s i b l e , caught the

" t i m e - s p r i n g o f our a c t s " .

and both are d i s t o r t e d beyond the p o i n t

i n the f l o w of u n i v e r s a l f o r c e s

from

Nessim and J u s t i n e r e a l i z e t h i s i n the

m i r r o r of each o t h e r , " t h e i r open eyes s t a r i n g i n t o each o t h e r w i t h the s i g h t l e s s n e s s of inhuman o b j e c t s , m i r r o r s made of q u a r t z , dead (M, p. 215)

W i l l s are deadlocked and no l o n g e r p o t e n t .

stars".

In C l e a ,

B a l t h a z a r announces t o h i s m i r r o r t h a t "the most t e n d e r , t h e most of

tragic

i l l u s i o n s i s perhaps t o b e l i e v e t h a t our a c t i o n s can add or s u b t r a c t

from the t o t a l q u a n t i t y

of good and e v i l i n thw w o r l d " . (C, p. 71)

There

are so many m i r r o r - v i e w s

t h a t t h e r e can be no " f i n i t e

i s always something beyond the

scope of t h e

touch of r i d i c u l e

In i t s immediate c o n t e x t ,

The of S c o b i e , books and

i t does a great

must a l l pass".

(B, p.

deal.

seems t o have l i t t l e

important

t o do w i t h the

theme i n t h e Q u a r t e t .

at

F i n a l l y , he

"left

little

from h i s

H i s j o b i n the S e c r e t

Service

old lady

He has

and his

only

i l l n e s s e s i n the n o v e l .

death".

He

H i s attempt

of a poisonous a l c o h o l i c brew. tragedy,

i s p a r t of the l e g e n d a r y

c o e t e r n a l p r e s e n t , a " t r u e s u b j e c t of myth". ( J , pp. 122,

past 217)

often gives clues to D u r r e l l ' s i n t e n t i o n , creates a

c h a r a c t e r v e r y l i k e S c o b i e t o be a meeting place f o r v a r i o u s thoughts themes. (M, pp.

one

p i e c e s of h i s f l e s h a l l over t h e w o r l d " , match-

i s a g e l e s s , t i m e l e s s , " o l d e r t h a n the b i r t h of

Pursewarden, who

being

i s i n fact a mirror

of o t h e r i n v e r t e d l o v e s , and

c r e a t i o n i s a bathtub f u l l

younger than the A t h e n i a n and

He

i s a s t r u g g l e of t h e w i l l .

the numerous m u t i l a t i o n s and artistic

s t o r y apart

H i s "tendency" t o d r e s s as a l i t t l e

struggle to c o n t r o l himself

ing

appears i n a l l f o u r

i t p r o v i d e s an e a r l y h i n t of Nessim's h i g h l y s e r i o u s

s a i l o r s i s a w i l d counterpart

has

through

115)

a m a s t e r p i e c e of a comic c h a r a c t e r , who

subversion p l o t s .

eye and

For Pursewarden, the

m i r r o r of t h e r i d i c u l o u s r e f l e c t s c o n t i n u a l l y i n t h e person

i s a f a r c e , but

accost

exclaims,

o l d sexual t u r n s t i l e

a s o r t of mascot t o a l l the major c h a r a c t e r s . of every

Justine,

can do t o a Higher Emotion!" (B, p.

dark s i n i s t e r Venus J u s t i n e i s "a t i r e s o m e which presumably we

there

will.

B a l t h a z a r , commenting on Pursewarden and "imagine what one

a c t i o n " , and

and

L i k e S c o b i e , t h i s c h a r a c t e r i s t o be a " s e n s u a l i s t T i r e s i a s " . 164

- 165)

i s shown i n the way

Scobie*s

r o l e as p a r t of the i n n e r l i v e s of

h i s s t o r y i s t o l d , seldom at f i r s t

others

hand, or even i n

115)

56

the d i r e c t words of D a r l e y , who i s i m i t a t i n g S c o b i e * s The the C a r n i v a l .

but u s u a l l y by D a r l e y q u o t i n g

someone e l s e

storytelling.

comic m i r r o r has i t s c h i l l i n g

aspects,

Here a r e " t h e f e a r e d and beloved

as manifested i n

shapes and o u t l i n e s o f

f r i e n d s and f a m i l i a r s now d i s t o r t e d i n t o t h e semblance o f clowns and zanies".

(B, pp. 192 - 193)

This distortion i s a deliberate effort to

make one's s e l f p a r t o f t h e r e f l e c t i o n i n a m u l t i p l e - m i r r o r . dresses and

l i k e everyone e l s e , i n t h e b l a c k domino, "which shrouds

d e s i r e s above a l l ... a freedom which man has seldom

dared t o imagine f o r himself'.' bondage of o u r s e l v e s " .

T h i s d i s g u i s e , t h i s freefdom, i s "from t h e

(B, pp. 188 - 189),

from whatever b o t h e r s one, when

l i t e r a l l y and f i g u r a t i v e l y l o o k s i n a m i r r o r :

of t h e c a r n i v a l b a l l s p e r m i t t e d had

The m u l t i p l e view c a n c e l s out i d e n t i t y .

domino c o n f e r s " u t t e r anonymity ... t h e d i s g u i s e which each man i n

h i s secret heart

one

identity

sex, p r e v e n t s one d i s t i n g u i s h i n g between man and woman, w i f e and l o v e r ,

f r i e n d and enemy". (B, p . 188) The

Everyone

"Only t h e b l a c k

domino

him (Narouz) t o d i s g u i s e t h e f a c e he

come t o l o a t h e so much t h a t he c o u l d no l o n g e r bear t o see i t even

in a mirror".

(B, p. 9 4 )

1

P a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h i s r e n u n c i a t i o n of t h e s e l f

i s a plunge i n t o t h e deepest r e c e s s e s

of the s e l f , t o the i d e n t i t y of the

r a c e , s i n c e a l l have d i s c a r d e d t h e i r s e l v e s and found a r e f l e c t i o n o f themselves i n every i d e n t i c a l f i g u r e .

I t i s as i f one had t o c a n c e l t h e t y p e

l D i s c u s s i n g t h e F r e u d i a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of dreams, D u r r e l l e x p l a i n s t h a t " t h e unpleasant s e c r e t s which w e r e a l l b r i c k e d up i n t h e u n c o n s c i o u s elude t h e censor because t h e y were got up i n p o e t i c a l f a n c y - d r e s s , t h e y were d i s g u i s e d " . (Key, p. 52) i(

57 to

reach t h e a r c h e t y p e .

Jung d e s c r i b e s such a p r o c e s s :

In o r d e r t o d i s c o v e r t h e u n i f o r m i t y o f t h e human psyche I must descend i n t o t h e v e r y ' f o u n d a t i o n s of c o n s c i o u s n e s s . Only t h e r e do I f i n d wherein a l l a r e a l i k e . 1

In o r d e r t o f i n d o n e s e l f , one must l i t e r a l l y of m u l t i p l e m i r r o r s .

complexity

As B a r l e y remarks, " I must l e a r n t o see even

s e l f i n a new c o n t e x t , a f t e r r e a d i n g those (B, p. 47)

lose i t i n the

my-

c o l d c r u e l words of B a l t h a z a r " .

The mask, t h e d i s g u i s e , t h e merging i n a g e n e r a l

anonymity

shows t h e s e l f r e f l e c t e d i n t h e d i s g u i s e d s e l v e s around, or p r o v i d e s self to reflect having 233)

the f i r s t .

t o act a part: Masked, l i t e r a l l y

another

J u s t i n e i s h o r r i f i e d at the thought of not

"Then I shout! not know who I was".

(M, pp. 232 -

o r n o t , one has no i d e n t i t y , o r one has two

i d e n t i t i e s t o c l a r i f y and q u a l i f y one a n o t h e r . D u r r e l l has used t h e m u l t i p l e m i r r o r b e f o r e .

In t h e B l a c k

o Book, as H a r r y T. Moore has p o i n t e d o u t , "from one abrupt

t h e c h a r a c t e r s are m i r r o r e d

angle a f t e r another i n h i s e f f o r t t o capture

of p e r s o n a l i t i e s ... i n a l l i t s b e a u t i f u l m u t a t i o n s ' " . multiplicity

*the

logic

Here t o o t h e

comes from w i t h i n t h e s e l f as w e l l as from without;

it is

p o s s i b l e t o "both l o v e and hate t h e same woman at t h e same t i m e " . (BB, p. 176)

The a c t o r d i s c o v e r s t h a t t h e " i d e n t i t y " of t h e anonymous

audience

i s c o l l e c t i v e l y h i s own i d e n t i t y , "my own f a c e i n i t s i n c e s s a n t r e d u p l i c a t i o n s " (BB, p. 223), m u l t i p l e masks as i n A l e x a n d r i a ' s

carnival.

Dark L a b y r i n t h a l s o i s b u i l t

No one c h a r a c t e r

on t h e m u l t i p l e - v i e w

plan.

The

knows t h e whole s t o r y , but each r e f l e c t s a p a r t i c u l a r angle of t h e " t r u t h " , and

each uses i t as a means of d i s c o v e r i n g h i s s e l f . p. 624. ' " D u r r e l l ' s B l a c k Book" i n World, p. 101

58

The

hinged m i r r o r s t a k e v a r i o u s forms i n D u r r e l l ' s work and

are r e l a t e d t o s e v e r a l other important

c a t e g o r i e s of metaphor.

Groddeck*s book i s e n t i t l e d The World of Man, i n Words and

i n Disease.

"As

as r e f l e c t e d i n A r t ,

r e f l e c t e d " - there i s the mirror

again.

C l e a t e l l s D a r l e y , "There a r e o n l y t h r e e t h i n g s t o be done w i t h a woman . . . You

can l o v e h e r , s u f f e r f o r h e r , or t u r n her i n t o

D a r l e y * s problem i s t h a t he i s " e x p e r i e n c i n g a f a i l u r e mains of f e e l i n g " . "literature"),

(J_, p. 22)

l o v e and

The

literature".

i n a l l these

m i r r o r s then a r e a r t

(including

d i s e a s e o r s u f f e r i n g , t o which D u r r e l l

i m p l i c a t i o n adds l a n d s c a p e . e x p l i c i t l y an involvement

In t h e Q u a r t e t ,

do-

by

each of these m o t i f s i s

of the s e l f w i t h some r e a l i t y e x t e r n a l t o i t ,

whether t h a t r e a l i t y t a k e s the form of an a c t of communication, a r e a c h i n g towards another

s e l f , an awareness of one's own

o b j e c t , or a r e a c t i o n t o t h e environment. they provide

body as

They are " m i r r o r s " i n t h a t

c o u n t e r p a r t s of i n t e r n a l r e a l i t y o r c l u e s t o the

about the s e l f . i n t h e subsequent

These v a r i a t i o n s of t h e m i r r o r image w i l l be chapters.

an

truth examined

59

CHAPTER I I : A.

The

M i r r o r of A r t

Art i n Alexandria The A l e x a n d r i a Quartet

artists.

Three major male c h a r a c t e r s , D a r l e y , Pursewarden and

are w r i t e r s , as i s Keats, who The with

i s an a r t i s t i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of

heroine

becomes s i g n i f i c a n t

of the f i n a l volume, C l e a , i s a p a i n t e r .

a r t , the m i r r o r

and

i s t o h o l d , as

as an a r t i s t to reflect reflect

Art

of a r t . The

The

connection A purpose

1

and

now,

Durrell,

creates a mirror

a r t i s t - c h a r a c t e r s and

each o t h e r and themselves and A l e x a n d r i a ;

i n the work of f o u r

process

'twere, the m i r r o r up t o n a t u r e " .

theories.

story.

"both at t h e f i r s t

whose a r t i s concerned w i t h a r t i s t s ,

h i s own

In

symbolism f u n c t i o n s i n v a r i o u s ways.

of a r t , as everyone knows, i s t o r e f l e c t : was

l a t e i n the

Arnauti

t h e i r works

Justine i s reflected

artists.

i n Alexandria

i s a m i r r o r of the A l e x a n d r i a n s .

The

artistic

l e a d s t o t h e a r t i s t ' s c r e a t i o n of h i s s e l f , as w e l l as t o a work In t h i s sense, the t e c h n i c a l l y n o n - a r t i s t s a r e a l s o a r t i s t s .

c r e a t i o n of a r t i s a p o s i t i v e a c t , p e r s o n a l l y d i r e c t e d , and

of w i l l e d a c t i s the A l e x a n d r i a n

h i s characters discuss i t c o n t i n u a l l y .

upon the

Moreover,

those whom he acknowledges as mentors - Groddeck, Rank, Henry M i l l e r have w r i t t e n e x t e n s i v e l y on the i s possible to d i s t i l l

Ham.

kind

goal.

D u r r e l l qua D u r r e l l f r e q u e n t l y d i s c o u r s e s ex cathedra n a t u r e of a r t , and

this

subject.

-

From the mass of commentary i t

a t h e o r y of a r t which i s r e a l i z e d i n the Quartet

Ill.ii.

and

60

which c o i n c i d e s w i t h the present

problem of the

self-obsessed

self

and

the w i l l t o a c t i o n . In the B l a c k Book, D u r r e l l w r i t e s , i n i t a l i c s : be b u i l t

of one's t i s s u e or not

e x p e r i e n c e but P o e t r y he

to record

oneself".

(BB,

s t r u g g l e i s not

p. 125)

should

to

In the Key

record

t o Modern

remarks on the i n c r e a s i n g s u b j e c t i v i t y of a r t , spurred

o b s c u r i t y of the and

at a l l . The

"Books

subject-object

f i n d s t h a t "the

(Key,

the

r e l a t i o n s h i p i n the E i n s t e i n i a n world,

v i s i o n of the a r t i s t

inwards upon h i m s e l f " .

by

p. 22) Man

seems t o be g r a d u a l l y

turning

can excape the bounds of

f o u r dimensions o n l y i n h i s i m a g i n a t i o n

the

o r h i s u n c o n s c i o u s , and

only

thus " i n h a b i t the whole" of a r e a l i t y i n d e f i n a b l e by even great

art.

"if

a r t has

any

message i t must be t h i s :

without having p r o p e r l y

l i v e d " . %Key,

t o remind us t h a t we

p. 5)

w h i l e unable t o c o m p l e t e l y express the One and

of space-time, can

t h e r e and

that

The

creative

dying

imagination,

r e a l i t y of the u n i t y of

at l e a s t c o n c e i v e of i t , i n d i c a t e t h a t

i t i s the r e a l i t y of

are

self

it is

life.

W r i t i n g t o Henry M i l l e r about the B l a c k Book, D u r r e l l i n s i s t e d t h a t "the to write

root of the i s r e a l l y the

f a i l i n g s go

and

The

problem w i t h

g i z e s on r e r e a d i n g ,

the

struggles.

a r t i s t - a d o l e s c e n t working o f f both t y p e s of problems,

painting a portrait

present,

struggle

A l l a r t i s t i c d i s l o c a t i o n s and

a u t h o r " . (Cor, p. 99)

w r i t t e n w h i l e the p r o c e s s was

appear - i f t h e r e

l i k e the

i t does look r a t h e r too much l i k e both t h e s e

i s a product of the

artist

at

struggle to l i v e .

r i g h t back t o the

B l a c k Book i s t h a t It

s t r u g g l e which on paper l o o k s

"Let me

i s a man".

s t i l l going on;

of h i s young s e l f . kill

the

Therefore,

' a r t i s t ' i n me

M i l l e r had

almost too much of a one.

t h i s was

advised

You

and

him:

not

the mature

Durrell

the man "You

apolo-

will

are a w r i t e r

need o n l y t o become more

and

-

61

more y o u r s e l f , i n l i f e

and

(Cor, p. 98) The

on paper

p a r t l y a d e s c r i p t i o n of t h i s

Quartet

is

p r o c e s s , but n o t , as t h e B l a c k Book i s ,

an example of i t . M i l l e r r e p e a t e d

h i s i d e a i n A r t and Outrage, t h i s

time a p p l y i n g i t t o h i m s e l f : My i n t e n t i o n was t h e r e - as I s a i d , merely t o w r i t e . Or, t o be a w r i t e r , more j u s t l y . W e l l , I've been i t . Now I j u s t want t o be. (A&O, p. 32) The h i g h e s t a r t i s the a r t of l i v i n g ... w r i t i n g i s but a p r e l u d e or form of i n i t i a t i o n f o r t h i s purpose. (A&O, p. 40) As D u r r e l l r e a l i z e d about the B l a c k Book, the a r t i s t concerned o n l y w i t h t h e machinations produce i n f e r i o r a r t .

He

of h i s own

who

is

mentality i s l i k e l y

to

sees t h e tendency of modern l i t e r a t u r e as a

curve inward through Lawrence, Joyce and p r o b a b l y M i l l e r , and then

a

l i t t l e more outward, "away from a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l form.

must

become aware of t h e n e c e s s i t y t o t r a n s c e n d T h i s does not mean the a r t i s t

i s t o exclude

s u b j e c t of h i s a r t , but i n c l u d e i t and of

The

artist

p e r s o n a l i t y " . (Key, pp. 66, h i s own

87)

p e r s o n a l i t y from the

pass beyond i t . Campion, the

artist

The Dark L a b y r i n t h , d e f i n e s "the a r t i s t ' s j o b " as the p r e s e n t a t i o n of

" c o n c r e t e f i n d i n g s about t h e unknown i n s i d e h i m s e l f and p. 152,

153)

He

i s not

imprisoned

i n h i s s e l f , but

other people".

reaches

outward t o

(DLj other

The t r i p l e a u t h o r s h i p of A r t and Outrage - D u r r e l l and A l f r e d P e r l e s w r i t i n g about M i l l e r , and M i l l e r r e p l y i n g - l e a d s t o a m i x i n g of m i r r o r metaphors. D u r r e l l c a l l s f o r "a p o r t r a i t not of t h e man, f o r you have done t h a t a l r e a d y - but of t h e a r t i s t , m i r r o r e d i n h i s work", (p. 8) Four pages l a t e r , P e r l e s c l a i m s t o have " p o r t r a y e d t h e man and scamped h i s work, hoping t h e man would m i r r o r h i s work", (p. 12) P e r l e s admits h i s hope f a i l e d ; p o s s i b l y D u r r e l l ' s succeeds.

62

selves.

B,

The " r e a l a r t i s t "

A r t and A r t i s t It

to tic

i s "a s u f f e r i n g member o f t h e w o r l d " .

and A l e x a n d r i a

i s obvious from t h e r e a d i n g of t h e Q u a r t e t , without

hiscritical

statements,

recourse

t h a t D u r r e l l i s c o n t i n u a l l y aware o f t h e a r t i s -

i m p l i c a t i o n s of p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t h e o r i e s .

Proofs are Justine's i n t e r -

view w i t h Freud, t h e a r c h e t y p a l images at C a r n i v a l , t h e r e b i r t h by water in

Clea.

He has admitted

(Key, Chapter

t o an i n t e r e s t

i n O t t o Rank's A r t and A r t i s t .

4, e s p e c i a l l y p. 88; A&O, p. 16)

The p i c t u r e o f t h e a r t i s t

as i t emerges i n t h e Q u a r t e t , e s p e c i a l l y i n C l e a , i s c l o s e t o Rank's picture.

I have suggested

be a curve inward,

t h a t D u r r e l l ' s diagram of t h e a r t i s t ' s l i f e

then outward.

would

Rank b e g i n s by p l a c i n g t h e o r i g i n o f

the human c r e a t i v e junpulsse i n t h e need t o harmonize t h e "fundamental d u a l i s m o f a l l l i f e " , t h e d u a l i s m o f i n d i v i d u a l and c o l l e c t i v e , p e r s o n a l and

s o c i a l , i n n e r and o u t e r .

1

T h i s harmonizing

t a k e s t h e form of a

f r e e i n g of t h e a r t i s t ' s s e l f from dependence and t h u s o f c r e a t i n g o n e s e l f . (A, preface, x x i i i ) and t h e c e n t r a l problem i n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e s e l f i s t h e problem o f w i l l i n g The

(A, p. 9)

r e l a t i o n of a r t and s e l f o r i g i n a t e d i n t h e p r i m i t i v e

e f f o r t t o present " t h e i d e a of t h e s o u l i n c o n c r e t e form.

The c o n c r e t e

form which he gave t o t h e s o u l was t h e shape o f a god. (A_, p. 13) when Pursewarden t a l k s about t h e a r t i s t r e f e r r i n g t o t h e attempt in

t h e most p e r f e c t

So

wanting t o be God, he may be

t o present t h e essence

form p o s s i b l e .

artist's

of t h e i d e a of t h e s o u l

The word " g e n i u s " , from " g i g n e r e " , t o

Rank, p . 13. F o r t h i s chapter o n l y , r e f e r e n c e s w i l l be g i v e n i n my t e x t , w i t h t h e t i t l e a b b r e v i a t e d as A_

63

beget, d e s i g n a t e s o r i g i n a l l y a part

of the

s o u l which can

what i s immortal, whether c h i l d or work of a r t . (A, pp. The artist The

artist,

a c c e p t s the

artist's first

i n t o the (A, p.

artist".

s e l f and

i s self-obsessed,

proceeds t o i t s g l o r i f i c a t i o n ,

creation i s himself,

"the

-

20)

but

the

(p.

27)

s e l f m a k i n g of the

Subsequent creat i o n s express and

1

personality

justify this

aim.

28) The

i n the

l i k e the n e u r o t i c ,

19

originate

l i f e - i m p u l s e , the urge t o u n i t e the p o l a r i t i e s of

c r e a t i v e p e r s o n a l i t y becomes the

i s able t o w i l l create.

The

and

t o c o n t r o l her

i s a neurotic

down the p e r s o n a l i t y and

of l i f e ,

actions

of the w i l l . she

to

i t s e l f , not

s e l f , h a l t e d i n the p r o c e s s of

unable t o b u i l d i t up

dilemma f o r Rank's a r t i s t

i s that

he must s a c r i f i c e l i f e . ( A , p. 48)

he t a k e s the e x p e r i e n c e i n t o h i m s e l f , sends f o r t h something new,

When C l e a

i s able a l s o

c r e a t i v e s e l f which remains bound w i t h i n

j e c t e d t o the w i l l ,

The

own

servant

reality,

a creation.

again.

39

breaking -

41)

i n o r d e r t o make a r t

Instead

reshapes and The

(A, pp.

sub-

of simply recreates

modern a u t h o r , i n

our

expressing, i t , and contrast

-"-The A l e x a n d r i a n C h i l d r e n are worth a p a s s i n g g l a n c e . There are the c h i l d r e n of J u s t i n e , M e l i s s a , Cohen, L i z a , M o u n t o l i v e , C l e a ; the c h i l d p r o s t i t u t e s , the dead c h i l d i n the box. Most of them are g i r l s . D u r r e l l ' s poems "For a N u r s e r y M i r r o r " (B_, p. 15) and " C r a d l e Song" (p. 16) d e a l w i t h m i r r o r s and images, the " N o n s e l f and the S e l f " . Compare Groddeck's emphasis on the bond between mother and c h i l d a f t e r b i r t h (p. 145), and h i s t h e o r y of man's double-age, the c h i l d - a d u l t (p. 135) and the immense age of the newborn (p. 208). Compare a l s o the t r a n s l a t o r of June: "One might attempt t o f o r m u l a t e the c h i e f aim of the i n d i v i d u a l as the e f f o r t t o c r e a t e out of o n e s e l f the most s i g n i f i c a n t product of which one i s c a p a b l e . On the b i o l o g i c a l l e v e l t h i s i s c l e a r l y the c h i l d ... Hence the budding p e r s o n a l i t y w i t h i t s p o t e n t i a l i t i e s f o r good or i l l i s f r e q u e n t l y r e p r e s e n t e d i n dreams i n the form of a c h i l d " , (p. xx)

64

t o the " c o l l e c t i v e

c r e a t o r s of f o l k e p i c " makes h i m s e l f t h e " r e a l

of h i s s t o r y " . (A, p. 81) artist

suffers

Because of the

from " f e a r of L i f e " .

caused, as i s the r e l i g i o u s

hero

s a c r i f i c e he must make, the

Fear i s u n r e a l , nebulous and

feeling.

The

i s midway, " r e a l i s i n g the u n r e a l and

love-experience

rendering

un-

is real.

i t concrete",

Art

seeking

"to

prove by o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n the e m o t i o n a l r e a l i t y of what has never been r e a l and

can never be made r e a l " .

D u r r e l l ' s Alexandrians

do w i t h t h e i r

making something from n o t h i n g , his

a r t i s t has The

The

T h i s i s what

(A_, p. 240)

creating,

He

has w i l l e d

i s no l o n g e r bound by the

has

and

determining

an a c t . (A, p.

something t o show f o r h i s

s u c c e s s f u l a r t i s t achieves and

By

attempts t o a s s e r t

making of a work of a r t i s i t s e l f

done something and

o u t e r , of i n d i v i d u a l

- 104)

the a r t i s t at l e a s t

produced something; he

f o r c e s of l i f e .

103

selected f i c t i o n s .

independence of t h a t which e x i s t s .

h i s w i l l has

The

(A, pp.

207)

efforts.

a j u x t a p o s i t i o n of i n n e r

and

c o l l e c t i v e , i h short, a unity;

The h i g h e s t t y p e of a r t i s t i s he who can use the t y p i c a l c o n f l i c t of humanity w i t h i n h i m s e l f t o produce c o l l e c t i v e v a l u e s , which, though a k i n t o the t r a d i t i o n a l i n form and content - because i n p r i n c i p l e t h e y s p r i n g from the same c o n f l i c t - are yet i n d i v i d u a l and new c r e a t i o n s of the c o l l e c t i v e v a l u e s , i n t h a t t h e y present the p e r s o n a l i d e o l o g y of the a r t i s t who i s the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of h i s age. (A, p. 362) In s u c c e s s f u l a r t , the d u a l i t i e s of i n n e r and blended.

A r t i s "not

T h i s complex b l e n d

a means of l i v e l i h o o d ,

outer experience but

life

itself"',

i s a l s o the mark of a s u c c e s s f u l l i f e .

sorbs the world w i t h i n h i m s e l f a g a i n t o save h i s i n d i v i d u a l ,

The

are w e l l (A_, p.

371).

artist

ab-

and t h e n throws h i s cosmic i d e n t i t y non-cosmic i d e n t i t y .

(A, p.

outward,

377)

Modern a r t i s i n danger from an o v e r l y " s c i e n t i f i c " a n a l y t i c

65

attitude. to

The aim i s "hot t o express h i m s e l f i n h i s work, but t o get

know h i m s e l f by i t " .

unable

But as he succeeds i n h i s aim, he becomes

t o c r e a t e , s i n c e presumably then t h e r e i s no more need f o r h i s

c r e a t i o n , and a l s o because i l l u s i o n s a r e n e c e s s a r y f o r a r t as t h e y a r e for

life.

S i m i l a r l y , once one knows o n e s e l f , t h e r e i s no need t o c o n -

tinue l i v i n g

- i f knowing o n e s e l f i s one's main purpose.

n e g l e c t i n g t h e o u t e r h a l f of t h e d u a l i s m . w i l l renounce a r t , which has usurped his

T h i s view i s

Rank poses as an a r t i s t

who

the place of r e a l experience i n

l i f e , a n d devote h i s c r e a t i v e energy t o t h e f o r m a t i o n o f p e r s o n a l i t y ,

t h u s , a p p a r e n t l y , p r e c i p i t a t i n g t h e milennium by e l i m i n a t i n g a r t (A, pp. 430 - 4 3 1 ) .

1

D u r r e l l ' s a r t i s t , Pursewarden, says t h a t "the o b j e c t o f w r i t i n g i s t o grow a p e r s o n a l i t y which i n t h e end enables man t o t r a n s c e n d a r t " . (B, p. 141)

T h i s i s e s s e n t i a l l y what Rank s a y s .

Again,

Pursewarden

d e l i b e r a t e l y p l a n s a " l a s t " book and w r i t e s t o C l e a about " t h i s c r e a t u r e we a r t i s t s a r e h u n t i n g problemsvhich

for".

His l i f e

new

and h i s a r t a r e "two

i n t e r c o n n e c t " , but t h e y a r e p r o c e e d i n g

i n opposite

direc-

tions: "Now i n my l i f e I am somewhat i r r e s o l u t e and shabby, but i n my a r t I am f r e e t o be what I most d e s i r e t o seem - someone who might b r i n g r e s o l u t i o n and harmony i n t o t h e d y i n g l i v e s around me". (B_, p . 239) T h i s i s c e r t a i n l y not a r t f o r a r t ' s sake. "harmony".

Pursewarden uses Rank's word

Once t h i s harmony i s a c h i e v e d , t h e r e i s no more need f o r t h e

!"0nce you f u l l y understand a work o f a r t you no l o n g e r have any need o f i t " . D u r r e l l , Key, p. 39.

66

means by which i t was

achieved:

" i n my a r t , indeed, t h r o u g h my a r t , I want r e a l l y t o a c h i e v e myself shedding the work, which i s of no importance, as a snake sheds its Conversely,

skin".

i f one

(B_, p. 239, D u r r e l l ' s i t a l i c s )

wishes t o become o n l y an a r t i s t ,

"the whole complex of egotisms which l e d t o the as the o n l y means of growth". (C, p. 128) as i m p o s s i b l e .

A p p r o p r i a t e l y , both a r t i s t s

during t h i s conversation. the ego

should not

theory at

may

be unable t o c r e a t e .

suggests t h a t the purpose of a r t i s t o achieve

The

transcends

a r t i s t i c process

of the s e l f ,

a r t and

difficulty, life.

the a r t i s t human?

artist

Pursewarden's

a harmony of

and

Pursewarden's d i f f i c u l t y ,

Are t h e y

inward.

transcend

i t too.

apart

He

from h i s a r t ?

Or,

Does

as a c r e a t o r , i s he

i s g u i l t - r i d d e n f o r vaguely

can achieve

The

non-

i s i n t r o u b l e , because h i s a r t i s turned

He has usurped the r o l e of c r e a t o r .

I f he

selves.

i s t h e r e l a t i o n between a r t

s u b s t i t u t e s f o r each o t h e r , or complements?

have a s e l f

reality,

i t s e l f i n v o l v e s another t r a n s c e n d e n c e , t h a t

escape from the n e c e s s i t y f o r e x p e r i e n c i n g life".

Clea

that the

d e f i n e d reasons,

o f which appear t o suggest a d e l i b e r a t e r e n u n c i a t i o n of h i s humanity.

and

i n t r o s p e c t i o n completed t u r n i n g outward towards o t h e r

Rank's modern a r t i s t

completely

says,

r e - e n t e r s the realm of e x p e r -

Rank seems t o want t o have h i s a r t and

and

are looking i n t o m i r r o r s

d u r i n g her l e s b i a n episode

anguish

which p o i n t t h e a r t i s t

ience.

obstacle i s himself,

t o t u r n t h i s t o m i s e r y . (C, p. 110)

experience

obsessed w i t h p e r s o n a l

life,

c h o i c e of s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n

C r e a t i o n should be " f u n , j o y " , he

be allowed

knows from her own

sheds

Pursewarden r e j e c t s t h i s

He t e l l s C l e a t h a t the a r t i s t ' s

"mirror-worship".

one

and

most

collective

He has made a cowardly hence from the " f e a r of

a r t i s t i c i m m o r t a l i t y , he does not need t o f e a r

67

life

and t h e i m p l i c a t i o n of death:

"He

becomes non-human i n t h a t

impulse t o c r e a t e i s the i n s t i g a t i n g f a c t o r , r a t h e r t h a n the to

l o v e or even t o l i v e " .

"magical

sources

and

as F a u s t , who s o u l , having

sacred powers".

1

The

This guilt

and

f e s t e r s on l i m i t i n g the completion modern a r t i s t

that art i s "wholly

great

ism between h i s l i f e and

of both a r t and

life

work".

Romantic c o n t r a s t e d w i t h the

itself

submissiveness", p e r s o n a l i t y (A, so he

insists

Thus, h i s withdrawal from l i f e can r e p l a c e each

into

other.

can f r e e h i m s e l f from the p a r a l y s i n g

w i t h the s u b j e c t i s apparent.

"parallel-

H i s a r t i s an o b j e c t , whose n o n - i d e n t i t y The

lesser artist

- f o r Rank, t h i s i s the

superior C l a s s i c a l w r i t e r - puts h i s

the

subject

i n t o t h e o b j e c t , and

ian

terms, h i s a r t i s a m i r r o r of h i m s e l f

p o s i t i o n , he has

guilty

sells his

does not want t o admit t h i s , and

true to l i f e " .

artist

i s as

h i s p l a c e i n the

c o u n t e r - f o r c e of r e l i g i o u s

i s l e g i t i m a t e , i f a r t and The

... tamper-

can no l o n g e r as i n e a r l i e r ages work

c r e a t i v e l y t h r o u g h "the

The

the

i s "tapping

artist

adopted a d i s t o r t e d view of h i m s e l f and

out

art

artist

t r a d i t i o n a l l y l o s e s h i s m i r r o r image when he

Chain of B e i n g .

p. 425)

The

p o t e n t i a l i t i e s of our e x i s t e n c e

i n a s e c u l a r manner, w i t h

impulse

Wyndham Lewis speaks of

q u a l i t y i n a r t i s t i c expression".

the s u p e r n a t u r a l ing,

(A, p. 371)

the

concentrates

brought about the s p l i t

on t h a t image.

alone.

self,

In D u r r e l l -

Since t h i s i s a f a l s e

i n psyche which b o t h e r s

the

Alexandrians. The he does not

artist

does f i n d h i s s e l f i n the p r o c e s s

confuse t h e two.

of h i s work, but

D u r r e l l ' s Keats says t h a t t h e v e r y t a s k of

Time and Western Man,

p.

193

68

art,

" t h e a c t of w r e s t l i n g

up' .

(C_, p. 184)

c

This

w i t h an i n s o l u b l e problem grows t h e w r i t e r

i s what happens t o Keats and t o D a r l e y and C l e a ,

who a r e t h e a r t i s t s of t h e f u t u r e .

I t does not happen t o Pursewarden;

a l t h o u g h Keats says Pursewarden r e a l i z e s t h i s , he does not "grow up". His art, the

s e l f i s i n fragments and, knowing he cannot escape e x p e r i e n c e i n he escapes i n s u i c i d e .

H i s i s t h e dilemma of Rank's a r t i s t o f

present. In another sense, a r t and e x p e r i e n c e and s e l f a r e connected.

Rank t r a c e s t h e h i s t o r y of a r t t o p r i m i t i v e r e l i g i o n ' s e x p r e s s i o n of the

s o u l i d e a , and t h e motto f o r t h e a r t i s t

to lose h i s l i f e

i s a r e l i g i o u s one - he i s

i n order t o f i n d i t :

The s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n which t h e a r t i s t f e e l s when c r e a t i n g i s r e l i e v e d when he f i n d s h i m s e l f a g a i n i n h i s accomplished work, and t h e s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n which r a i s e s t h e e n j o y e r above t h e l i m i t a t i o n s of h i s i n d i v i d u a l i t y becomes, though, not i d e n t i f i c a t i o n but t h e f e e l i n g o f oneness w i t h t h e s o u l l i v i n g i n the work o f a r t , a g r e a t e r and h i g h e r e n t i t y .... They ( i . e . a r t i s t s ) have y i e l d e d up t h e i r m o r t a l ego f o r a moment, f e a r l e s s l y and even j o y f u l l y , t o r e c e i v e i t back i n t h e n e x t , t h e r i c h e r f o r t h i s u n i v e r s a l f e e l i n g . (A_, pp. 109 - 110; Rank's i t a l i c s ) So C l e a And

l o s e s h e r "horror' , r

h e r f e a r of l i f e ,

" j o y f u l l y ' " i s the precise

and i s a b l e t o p a i n t .

adverb f o r D a r l e y ' s d e s c r i p t i o n of h i s

a r t i s t i c "coming of age": I wrote: 'Once upon a time ...' And I f e l t as i f t h e whole u n i v e r s e had g i v e n me a nudge! (C^, p. 282) The f e e l i n g of oneness" r e s u l t s from t h e r e s o l u t i o n of t h e r

d u a l i t i e s of i n n e r between s u b j e c t

and o u t e r i n t h e c o n t r o l l e d c r e a t i o n of a r e l a t i o n s h i p

and o b j e c t ,

story are united which t h e Quartet

a r t and a r t i s t .

with the four

The f o u r words which b e g i n a

l e t t e r s and f o u r f a c e s

set out t o i n v e s t i g a t e .

of t h e modern

love

They u n i t e t h e w r i t e r w i t h t h e

past and

of h i s s p e c i e s , w i t h "every

story-teller

w i t h t h e men who l i s t e n t o them.

statement expressed artist

s i n c e t h e world

began",

"Once upon a t i m e " i s a temporal

i n s p a t i a l terms.

The a r t i s t

f i n d s h i m s e l f as both

and man, " q u i t e serene and happy, a r e a l human b e i n g , an a r t i s t

at l a s t " .

(C_, p. 281) G e r a l d Sykes has c h a r t e d t h e form o f t h e Quartet

as a p r o g r e s s i o n

c u l m i n a t i n g ±1 t h e problem of t h e a r t i s t : As J u s t i n e had symbolized ( D a r l e y * s ) e d u c a t i o n through p a s s i o n , B a l t h a z a r through detachment, M o u n t o l i v e through h i s t o r y , C l e a now l e a d s him t o t h e most important phase o f h i s c a r e e r , f o r which a l l t h e r e s t was p r e p a r a t i o n , t h e p r a c t i c e of h i s own a r t . 1

T h i s i s a f a i r enough c a t a l o g u i n g . about r e b i r t h on t h e p a r a b l e

D u r r e l l has c a l l e d C l e a a "mime

plane".

2

Darley*s

r e v i v i n g of the n e a r l y

drowned C l e a symbolizes

t h e l o v e - a c t and a l s o t h e "break-through t o

poetic illumination".

"The achievement o f ' a r t i s t h o o d ' i s connected

with

sex and knowing", a r e a l i z a t i o n of o n e s e l f i n r e l a t i o n t o another, and a r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e d i r e c t i o n one must take t o be a b l e t o c r e a t e . l i k e a r t , i s a human r e f l e c t i o n of cosmic c r e a t i o n . l o v e r who r e v i v e s h e r , C l e a i s not o n l y r e b o r n and woman. and

C l e a and D a r l e y " r e f l e c t

"discover the fulcrum

Sex,

Since i t i s her

but r e c o n c e i v e d ,

back t h e b i s e x u a l nature

as a r t i s t

of t h e psyche"

i n themselves t o be o u t s i d e t h e p o s s e s s i o n

of each

o t h e r , but i n t h e domain o f s e l f - p o s s e s s i o n . " S e l f - p o s s e s s i o n i s the opposite of s e l f - o b s e s s i o n ; i t i s p u t t i n g one's s e l f i n i t s proper

"One

p l a c e i n r e l a t i o n t o a whole, and i s perhaps t h e

Vote f o r t h e Sun"', World, p. 150

teller

Tape, World, pp. 166-167

70

"self-renunciation" In p r e s e n t i n g

which l e a d s Rank's a r t i s t

7

the achievement of a r t i s t h o o d i n terms of l o v e r e l a t i o n s h i p ,

D u r r e l l i s t r y i n g to, say " t h a t l i f e men

being

blem.

sleeping a r t i s t s " .

1

i s r e a l l y an a r t i s t i c problem, a l l

C l e a awakes and

which appears i n a r t i s not

equivalent

the t r i n i t y may

life.

relevant distinctions.

The

"Life"

t o s e l f i n any narrow sense, but

be

shown i n c a r n a t e i n a s i n g l e f i g u r e " .

2

C l e a are the b i s e x u a l psyche i n the a c t of c r e a t i o n .

foundation

paradox c o u l d a p p l y t o the process and

transcends himself

the a r t i s t :

,r

No

man

w i t h the human s o u l " .

Such a one

7

and

Oneness

criterion:

presents

then a c h i e v e s

context

" t e a r s out

2

G r o d d e c k , p.

122.

3

G r o d d e c k , pp.

51 -

and

54.

feeling

concerned s o l e l y

with

a p a r t of the t r u t h from 3

T h i s detachment of

167

This

artist

transcends h i s

i s f o r Groddeck the p e c u l i a r

l-Kneller Tape, World, p.

of

sole

f o r a l l time whose concern i s

i t t o us as the whole"'.

from h i s background and

"The

by Rank, i n which the

t h a t a r t can be

can be an a r t i s t

Darley

yet a p a r t of something b e t t e r . "

described

and

L i k e Rank, Groddeck denies

the web

So

of a r t i s t h i s power of l o s i n g one's separateness,

o n e s e l f at the same time a whole and

achieves

is

of the human t r i n i t y - male, female, c h i l d - though

through s e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n i s the e s s e n t i a l a r t i s t i c

art.

pro-

the wholeness, the oneness, the r e c o n c i l i a t i o n of d u a l i t i e s , and

"always symbolic

and

s o l v e s her a r t i s t i c

T h i s amounts almost t o an i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of a r t and Groddeck makes some u s e f u l and

is

t o a f e e l i n g of oneness.

man

disease

71 o f modern, p o s t - r e n a i s s a n c e man

but

Europe.

The

whole i s not

o n l y t h e whole

the whole u n i v e r s e , macrocosm as w e l l as microcosm.

example of an a r t i s t

Groddeck*s

a c h i e v i n g t h e u n i v e r s a l oneness i s Leonardo.

cause of h i s l a n d s c a p e s ,

Be-

p a i n t i n g , u n l i k e t h e o t h e r a r t s , " c o u l d never

g i v e i t s e l f up e n t i r e l y t o the e x a l t a t i o n and

a d o r a t i o n of man*s

i n d i v i d u a l q u a l i t i e s , c o u l d never a g a i n become w h o l l y p s y c h o l o g i c a l " . In the work of Leonardo and Rembrandt, Groddeck f i n d s a reverence all

of n a t u r e

and

at one

and

a r e a l i z a t i o n " t h a t they are p a r t of the

with i t " .

landscape"

I t i s C l e a , the p a i n t e r , who

1

of a r t b e f o r e D a r l e y , the w r i t e r , and

" r e b o r n " t h a t he - t o o i s r e b o r n D u r r e l l * s p o e t r y has

as an

for

universe

f i n d s the "secret

i t i s because she i s

artist.

been c a l l e d the " r e c o r d of a c o n s t r u c t i v e

it 2 mind working out

a program f o r the ego

A l e x a n d r i a Quartet ego

and It

of l i f e ,

i n l i t e r a r y terms .

t h i s program i s worked out

literature in their

the

exemplified,

with

context.

would appear t h a t a r t should not at l e a s t not

and

In

be t o o l i t e r a l l y a m i r r o r

of immediate e x p e r i e n c e

or of l i f e

now.

But i f

the m i r r o r o b j e c t i f i e s t h e s u b j e c t r a t h e r than merely d u p l i c a t i n g i t , then a r t as seen by D u r r e l l and

h i s psychoanalytic

c r i t i c s i s a mirror.

M i r r o r s , moreover, always r e f l e c t the background as w e l l as the t h a t i s , t h e y put

the r e f l e c t e d

s e l f i n the context

P h i l i p S h e r r a r d , d i s c u s s i n g C.P. t h i s r e b i r t h of past would seem t o l i e ;

experience

!

of a whole.

Cavafy, remarks t h a t " i t i s i n

t h a t the meaning of e x p e r i e n c e

i t i s i n thejpoem d i s t i l l e d

Groddeck, p.

subject,

itself

years a f t e r the p h y s i c a l

68.

Hayden C a r r u t h , "Nougat f o r the O l d B i t c h , " World, p.

125

72

event t h a t t h e event i t s e l f g i v e s meaning and of the t e t r a l o g y .

is fulfilled".

C l e a ' s p a r a b l e of

wholeness t o t h e events i n the f i r s t But

even i n J u s t i n e , D a r l e y had

t o show i t s s i g n i f i c a n t

s i d e " . ( J , p. 17)

who

i s w a i t i n g and

receptive.

i n the

s i l e n c e s of

reworked and made

image" come t o the

In t h i s r e o r d e r i n g of

reality,

which i s emotion r e c o l l e c t e d i n t r a n q u i l l i t y , the p a i n of l i f e art.

(£, p.

reali-

I t i s the " s i l e n c e s "

because t h e impulse t o c r e a t e and t h e " p r e v i o u s artist

three-quarters

known, without

z i n g the i m p l i c a t i o n s of the i d e a , t h a t " o n l y t h e r e t h e p a i n t e r or the w r i t e r can r e a l i t y be r e o r d e r e d ,

rebirth

becomes

17)

Some of t h e s e

i d e a s appear i n the work of an o l d e r n o v e l i s t ,

C h a r l e s Morgan, whom D u r r e l l once p l a c e d i n a l i s t which i n c l u d e d Shaw and Huxley. (Cor, p. 76)

of l i t e r a r y

notables

In h i s p r e f a c e t o

the

The World of Man,

Groddeck's t r a n s l a t o r quotes Morgan's d e s c r i p t i o n

of the

of a work of a r t :

conception

In each case, h i s (the a r t i s t ' s ) j o y of i t , o r d i n a r i l y c a l l e d c r e a t i v e , i s a r e c e p t i v e joy; t h e r e i s a c l o s e analogy i n the f e m i n i n e a r t of l o v e , which i s at once f i e r c e and p e a c e f u l , a f u l f i l l m e n t and an i n i t i a t i o n . The making of the work of a r t - the h a r v e s t i n g of the o r i g i n a l t r u t h - i s a l e s s intense experience t h a n the c o n c e i v i n g of i t , f o r i n t h e moment of c o n c e p t i o n , and perhaps at no o t h e r time, the a r t i s t f u l l y apprehends h i s gods and sees w i t h t h e i r eyestheir r e a l i t y . T h i s power t o be impregnated, and not the w r i t i n g of poems, the p a i n t i n g of p i c t u r e s , or the composition of music, i s the essence of a r t , the being an a r t i s t . 3

J-The Marble T h r e s h i n g - F l o o r

(London, 1956), p.. 121

D a r l e y says i t i s r e a l i t y which reworks us, not the around. (C, p. 12) 2

way

3

Portrait

i n a Mirror

(London, 1929), p. 44;

other

Groddeck, p.

32

73

This quotation

c o u l d be an a b s t r a c t i o n of D a r l e y * s

b i r t h " or "reconception". artist and

waiting

artist

"re-

There i s a l s o Pursewarden's n o t i o n of t h e

a t t a i n i n g t h e l e v e l o f t h e gods.

receptiveness

and C l e a ' s

And t h e whole a i r of p a s s i v i t y

suggests t h e f i n a l chapter

o f C l e a where t h e p a t i e n t l y

at l e a s t r e c e i v e s t h e " s e c r e t l a n d s c a p e " , t h e " p r e c i o u s

image". (C_, p . 282) In R e f l e c t i o n s , an a p p r o p r i a t e l y t i t l e d c o l l e c t i o n of e s s a y s , Morgan sees a r t as a m i r r o r which e n a b l e s man " t o p e r c e i v e h i m s e l f as a p a r t o f Nature and perhaps, t o r e c o g n i z e

a god i n h i m s e l f

a g a i n a r e t h e concepts o f oneness and o f t h e a r t i s t in Portrait

i n a M i r r o r experiences

.

as god.

Here

The a r t i s t

a moment of epiphany when he f e e l s

h i m s e l f "absorbed i n t h e open v a s t n e s s

of t h e u n i v e r s e

about me";

this

i s accompanied by t h e awakening of " t h e courage t o c r e a t e " , and t h e whole s e n s a t i o n

i s connected w i t h

r e b i r t h and c r e a t i o n i n n a t u r e as he

i s " i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h a t day of sap and r e s u r r e c t i o n " . The

t i t l e Portrait

an o b s e r v a t i o n

2

i n a Mirror i s relevant t o t h i s discussion.

which Morgan a l s o uses aa a t i t l e - p a g e e p i g r a p h ,

the p r o t a g o n i s t ,

portrait

Nigel,

says, " i t was i n my mind t o say t h a t a p o r t r a i t

be t h e image o f one s p i r i t r e c e i v e d i n the m i r r o r o f a n o t h e r " . o f C l a r e shows h e r as she i s seen by him.

In

should His

He c o n s i d e r s an

i n t e r e s t i n g r e f l e c t i o n problem, p a i n t i n g a r o s e as i t i s r e f l e c t e d not i n an a c t u a l m i r r o r but i n t h e g l o s s y whiteness of a t a b l e c l o t h . d i f f i c u l t y i s that the r e f l e c t i n g must be conveyed:

The

s u r f a c e has q u a l i t i e s o f i t s own which

" F o r here i t was n e c e s s a r y w h i l e

from t h e r e f l e c t e d f l o w e r , t o p r e s e r v e

borrowing

colour

the opaque whiteness o f t h e

^ ' C r e a t i v e I m a g i n a t i o n " i n R e f l e c t i o n s i n a M i r r o r , Second S e r i e s (London, 1954), pp. 96 - 97. 2

P o r t r a i t , pp. 151 - 152.

74 reflecting and

s u r f a c e and

p l i a b i l i t y of l i n e n " .

i n h i s method. and

t o suggest beneath t h e s t i f f

events and

1

T h i s i s a problem D u r r e l l has had

When people and landscapes,

g l o s s , the

events and

landscapes

reflect

texture to

solve

people

a l l e n t i t i e s , r e f l e c t e d or r e f l e c t i n g ,

or

both, must c o n t a i n , i n a d d i t i o n t o the image of the o t h e r , a " r e a l n e s s " of t h e i r

own.

Morgan's works c o n t a i n v a r i o u s m i r r o r t r i c k s . w a i t i n g f o r her

lover, recognizes

i n g t i m e , i t i s the s e l f of past

i n the m i r r o r her

Burning

Glass

C.

The A r t i s t

The

2

telescop-

"'It i s I ,

Mary T e r r i f o r d

Fountain,

who

i n the

sees i n a m i r r o r the r e f l e c t i o n of another

c h a r a c t e r p o i s o n i n g h i m s e l f , and i s f r e e t o w i l l and

s e l f and,

as w e l l as p r e s e n t :

wondered so o f t e n what would become of me". p l a y The

J u l i e i n The

she does not

act on h i s own.

i n t e r f e r e because

he

3

as a M i r r o r of S o c i e t y

r o l e of the a r t i s t

i n r e l a t i o n t o o t h e r human beings i s ,

i n Pursewarden*s view, almost e n t i r e l y the r o l e of a m i r r o r : 'Aware of e v e r y d i s c o r d , of e v e r y c a l a m i t y i n the n a t u r e of man h i m s e l f , he can do n o t h i n g t o warn h i s f r i e n d s , t o p o i n t , t o c r y out i n time and t o t r y t o save them. Ifc would be u s e l e s s . For they are t h e d e l i b e r a t e f a c t o r s of t h e i r own u n h a p i n e s s . A l l the a r t i s t can say as an i m p e r a t i v e i s " R e f l e c t and weep'. (B_, p. 141) T h i s extreme awareness of m u l t i p l e f a c e t s of l i f e , i n a b i l i t y t o do anything

with

the

about what he p e r c e i v e s , i s Pursewarden's

1

P o r t r a i t , pp.

2

(New York, 1933), p.

3

Henry Charles D u f f i n .

(London, 1959), p.

coupled

3, 87

149.

- 88;

p.

80.

247. The

Novels and

P l a y s of C h a r l e s Morgan

anguish i n h i s involvement

w i t h Nessim and M o u n t o l i v e

l e a s t p a r t of t h e reason f o r h i s s u i c i d e . bear t h e weight o f i t s r e f l e c t i o n s . i t s o t h e r sense

and i s at

The m i r r o r i s unable t o

He uses t h e word " r e f l e c t " i n

i n t h e i m p e r a t i v e , i n an attempt

t o t r a n s f e r the

burden o f t h e " r e f l e c t i o n " from t h e m i r r o r - a r t i s t t o t h e m i r r o r e d

self.

What has been r e f l e c t e d i s a p e r v e r t e d use o f f r e e w i l l by those who are t h e " d e l i b e r a t e f a c t o r s o f t h e i r own unhappiness".

He r e s o r t s

t o t h e i n s e r t i o n of a b l a n k page of h i s book i n o r d e r t o throw t h e r e a d e r "back upon h i s own r e s o u r c e s " , presumably w i t h r e g a r d t o h i s own a c t i o n as w e l l as t o t h e r e a d e r ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e book. (B_, p. 143)

D u r r e l l has w r i t t e n t h a t " p o e t r y by an a s s o c i a t i v e app-

r o a c h t r a n s c e n d s i t s own syntax i n o r d e r not t o d e s c r i b e but t o be the cause o f apprehension

i n others"." " 1

P o e t r y i s l i k e Morgan's t a b l e -

c l o t h , r e f l e c t i n g r e a l i t y , but a t t h e same time r e t a i n i n g a d e f i n i t e c h a r a c t e r and being o f i t s own which demand a c t i v e r e a c t i o n from the reader.

Pursewarden t e l l s C l e a t h a t a l l r e a l r e a d i n g and w r i t i n g i s

done "between t h e l i n e s " , and t h i s i s p r o b a b l y what D u r r e l l means by "an a s s o c i a t i v e approach" syntax.

of i t s own

The p o e t r y means more than, i t s words, and p a r t of t h a t

meaning can be found The

and by p o e t r y ' s transcendence

only i f the reader " r e f l e c t s " w i t h i n h i m s e l f .

l a t e r D a r l e y d e f i n e s a r t i s t s as "an u n i n t e r r u p t e d c h a i n of humans

born t o e x p l o r e t h e inward

r i c h e s of t h e s o l i t a r y l i f e on b e h a l f o f t h e

unheeding u n f o r g i v i n g community". (C_, p. 177)

In t h i s passage he i s

t a l k i n g about time and t h e " h e r a l d i c universe'" (of which more l a t e r ) . The

artist

r e f l e c t s f o r t h e r e a d e r h i s s e l f and a l s o t h e c o l l e c t i v e

l i n P e r s o n a l Landscape, quoted by Derek S t a n f o r d i n "Lawrence D u r r e l l : an E a r l y View o f h i s P o e t r y " i n World, p. 39

76 s e l f of h i s s o c i e t y .

Darley's

audience, l i k e Pursewarden's i s

heeding u n f o r g i v i n g " , u n a p p r e c i a t i v e artist

i n s p a r i n g them the

depths of t h e i r non-solitude,

s e r v i c e done them by

anguish of being the f i r s t

s o l i t u d e and

a timeless

of the

i n showing the

"To

the

oneness.

been i n v e s t i g a t i n g , and

It i s h i s own

the problem of

c r e a t i v i t y i s s u r p r i s i n g l y h i s problem, s i n c e a l l men artists.

t o explore

the

s o l i t u d e t o be p a r t of a

D u r r e l l ' s reader i s d e f i n i t e l y i n v o l v e d . n o n - a c t i o n he has

"un-

self

and

artistic

are

sleeping

awaken not merely the impulses of the f o r e b r a i n w i t h

i t s l i m i t e d formulations,

but

the

s l e e p i n g beauty underneath - the

p o e t i c c o n s c i o u s n e s s which l a y c o i l e d l i k e a s p r i n g , i n the heart everyone".

(M,

p. 231)

T h i s i s Narouz's purpose.

The

of

i n n e r world

w i t h which he d e a l s goes deeper t h a n N e s s i m ' s ' p o l i t i c a l c h e s s b o a r d " . To

awaken t h a t p o e t i c c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s a l s o " t o i n f l a m e

will".

The

artist

artist, reflects:

the

impulse t o c r e a t i v e a c t i o n . who

as

Pursewarden i n -

can make t h i n g s r e a l l y happen".

Nessim r e c a l l s t h e s e words when he and

deadlocked and

sleeping

i s t o awaken t h a t p a r t of the r e a d e r which he,

s i s t e d t h a t " i t i s o n l y the a r t i s t (M, p . 216)

the

a c t i o n l e s s on the p o l i t i c a l

Mountolive

are

chessboard, w h i l e even i n

death Pursewarden i s making t h i n g s happen, i s f o r c i n g them i n t o p o s i t i o n s i n which t h i n g s must happen t o them. When he proposed t o J u s t i n e , a s k i n g which i n s p i r e d h i s l i f e , Nessim had p. 198)

At

t h a t t i m e , he

her t o share the "monomania"

himself

c o u l d w i l l and

resembled an a r t i s t .

a c t , and

was

(M,

i n fact setting

f o r c e s i n motion. Pursewarden a s s e r t s the a r t i s t

as the hope of the w o r l d .

must w i l l , a c t , f u l f i l l t h e i r p o t e n t i a l s e l v e s , l i v e :

"'Heed

Men me,

77 reader, f o r the a r t i s t engage i t s e l f to l i v e " . artist

The b l o c k o f marble disengages

i n man must c r e a t e h i m s e l f i n w i l l e d and potent

then w i l l f i n d " t h e unborn c h i l d i n themselves, p. 140)

Pombal and D a r l e y mourn t h e f a l l

i t s e l f , and t h e action.

People

t h e i n f a n t J o y ! " (C,

of France as a " f a i l u r e of

the human w i l l " , but t h e y b e l i e v e France w i l l

c o n t i n u e t o l i v e "so

l o n g as a r t i s t s were b e i n g born i n t o t h e w o r l d " , art

dis-

from t h e d u l l b l o c k o f marble which houses i t and s t a r t

(C_, p. 119)

1

i s you, a l l o f us - t h e s t a t u e which must

(C, p ; 36) because

i s a s u c c e s s o f t h e human w i l l . The

p s y c h i a t r i s t Hogarth i n The Dark L a b y r i n t h sees a r t as "a

dangerous t h i n g t o p l a y w i t h , s i n c e i t demand s e l f - e x a m i n a t i o n and self-knowledge, p. 45)

and many people do not r e a l l y wish f o r e i t h e r " : (DL,

A r t f o r c e s i t s audience t o a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n a r t , and

the f i r s t

s u b j e c t of t h e i r a r t i s t h e m s e l v e s .

his portrait

When Campion d e s t r o y s

o f h e r , Mrs. Truman f e e l s t h a t he i s r e f u s i n g " t o l e t h e r

l e a r n about h e r s e l f " ,

( p . 157)

The q u e s t i o n "how do a r t i s t s happen?"

o c c u r s t o h e r as she l o o k s i n t h e m i r r o r ; i t i s as i f t h e work o f a r t corresponded

w i t h h e r need t o become both a r t and a r t i s t .

The a r t i s t

c r e a t e s not o n l y h i s s e l f , but h i s world a l s o ; i n n e r and o u t e r a r e t o reflect

t h e t r u t h i n each o t h e r .

Frank Kermode suggests t h a t t h e

Quartet o f f e r s "an a l t e r n a t i v e n a t u r e w i t h another p h y s i c s "

1

Purse-

warden's p l a n f o r t h e " f o u r - c a r d t r i c k " n o v e l i s t o show t h e p e r s o n a l i t y " a c r o s s a continuum" so i t becomes " p r i s m a t i c " , (C, p. 136), thus

rais-

i n g q u e s t i o n s of c a u s a l i t y and i n d e t e r m i n a c y . In t h e Key t o Modern P o e t r y , D u r r e l l o f f e r s p o e t r y as "one d i a l e c t

Frank Kermode, P u z z l e s and E p i p h a n i e s

(London, 1963), p. 223.

78

of a g r e a t e r language comprising Art

i s one way

i s not the o n l y

t h e whole u n i v e r s e of i d e a s " , (p. x i )

of t a l k i n g about t h e s e l f and w i l l and a c t i o n , but i t way.

79

CHAPTER I I I : A.

The M i r r o r of Love

The Language o f Love "An

i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f modern l o v e " - t h i s , D u r r e l l c l a i m s , i s t h e

c e n t r a l t o p i c of t h e Ale x a n d r i a good and e v i l ,

i s relative;

Quart e t .

Darley

i n which f o u r persons a r e i n v o l v e d " .

and J u s t i n e ' s D a r l e y

For each o f t h e f o u r , t h e r e It i s i m p o s s i b l e

like

of J u s t i n e , D u r r e l l quotes Freud:

am accustoming myself t o t h e i d e a o f r e g a r d i n g

a process

Modern l o v e ,

i t depends on how one ..looks at i t and on

who l o o k s at i t . At t h e b e g i n n i n g "i

(B_, note)

every s e x u a l a c t as

There a r e D a r l e y ' s

and J u s t i n e ' s J u s t i n e and D a r l e y ' s i s a different

Justine.

perspective of the a f f a i r .

t o conclude which persons and which p e r s p e c t i v e s a r e

" t r u e " and which a r e i l l u s i o n . The

l o v e r sees h i m s e l f

r e f l e c t e d i n the loved.

d i s t o r t i n g t h e image r e t u r n e d

But she may be

t o him, as J u s t i n e does.

One must

c l a r i f y the d i s t o r t i o n s , but somehow t h e d i s t o r t e d image i s a l s o t r u e . Darley it

decides

t h e l o v e has been r e a l and e n r i c h i n g f o r him, even i f

was a d e c e p t i o n

on J u s t i n e ' s p a r t . (B, p . 130)

J u s t i n e says she

would not know who she was i f she d i d not have t o a c t a p a r t . she p l a y s f o r D a r l e y

i s not n e c e s s a r i l y any l e s s t r u e t h a n any o f t h e

o t h e r p a r t s she p l a y s .

I f a l l f o u r persons a r e e q u a l l y r e a l , we a r e

once more f a c i n g t h e problem of t h e s p l i t D u r r e l l has e x p l a i n e d p l a y o f human p a s s i o n s i s an i l l u s i o n " . universe,

The p a r t

self.

t h a t he wanted "by my r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h e

t o suggest t h a t t h e human p e r s o n a l i t y as such

T h i s i s part of the i m p l i c a t i o n s of a p o s t - E i n s t e i n

s i n c e , as D u r r e l l has remarked, " r a i s i n g q u e s t i o n s

l i k e t h e Pr

c i p l e o f Indeterminacy a f f e c t s t h e whole b a s i s o f human p e r s o n a l i t y " . (Young, p . 64)

80

It

i s a l s o a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t the

F o r s t e r p o i n t s out, i t was

setting i s Alexandria.

the A l e x a n d r i a n s

theme of l i t e r a t u r e and who

chests".

1

being f i c t i o n s . of l o v e and

D u r r e l l says, "Only the But

t h e r e a l c i t y has

the i l l u s i o n s of l o v e , and

E.M.

made l o v e the c e n t r a l

developed the v a r i o u s c o n v e n t i o n a l

o r i e s f o r t h e l o v e s t o r y , t h e " d a r t s and and

who

As

h e a r t s , s i g h s and

access-

eyes, b r e a s t s

c i t y i s r e a l " , the

characters

a p a r t i c u l a r atmosphere, r e d o l e n t i s therefore inseparable

from

the " u n r e a l " characters. Love, l i k e a r t , i s a way it

of e x p r e s s i n g

something about t h e

i s a "means of communication". (B, p. 167)

self;

U s u a l l y t h e message

conveys becomes a message t o the s e l f about the s e l f .

Durrell

one

fre-

q u e n t l y uses terms a s s o c i a t e d w i t h language when d i s c u s s i n g l o v e . i n s t a n c e of t h i s i s the grotesque episode J u s t i n e ' s a c t of l o v e re-enacted,- by two He

and

when D a r l e y

sees h i s

terms.(J,

There i s a cracked m i r r o r o u t s i d e the b r o t h e l booth, t o r e c o r d The

episode

p o i n t of view of Narouz, who now

The

the

p. 166

- 167)

And

and

sense i n l o v e " .

"Aphrodite The

sub—human l o v e r , and

his unattainable

beloved,

i s commented on as i f i t were a permits

every

conjugation

of t h e mind

i n c i d e n t , s u p e r f i c i a l l y a d e s c r i p t i o n of

at i t s most animal l e v e l i s an important

c l a u s e i n the

(Garden C i t y , N.Y.,

lust

self-description

of s e v e r a l major c h a r a c t e r s .

Alexandria

the

Clea i s eventually Darley's truest love.

T h i s i n t r i c a t e prism-sightedness grammatical e x e r c i s e :

185)

h i d e o u s o l d p r o s t i t u t e i s a com-

p o s i t e image of Narouz's mother, L e i l a , and Clea.(B,

p.

i s r e t o l d i n B a l t h a z a r from t h e

i s probably

the g r o s s l o v e i s e x a l t e d .

and

d i s g u s t i n g sub-human b e i n g s .

J u s t i n e and M e l i s s a a r e reduced t o t h e i r lowest

distorted reflection.

An

1961), pp. 32 -

38.

81

Melissa of l o v e . "Was

she

i s discussed

v a r i o u s l y i n connection

From the detachment of t h e f o u r t h volume, D a r l e y simply

a nexus of l i t e r a r y c r o s s - r e f e r e n c e s

margins of a minor poem?'

r

ambiguities volved

w i t h t h i s language

(C, p. 41)

wonders

scribbled i n the

Much e a r l i e r , he had

of the r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n which she and

used

the

J u s t i n e were i n -

t o i l l u s t r a t e the ambiguity of the word " l o v e " : My " l o v e f o r h e r , M e l i s s a ' s " l o v e " f o r me, Nessim's " l o v e " f o r her, her " l o v e " f o r Pursewarden - t h e r e should be a whole v o c a b u l a r y of a d j e c t i v e s w i t h which t o q u a l i f y the noun - f o r no two contained the same p r o p e r t i e s ; yet a l l c o n t a i n e d the one i n d e f i n a b l e q u a l i t y , one common unknown i n t r e a c h e r y . (B_, p. 131) r

"Love" i s always l i a b l e t o be " u n l o v e " , but some other

perspective

"Unlove" i s not M e l i s s a , but on h e r .

may

then be

the o p p o s i t e

seen as

l i v i n g p e o p l e but

D a r l e y never " h a t e s "

w i t h her he

sees h i s " l o v e r s and

as c o l o u r e d

times what i s important

love.

of " l o v e " .

sometimes i n h i s contact

From h i s i s l a n d he

the unlove viewed from

i s not

focusing

f r i e n d s no

longer

t r a n s f e r s of the mind". (B, p. 14)

i s the r e f l e c t i o n of one's s e l f i n the

as Some-

lover,

but meanwhile the l o v e r e x i s t s as a person, as a s e l f t o be r e f l e c t e d i n turny:. l i k e Morgan's m i r r o r i n g t a b l e - c l o t h . B.

Love as Knowledge Turning

a pun

t o a l i t e r a l meaning, C l e a says, "Sexual l o v e i s

knowledge, both i n etymology and

i n cold f a c t " .

ledge i s not

o n l y c a r n a l l y of the o t h e r

of o n e s e l f .

E x p l a i n i n g the C l e a i n c i d e n t i n which one

the o t h e r , D u r r e l l e l a b o r a t e s

on t h i s

but

(C_, p. 113)

idea:

a l s o mentally

and

lover

The

know-

spiritually revives

82

The s e x u a l a c t becomes i d e n t i f i e d w i t h a l l knowledge, a l l knowing; and the act ( l i f e s a v i n g , l i f e - g i v i n g ) seems a s o r t of b i o l o g i c a l c o n t a g i o n whose o b j e c t i s not o n l y the r a c e ' s s u r v i v a l , but a l s o the awakening of the p s y c h i c f o r c e s l a t e n t i n the human b e i n g . 1

From t h i s a c t , both l o v e r s are awakened t o w i l l e d knowledge probes deep and

creativity.

The

searches wide, f o r " l o v e i s a form of

ir 2 metaphysical

enquiry

,

I t seems t h a t t o l i m i t h i s t o p i c t o the

i n v e s t i g a t i o n of modern l o v e i s not t o l i m i t has

i t at a l l .

Kermode

a p p r o p r i a t e l y s a i d t h a t Quart et i s a book about e v e r y t h i n g . It

3

i s , however, an e v e r y t h i n g which t u r n s out t o be a k a l e i -

d o s c o p i c view of one t h i n g , t h e s e l f . o n l y world

C a r l Bode comments,

i s the world of s e l f - e x p l o r a t i o n - l o v e g i v e s us

means", and the v a l u e of sex i s "what i t can t e a c h us about

"Our the our-

selves" R e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h o t h e r s p r o v i d e s the o n l y means of tion.

In h i s p r i s m a t i c n o v e l , Proust

p a s s i o n s of o t h e r s t h a t we t o f i n d out about our own shown u s " .

5

and the man

Our who

own

pp.

" i t i s only with

are ever r e a l l y f a m i l i a r , and what we can be no more than what o t h e r people

view of o u r s e l v e s i s d i s t u r b e d by

t u r n s inward

does not

l-The K n e l l e r Tape, World, p. 2

observed,

^ D u r r e l l and Others", 214 - 227. "A

5

Swann's Way,

99

come have

cannot a c t .

161 Q u e s t i o n s " , World, p.

P u z z l e s and E p i p h a n i e s

Guide t o A l e x a n d r i a " , World, pp. p.

the

imagination,

g a i n knowledge and

"Lawrence D u r r e l l Answers a Few

4

self-explora-

206

-

(London,

207

157 1963)

83

E v e n t u a l l y he an eye

can do n o t h i n g

i s t o see i t s e l f

but

c u r l up i n a c o r n e r underground.

If

i t must l o o k at something e l s e which sees i t

and i'n which i t i s r e f l e c t e d : T h i s i t can do by l o o k i n g i n the eye p e r s o n , i n which, as i n a m i r r o r , i t i t s e l f r e f l e c t e d ; i n o t h e r words, an see i t s e l f , must look at an eye. So same way, the s o u l , i f i t i s t o know must look at a s o u l .

of another w i l l see eye, t o i n the itself,

1

T h i s o t h e r , m i r r o r s o u l resembles what Jung c a l l s t h e D e f i n i n g t h e s o u l as "the

"soul-image".

i n n e r a t t i t u d e of the u n c o n s c i o u s " ,

f i n d s i t "represented

by d e f i n i t e persons whose p a r t i c u l a r

correspond

of the

w i t h those

most always of o p p o s i t e

soul".

2

The

knowledge i s a c r i t e r i o n f o r l o v e :

" d e f i n i t e persons" are a l -

"We

so the a c q u i r i n g of

recognize

as symbolic

l o v e s another because he l o v e s h i m s e l f . B l a c k Book: "They say we

of o u r s e l v e s Narcissus

, p. 167)

his production". artistic.

The

4

T h i s may

l o v e o n l y our own

a l s o a muse, a " w i t n e s s

.

problem when he

194.

596.

2

p.

3

G r o d d e c k , pp.

4

pp.

51

-

60.

The

lover

r e f l e c t i o n i n the faces i n a who

235,

240.

river".

needs not

of h i s l i f e t o

danger i s t h a t the b i o l o g i c a l w i l l h i n d e r

be D a r l e y ' s

•••Sherrard, p.

self-

3

Rank e x p l o r e s the d i f f i c u l t y of the a r t i s t

o n l y t h e soul-image, but

as

appears e x p l i c i t y

f a c e s of o t h e r s , l i k e c a t t l e d r i n k i n g from t h e i r own (BB

Just

can o n l y l o v e what i s w i t h i n tt

i n The

qualities

sex t o t h a t of t h e s o u l they r e f l e c t .

l o v e i s the o n l y means t o self-knowledge,

o u r s e l v e s , what we

Jung

justify the

stops w r i t i n g d u r i n g

84

his

l i a i s o n with Clea.

"the c i t y ' s grey-eyed

A f t e r t h e i r " r e b i r t h " ' , she becomes h i s Muse, muse", and l e a d s him back t o h i s a r t . (C, p. 245)

There seems t o be hope f o r t h e r e u n i o n of t h e l o v e r and the muse.

In

Rank's terms, t h i s would p a r a l l e l a p r o g r e s s i o n i n a r t from the Romantic a t t i t u d e to the C l a s s i c a l . C l e a r i d e s w i t h the n a r r a t i v e f o r t h r e e volumes, b u t , when i n t h e l a s t n o v e l she becomes t h e h e r o i n e , i t seems t h a t she must have been so all

a l o n g , i f o n l y D a r l e y and t h e r e a d e r had not been t o o b l i n d t o

realize i t .

She i s f u l l

r e c a l l s with surprise.

of depths and paradoxes which one f o r g e t s and She s u f f e r s e x p e r i e n c e s as t e r r i b l e as a n y t h i n g

J u s t i n e b r i n g s upon h e r s e l f :

her entanglements w i t h A m a r i l , J u s t i n e

and Narouz, her s t r u g g l e s w i t h her a r t , t h e n i g h t m a r i s h a t t a c k s which she c a l l s t h e " h o r r o r " , t h e l o s s of her hand. c r e a t e s i s one of l i g h t to

her o u t e r blondeness.

Yet t h e i m p r e s s i o n

she

and c l a r i t y , an i n n e r c h a r a c t e r c o r r e s p o n d i n g Although

she i s t h e i n t i m a t e f r i e n d and even

a d v i s o r o f everyone from J u s t i n e t o S c o b i e , she seems t o be always alone and v u l n e r a b l e .

She i s g e n t l e and f e m i n i n e , but enjoys p a i n t i n g

p i c t u r e s of B a l t h a z a r ' s p a t i e n t s and t h e i r most

revolting

accurate

sores.

Her s t r a n g e name may have s e v e r a l sources which appear t o be r e l a t e d t o her r o l e i n t h e Q u a r t e t .

The Greek " K l e a " means rumour.,

r e p o r t , common fame, news, good r e p o r t , fame o r g l o r y .

Clea i s l i t e r -

a l l y a b e a r e r of good t i d i n g s , and each of P a r l e y ' s t h r e e books ends w i t h a l e t t e r from h e r c l a r i f y i n g and r e s t o r i n g e q u i l i b r i u m .

Less

t a n g i b l y , t h i s word may have something t o do w i t h the c l a r i t y which she exudes and a l s o t o h e r a l d D a r l e y ' s emergence of

success.

Cleia

towards some degree

("famous") was one of t h e Greek Hyades, nymphs

who

85

s u p p l i e d moisture immortalised

t o the e a r t h , nursed

as s t a r s .

the i n f a n t Dionysus,

and were

D u r r e l l ' s C l e a i s p a r t of the symbolism of r e -

b i r t h by water and of the r e v i v i f y i n g of s t e r i l e life and

art.

The

Hyades' a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Dionysus r e i n f o r c e s t h i s m o t i f and r e l a t e s i t t o t h e f i g u r e of the a r t i s t . t o her c h a r a c t e r and

The

nymph, l i k e C l e a , had

several facets

came t o be surnamed "the p a s s i o n a t e " .

Hyades are s i t u a t e d i n the forehead and

The

stellar

eye of the c o n s t e l l a t i o n

Taurus,

i n the organs of t h i n k i n g and

s e e i n g , p e r c e i v i n g and r e f l e c t i n g i n the

double

C l e a a c c o r d i n g l y p e r c e i v e s and

senses

of both words.

inspires

p e r c e p t i o n i n o t h e r s , and her c l a r i t y i s a m i r r o r f o r D a r l e y . t h i n k s she i s meant t o p a r a l l e l t h e S t a r card of the T a r o t . card a blonde She

C a r l Bode On

female f i g u r e i s p o u r i n g Water of L i f e from two ewers.

i s " T r u t h u n v e i l e d , g l o r i o u s i n undying

beauty, p o u r i n g on the waters

of the s o u l some p a r t and measure of her p r i c e l e s s p o s s e s s i o n " . the Hyades' C l e i a , As the "grey-eyed and h e r o i c p o e t r y .

she i s concerned Muse," she may

Like

w i t h a s o r t of i r r i g a t i o n of the mind.

be r e l a t e d t o C l i o , t h e muse of

C l i o t o o i s a r a t i o n a l , r a t h e r c o l d maiden who

b r i e f l y into i r r a t i o n a l passion. miraculous

this

s t e e l replacement

a v a r i a n t of " c l a w " .

history lapses

F i n a l l y , C l e a ' s severed hand and i t s

might be l i n k e d t o t h e Old E n g l i s h " c l e a " ,

1

•'•Sources f o r the etymology of C l e a are: Bode, "A Guide t o A l e x a n d r i a " , i n World, pp. 211 f f . Robert Graves, The Greek Myths ( P e l i c a n Book), v o l . I, c h a p t e r s 27 and 39. The Oxford Companion t o C l a s s i c a l L i t e r a t u r e , ed. S i r P h i l i p Harvey (Oxford, 1962). The Larousse E n c y c l o p a e d i a of Mythology (London, 1959), pp. 178 - 185. A L e x i c o n , a b r i d g e d from L i d d e l l and S c o t t , G r e e k - E n g l i s h L e x i c o n (Oxford, 1958). The Oxford U n i v e r s a l D i c t i o n a r y (Oxford, 1955). H.J. Rose, A Handbook of Greek Mythology (London, 1960). A.E. Waite, The P i c t o r i a l Key t o the T a r o t (New York, 1959), pp. 136 - 139.

86

C.

The

M u l t i p l e Views of Love

In The

F a e r i e Queene, Spenser d e f i n e d t h r e e k i n g s of l o v e :

'

The deare a f f e c t i o n unto k i n d r e d sweete, Or r a g i n g f i r e of l o v e t o womankind, Or z e a l e of f r i e n d s cOmbynd w i t h v e r t u e s meet: But of them a l l the band of vertuous mind, Me seemes, the g e n t l e h a r t should most assured b i n d .

S p e n s e r ' s c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of the f a c e s of l o v e i s p r e t t i e r than D u r r e l l ' s v i s i o n of them, and n a r r a t i v e , but

a l s o p r e t t i e r than t h e y a c t u a l l y appear i n Spenser's

the bases are s i m i l a r .

i s l i a b l e t o spread

t o any

a f f e c t i o n unto k i n d r e d the anguished and t h e i r parents.

In A l e x a n d r i a , the " r a g i n g

s o r t of l o v e , p r o d u c i n g ,

i n p l a c e of "the

sweete", t h e i n c e s t of Pursewarden and

Liza

c S n f l i c t i n g entanglement of Nessim and Narouz

The

fire"

or

and

" z e a l e of f r i e n d s " i n A l e x a n d r i a i s o f t e n j u s t

t h a t , the f r i e n d s h i p which l i n k s D a r l e y and B a l t h a z a r and Nessim and rest

of t h e i r c i r c l e , but

i t a l s o becomes B a l t h a z a r ' s homosexuality

t h e l e s b i a n i s m which t e m p o r a r i l y b i n d s C l e a t o J u s t i n e . p a s s i o n - l o v e may Nessim and

deare

the and

Conversely,

become a marriage of t r u e minds, as i t i s w i t h

J u s t i n e at t h e i r b e s t , or w i t h D a r l e y and

Whatever t h e c a t e g o r y

Clea.

of the l o v e , t h e f o u n d a t i o n

i s always t h e

same; as D u r r e l l ' s Sappho phrases i t , "the o b j e c t i s s e l f - p o s s e s s i o n always". (S, p. 75) "as t h y s e l f " .

To " l o v e " t h y neighbour i s n e c e s s a r i l y t o l o v e

Pursewarden says, "There i s no Other; t h e r e i s o n l y one-

s e l f f a c i n g f o r e v e r the problem of one's s e l f - d i s c o v e r y ! " (C_, pp. T h i s was The (p.

him

98 -

a l s o the d e f i n i t i o n of l o v e g i v e n by t h e younger D u r r e l l i n

B l a c k Book:

" i f I take

your hand i t i s my

own

hand I am

kissing",

67)

S p e n s e r , The F a e r i e Queene (Everyman E d i t i o n ) , IV, 9, ( v o l . I I , p. 102)

i

99)

87

As D a r l e y and

C l e a become each o t h e r ' s m i r r o r s , he

" t h a t C l e a would share eVen t h e l o o k : o f (C_, p. 99)

The

o n l y where one where one

e v e r y t h i n g w i t h me,

withholding nothing

- not

c o m p l i c i t y which women r e s e r v e o n l y f o r t h e i r m i r r o r s ' look i s one

of c o m p l i c i t y because t h e m i r r o r i s not

l o o k s f o r the whole t r u t h about o n e s e l f , but

also

l o o k s f o r guidance i n the p r e p a r a t i o n of the d i s g u i s e s t o

be worn B e f o r e t h e w o r l d . than D a r l e y and 204

realizes

- 205)

Clea;,

Nessim and

J u s t i n e exemplify

this better

t h e i r p a s s i o n "came from c o m p l i c i t y " .

Here i s another i n s t a n c e of D u r r e l l ' s echoing

cant words.

of

(M,

signifi-

" C o m p l i c i t y " i s an a r r e s t i n g word i r b o t h c o n t e x t s ,

is italicized

i n the e a r l i e r o c c u r r e n c e ,

i n the mind.

C l e a and D a r l e y ,

through anguish

and

of t h e meaning of t h e i r shared

lives.

and

so i t s reappearance resounds

l i k e J u s t i n e and Nessim, are t o

estrangement and

pp.

r e b i r t h t o a shared Nessim and

go

discovery

Justine discover

"the t r u e s i t e of l o v e " which i s "each o t h e r ' s inmost weakness". They s t a r e i n t o each o t h e r s ' minds, u s i n g a s i g h t more p e r c e p t i v e t h a t of the eye. less".

(M, p.

When s u s p i c i o n e n t e r s the s t a r e , i t becomes " s i g h t -

209)

J u s t i n e denies that f a l l i n g and

i n l o v e i s a "correspondence of minds'

d e f i n e s i t as "a simultaneous f i r i n g

autonomous act of growing up". himself;

so, i n s t e a d of two

simultaneously

than

contemplating

of two

s p i r i t s engaged i n t h e

Each l o v e s t h e o t h e r as a m i r r o r

minds communicating, t h e r e are two their respective reflections:

'The l o v e d o b j e c t i s amply one t h a t has shared an e x p e r i e n c e at the same moment of t i m e , n a r c i s s i s t i c a l l y ; and the d e s i r e t o be near

of

selves

88

the beloved o b j e c t i s at f i r s t not due t o the i d e a of p o s s e s s i n g i t , but simply t o l e t the two e x p e r i e n c e s compare themselves, l i k e reflections i n different mirrors.' ( J , pp. 49 - 50) T h i s view, D a r l e y

emphasizes, may

be t r u e o n l y of J u s t i n e h e r s e l f ; another

view might be t r u e f o r someone e l s e .

The

"comparison" of shared

i e n c e becomes something more i n t r i c a t e than mere comparison. parison i s a f u r t h e r experience, from each o t h e r " .

( J , p. 47)

The

and

i s a soul-image, and her

sharing. and

s h a r i n g of e x p e r i e n c e ,

s h a r i n g i s a r e f l e c t i o n of the i s p a r t of

f r i e n d s h i p s w e l l s i n t o a need f o r p o s s e s s i o n . become l o v e r s , t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p "had a l r e a d y become i n a way

Before

ripened

the

himself, Justine

to a point

had

p. 48)

They are v i c t i m s of "a f r i e n d s h i p so profound t h a t we

p a r t -ownerj^ of each o t h e r " . (J_,

The

possessed.

f o r the l o v e r ' s own

the o t h e r who own

In a double way,

a l s o to preserve

inviolate his

subject.

Morgan's N i g e l says of C l a r e at one an o b j e c t

t h i s i s a con-

p e r s o n a l i t y , s i n c e he f i g h t s t o p o s s e s s

r e f l e c t s h i m s e l f , and

i d e n t i t y as

also to

They "contend f o r the t r e a s u r e s of each

o t h e r ' s p e r s o n a l i t i e s " . ( J , p. 198) tending

shall

love r e l a t i o n s h i p develops

i n t o a four-way s t r u g g l e , each l o v e r f i g h t i n g t o possess and escape being

loved

lover's

when we

become bondsmen f o r e v e r " . ( J , p. 26)

com-

which i s

i n the m i r r o r process;

Then, as the l o v e r ' s soul-image, she

and D a r l e y

The

l o v e r s "have something t o l e a r n

f r i e n d s h i p , i s g r a d u a l l y swallowed up one

exper-

of d e s i r e , but

time t h a t Bhe

a c e n t r e of r e v e l a t i o n " .

1

The

"was

centre

r e v e l a t i o n , as she becomes more c l o s e l y i d e n t i f i e d w i t h the

P o r t r a i t , pp.

93 -

94.

not

then of

subject

89 she

i s r e v e a l i n g , becomes an o b j e c t of d e s i r e . The

development from f r i e n d s h i p t o p a s s i o n may

be r e v e r s e d

in a

r e l a t i o n s h i p which p r o v i d e s n e i t h e r p a r t n e r w i t h a soul-image. A m a r i l , u n t i l he meets h i s n o s e l e s s Semira, f i n d s a l l h i s r a p i d l y becoming f r i e n d s h i p s . (B, p.132) In another way,

So

passions perhaps

i m p l y i n g another meaning o f " f r i e n d s h i p " , the r e v e r s a l i s b e n e f i c i a l . Cohen's l o v e f o r M e l i s s a i s seen t o "mature as a l l l o v e should a consuming and

depersonalized

f r i e n d s h i p " . (J_, p. 110)

t o a t r a n s c e n d e n c e of s e l f - o b s e s s i o n . time D a r l e y observes i t , i s one Quartet. it

Love t u r n e d

becomes

into

T h i s amounts

Cohen's l o v e , as i t i s by

of the l e a s t

inwards i s p o s s e s s i o n ;

the

s e l f i s h emotions i n the turned

outwards

selflessly,

tenderness.

J u s t i n e meets both D a r l e y and A r n a u t i i n a m i r r o r , and the

mirrored

exchanges between her and Nessim have been noted above ( J , pp.

65,

71)

loves

She

i s i n p a r t i c u l a r a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h m i r r o r s because her

p r o v i d e a major p l o t

l i n e f o r t h e whole t e t r a l o g y , and t h e

c h a r a c t e r of her a f f a i r s i l l u s t r a t e s t h e r e l a t i v e n a t u r e "truth".

The

answer t o the q u e s t i o n :

depends on which of the hinged

70

-

ambiguous

of a l l human

"Whom d i d J u s t i n e r e a l l y

m i r r o r s the i n q u i r e r c o n s u l t s .

love?"

She

has

a "mania f o r s e l f - j u s t i f i c a t i o n " , a compulsive need f o r s e l f - e x p l o r a t i o n . ( J , pp. p. 136) 1

132

ff.)

A n a l y s i n g h e r s e l f , she

M e l i s s a , naked b e f o r e a m i r r o r , f i n d s t h a t the

o t h e r must proceed through the "Yes, p. 54)

s i t s i n f r o n t of a m i r r o r . ( J ,

I am

s e l f i n t h e converse of

l o o k i n g at myself but

At the

i t h e l p s me

self-analysis:

t o t h i n k about you". (J_,

s i g h t of Sveva s i m i l a r l y viewing

i n danger of b e i n g

s e a r c h f o r the

h e r s e l f , Pombal f e e l s

p o s s e s s e d , as i f she p e r c e i v e s h i s r e f l e c t i o n

through

90

her own. Mountolive*s

first

r e a l i s a t i o n of h i s love f o r L e i l a i s described

i n terms o f t h e m i r r o r , s p e c i f i c a l l y t h e s h a t t e r i n g o f l i g h t at

and image

t h e p o i n t where t h e s u b j e c t touches i t s own r e f l e c t i o n f a c e t o f a c e .

He i s "stumbling

forward

l i k e a man i n t o a m i r r o r " .

T h e i r two images

meet " l i k e r e f l e c t i o n s on a s u r f a c e o f l a k e water".

Since t h i s i s

a meeting of minds as w e l l as of b o d i e s , t h e s h a t t e r e d images a p p l y f i g u r a t i v e l y also: (M, p. 28) questions himself Leila

" H i s mind d i s p e r s e d i n t o a thousand p i e c e s " .

L a t e r , r e a l i z i n g what i s happening t o him, M o u n t o l i v e

himself

i n a mirror

(M, p. 27) as A r n a u t i had q u e s t i o n e d

i n another time and p l a c e . ( J , p. 73)

i s at f i r s t

The m i r r o r t h a t i s

a l i b e r a t i n g f o r c e , f r e e i n g i n him a "whole new

range of emotions".

T h i s g r a d u a l l y becomes a mental r e l a t i o n s h i p and

then not even t h a t ; t h e s e l v e s a r e no l o n g e r r e f l e c t e d i n each and no l o n g e r have a common o b s e s s i o n t o share. they a r e a p a r t , they e x i s t Alexandrian

trait.

i n each o t h e r ' s minds.

Heliodorus

For a long time,

knew about t h i s p a s s i o n t h a t i s p a r t l y o f t h e mind.

H i s Theagenes and C h a r i c l e a seem " r a t h e r t o have been f o r m e r l y ed, t h a n t o have now met f o r t h e f i r s t

remembering t h e f u t u r e .

1

Arnauti's f i r s t

1

"The

similar

of A l i c e ' s White Queen

glimpse of J u s t i n e s e r v e s as a encounter.

r e l a t i o n s h i p with L e i l a i s Alexandrian

ment w i t h mind, memory and t i m e .

acquaint-

t i m e , and t o be r e t u r n i n g g r a d u a l l y

This i s reminiscent

r e v e r s e d remembering o f D a r l e y ' s Mountolive's

while

This i s a peculiarly

of t h e mind and t h e m y s t e r i o u s doings i n t h e t i m e - p r o c e s s

i n t o each o t h e r ' s memory".

other

Once he has severed

i n i t s involve-

both the p a s s i o n a t e

E t h i o p i c s " i n The Greek Romance o f H e l i o d o r u s ,

Longus

and A c h i l l e s T a t i u s , t r a n s . Rowland Smith (London, 1901), p . 68

91

and

the i n t e l l e c t u a l l i n k s , M o u n t o l i v e f i n d s h i m s e l f without a s o u l -

image and,

without her h e l p , he

"save a t e r r o r and Apparently,

can f i n d no

s e l f behind h i s own

u n c e r t a i n t y which were e n t i r e l y new".

s e l f - p o s s e s s i o n had

depended on p o s s e s s i o n

mask,

(M, p.

236)

of L e i l a .

When

t h e y do meet a g a i n , he f i n d s t h a t the o l d soul-image, a l t h o u g h powerl e s s i n i t s p r o p e r f u n c t i o n and formation

of any new

even l u d i c r o u s , i s a b l e t o prevent

mirror-relationship.

L e i l a i n a sense f o r c e s time t o stand

the

H o r r i b l y changed h e r s e l f ,

still:

Sometime i n the d i s t a n t past t h e y had exchanged images of one another l i k e l o c k e t s .... She would remain f o r e v e r b l i n d e d by the o l d l o v e ... He was suddenly f a c e t o f a c e w i t h the meaning of l o v e and t i m e . (M, p. 281) T h i s meaning i n c l u d e s the l o s s of p a s s i o n but fecundate each o t h e r ' s minds". the

s p r i n g s of a c t i o n i n one

D u r r e l l ' s concept of time:

T h e i r two

another.

of r e f e r e n c e " .

liberate

out

flat

... the map

The

cages of the

of time which

s i n g i n g b i r d s are The

"full

l o v e songs of

b i r d s t o companions t h e y imagined - which were o n l y r e f l e c t i o n s

t h e y l o v e t h e i r own The

The

image i n a n o t h e r , s i n c e t h e r e

b i r d s sing to non-existent

l o v e does not

of

b i r d s are " i l l u s t r a t i o n s of human l o v e " ;

b i r d s t o o are l i v i n g by s e l e c t e d The

one

i t i n w i t h known p o i n t s

of m i r r o r s t o g i v e them the i l l u s i o n of company.

t h e m s e l v e s ! " (M, p. 285)

in

rendezvous w i t h L e i l a , M o u n t o l i v e

t o the o t h e r , f i l l i n g

(M, p. 285)

longer

m u t a b i l i t y , a change i n r e l a t i o n s h i p s .

has the " i l l u s i o n of time spread end

s e l v e s no

power t o

T h i s i s what i s important

In the Arab Q u a r t e r a f t e r h i s l a s t

c o u l d read from one

a l s o of "the

i s l i t e r a l l y no

other.

fictions. l o v e r s , and

l e s s e n the q u a l i t y of the

song.

the f a l s i t y of Darley

the

finds this

out

92

when B a l t h a z a r

shows him he was

ntot J u s t i n e ' s most f a v o u r e d

lover:

And y e t , even now I can h a r d l y b r i n g myself t o f e e l r e g r e t f o r the strange e n o b l i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p i n t o which she plunged me - presumably h e r s e l f f e e l i n g n o t h i n g of i t s power - and from which I myself was t o l e a r n so much. (B, p. 130) T h i s independence of t r u t h i s a " r e a l l y h o r r i b l e t h i n g " , l e a d i n g t o t h e unanswerable q u e s t i o n , "Are we by l i e s ? "

(B, p.

Pursewarden*s:

140)

The

then n o u r i s h e d

i s t r u e of everybody".

t h e q u a l i t y - i n - i t s e l f of an e x p e r i e n c e

t o be i n l o v e , can one

morally

least

This implies that

does not matter; the l e v e l s of

relative position.

I f one

does not

c r e a t e a sham l o v e and

i n o r d e r t o have a r e f l e c t i o n of At

fictions,

o n l y answer he produces at the time i s

"Everything

v a l u e depend on one's own

o n l y by

p l a y at

p. 195^,

He

passion

oneself?

a t e n t a t i v e answer i s suggested throughout t h e f o u r books.

Nessim suggests " l o v e c o n t r a c t s f o r those whose s o u l s aren't loving".

happen

c a l l s t h i s a tendresse

yet up

i n s t e a d of an amour-passion.

Pursewarden i s the major champion of t h i s t e n d r e s s e .

amour-passion i s not t h e most important l a t i o n , because "sex

thing,not

i s a p s y c h i c and not

c o u p l i n g of human b e i n g s

to

(M,

The

even i n a l o v e r e -

a physical act.

The

clumsy

i s simply a b i o l o g i c a l paraphrase of t h i s t r u t h -

a p r i m i t i v e method of i n t r o d u c i n g minds t o each o t h e r , engaging them". (B, p.124)

An

i n t r o d u c t i o n demands r e c o g n i t i o n of t h e o t h e r

i n v o l v e d as w e l l as an acknowledgement of one's own experience o n l y one two

great

achieved

from t h i s i n i t i a l

identity.

person The

engagement of minds seems t o

f a c t o r i n what D u r r e l l means by " t e n d e r n e s s " :

be

" E n g l i s h has

f o r g o t t e n words,namely 'helpmeet' which i s much g r e a t e r

t h a n ' l o v e r * and

* l o v i n g - k i n d n e s s ' which i s so much g r e a t e r than

'love*

93

or even 'passion*'*.

(B, p. 128)

C l e a sees Pursewarden as " t o r t u r e d

beyond endurance by the l a c k of t e n d e r n e s s i n the w o r l d " , (J_, p. and

Scobie

says t h a t the d i f f i c u l t y w i t h h i s t e n d e n c i e s

of t e n d e r n e s s " .

(B, p. 36)

g e n t l e i n sympathy and i s the

i s the " l a c k

Tenderness goes outward as w e l l as

This

sometimes between Nessim

J u s t i n e , f o r a w h i l e between D a r l e y and M e l i s s a and most f u l l y D a r l e y and

Clea.

Pursewarden, p l a n n i n g h i s l a s t " t o combine, r e s o l v e and

should

volume, speaks of h i s i n t e n t i o n

harmonise".

H i s tone now

something t o o simple

p r i m a l r e l a t i o n between a n i m i l and God".

the

s e l f - o b s e s s e d and

and

conscience".

of t h e

(B, pp.

238

as cosmic law

as easy

soil,

seed

and

T h i s s i m p l i c i t y i s not

for

In such p r i m a l r e l a t i o n s , such outward t u r n i n g s scope f o r man",

d i f f i c u l t y i s t h a t t h i s i s o f f e r e d not

but

as Pursewarden*s.

D.

The

the

- but

simple t e n d e r n e s s i n the

The

M i r r o r of

l i v e i n i s founded i n

p l a n t , r a i n and

- 239)

It

i t i s too d e l i c a t e f o r the " i n q u i r i n g mind

s e l f , l i e "hope f o r man,

Narcissus

one

of a f f i r m a t i o n , w i t h

we

t o be o v e r - d e s c r i b e d

t o grasp a s , say, an act of t e n d e r n e s s ,

and

i s t o be not

of an embrace, the w o r d l e s s n e s s of a l o v e r s * code.

convey some f e e l i n g t h a t the world

t r e e s , man

between

mind" and"gentle h a r t " .

of anguished s o u l - s e a r c h i n g or p a s s i o n , but curvature

and

I t i s the type of l o v e recommended by Spenser, based

on a j u d i c i o u s b i n d i n g of "vertuous

"the

inward,

dynamic i n i t s power t o promote a c t i o n .

s o r t of l i n k t h a t seems t o e x i s t

244)

And

the p o s s i b i l i t y of j o y .

as D u r r e l l ' s s o l u t i o n ,

Pursewarden commits s u i c i d e .

Incest

should have been an A l e x a n d r i a n .

He w i l l not

accept

l o v e of Echo, even though an echo i s a s o r t of m i r r o r t o the

ear,

94

and

a l l h i s love i s concentrated

t h e p o o l , i s not a l i v e ,

inward.

The m i r r o r he

and demands n o t h i n g from him.

chooses,

His fate

has been f o r e t o l d by t h e b l i n d hermaphrodite seer T e i r e s i a s .

In

some v e r s i o n s o f h i s s t o r y , t h e l o v e he has r e j e c t e d i s t h a t of a male f r i e n d Ameinias.

I t has a l s o been s a i d t h a t t h e reason f o r

t h i s f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h h i s own appearance i s t h e death of h i s t w i n sister,

whose f e a t u r e s he attempts t o r e c a l l

r e a s o n s , and a l s o t o f u l f i l l

i n h i s own.

For various

t h e v e n g e f u l i n t e n t i o n s o f t h e gods,

N a r c i s s u s d i e s o r commits s u i c i d e , and i s changed i n t o a f l o w e r .

1

H i s legend reads l i k e a d i s t i l l a t i o n o f some p a ^ a f A l e x a n d r i a n themes: the m i r r o r and echo, t h e prophecy o f T e i r e s i a s , homosexuality, i n c e s t , s u i c i d e , a l l based on t h e i r r a t i o n a l

passion f o r the s e l f .

the r e n d i t i o n g i v e n here, t h e r e i s a reason f o r N a r c i s s u s ' s l o v e ; i t might a l s o be suggested for

that love f o r s e l f

In

self-

came b e f o r e l o v e

the twin. I n c e s t i s a l i t e r a l form of m i r r o r - l o v e , s i n c e t h e o b j e c t o f

l o v e i s p h y s i c a l l y as n e a r l y as p o s s i b l e i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e s e l f . In " w e s t e r n ' c u l t u r e s , i t i s g e n e r a l l y regarded ration.

as a r e v o l t i n g

Sade r e f e r s t o " t h e s i n k of i n c e s t and i n f a m y " .

and Renaissance

tragedy,

whatever gods t h e r e be. civilizations,

i t provokes t h e most t e r r i b l e

2

aber-

In c l a s s i c a l

punishments from

In a n c i e n t Egypt and some o t h e r " e a s t e r n "

on t h e o t h e r hand, i n c e s t was r a r e because i t was an

e x c l u s i v e p r i v i l e g e , r a t h e r than because i t was c r i m i n a l .

iThomas B u l f i n c h , The Age o f F a b l e (London, 1919), pp. 106 110. E n c y c l o p a e d i a B r i t a n n i c a (1951), v o l . XVI, p. 117. 2

J u s t i n e , p . 105

95

The

Ptolemies

They claimed male and

made A l e x a n d r i a a " c i t y of i n c e s t " . ( J , pp.

96 -

t o be " s u c c e s s i v e emanations of the D e i t y , i n p a i r s of

female".

Through g e n e r a t i o n s ,

1

seemed t o develop,

the men

a process

of sex

transference

becoming s o f t e r , the women h a r d e r ,

weaving t h e dynasty w i t h " t e r r i f i c

queens".

2

inter-

D u r r e l l echoes F o r s t e r ' s

d e s c r i p t i o n when D a r l e y , watching J u s t i n e , i s reminded of " t h a t of t e r r i f i c incestuous ( J , p. 20)

queens which l e f t

behind

Pursewarden has no d i f f i c u l t y

i n v o l k i n g the legends of O s i r i s and

sun and moon, of C l e o p a t r a h e r s e l f , of the s i s t e r who

the dead k i n g t o l i f e ,

and

l i n k i n g both a r t and

Marie D e l c o u r t

s i s t e r symbolizes

s e r i e s of m y t h i c a l

syntheses,

' ' e t i o l a t i o n of the heart He

such as t h a t of the

and

conventional

r e i n s " , so one 1

"The

family".

(J_, p.

There i s o n l y one

literally

t h a t of Pursewarden and

restores

of

sun and

love-making

brother

^ A l e x a n d r i a , p.

t h e moon. causes

lover mirrors himself,

like

97)

incestuous

h i s s i s t e r , but

F o s t e r , A l e x a n d r i a , p.

a

must " ' t u r n inwards upon

r e l a t i o n s h i p i n the

the cbud on the

subconscious hovers everywhere i n v a r y i n g degrees of

,M.

Isis,

i n a r e l a t i o n s h i p a s s o c i a t e d with

continues:

i n h i s own

finding

the r e t u r n t o u n i t y , so t h a t the a r t i f e x i s

B a l t h a z a r t r i e s t o show how

one's s i s t e r ' " .

Quartet,

Alexandrian

intensity.

16.

23

Hermaphrodite: Myths and R i t e s of the B i s e x u a l F i g u r e i n C l a s s i c a l A n t i q u i t y (London, 1961), p. 81. 3

in

i n c e s t t o d e i t y . (C_,

notes t h a t i n alchemy the union

a s s i s t e d by h i s s o r o r m y s t i c a ,

Narcissus

subconscious".

In t h i s c i t y of extreme i n v e r s i o n , s e l f d i s s e c t s i t s e l f

p r e c e d e n t s f o r h i s crime,

p. 191)

race

them the ammoniac s m e l l of t h e i r

l o v e s t o hover l i k e a c l o u d over the A l e x a n d r i a n

an unhygenic o p e r a t i o n on i t s e l f .

the

97)

96 M o u n t o l i v e i n v a r i a b l y d e v e l o p s earache on h i s v i s i t s home and can be cured o n l y by h i s mother.

She i s t h e c e n t r e of h i s " c u r r e n t o f memor-

i e s " , o f a p a t t e r n o f t i m e . (M, pp. 95, 99) a key p a r t o f h i s own time p r o c e s s e s w i t h time:

To C l e a ' s f a t h e r , she i s

and he i s d e s c r i b e d i n c o n n e c t i o n

he must be home by m i d n i g h t , he t h i n k s o f t h e f u t u r e o n l y

as i t i n v o l v e s her; he w a l t z e s

w i t h h e r " l i k e a clockwork man" r e g u l a t e d

by t h e machinery t o t i m e , and D a r l e y o b s e r v e s , than a w i f e " .

(B_, pp. 227, 234)

M o u n t o l i v e and C l e a a r e s t i l l but

anguish

parents.

"A daughter i s c l o s e r

f a r short of Oedipus and E l e c t r a ,

e n t e r s t h e entanglement o f Nessim, Narouz and t h e i r

The c o n f l i c t

here c u t s a c r o s s

sexes and i n v o l v e s t h e f o u r

p r i n c i p a l s i n ambivalent r e l a t i o n s h i p s . Nessim and Narouz a r e l i k e two

s i d e s o f one c o i n :

awkward and b a r b a r i c . but

Nessim, handsome and urbane; Narouz, u g l y , They a r e i d e n t i c a l not o n l y i n f l e s h and b l o o d ,

a l s o i n what they l o v e most, t h e i r mother, t h e i r l a n d s ,

country.

their

They a r e " l i k e two b l i n d p e o p l e i n l o v e who can o n l y express

themselves through t o u c h :

the subject of t h e i r lands".

(B_, p. 72)

Both sons have a more than d u t i f u l a f f e c t i o n f o r t h e i r mother. i s h e r f a v o u r i t e and Narouz i s " h e a r t s i c k " over t h i s . f a t h e r i s rough and u n a t t r a c t i v e , but he i s l o v e d . " l u s t f u l tenderness"

(B_, p . 75) The

Narouz has a

f o r him, (M, p . 3 9 ) , and i n h i s " f a c e l i k e a

mirror r e f l e c t e d the various f e e l i n g s of (his father's) (M, p . 44)

Nessim

conversation".

Narouz i s i n o t h e r ways a m i r r o r of h i s f a t h e r ( o r v i c e

v e r s a ) , i n h i s j e a l o u s l o v e f o r L e i l a and h i s z e a l f o r t h e C o p t i c cause, e s p e c i a l l y .

Nessim resembles L e i l a ,

so t h a t M o u n t o l i v e

l o o k s "through t h e f a c e of Nessim and i n t o t h a t of L e i l a " .

(M, p . 17)

97

As L e i l a ' s l o v e r , M o u n t o l i v e i s i n v o l v e d i n t h e f a m i l y Leila

wonders even i f he may be a s u b l i m a t i o n

situation.

of h e r i n c e s t u o u s

desires: ' I t was a shock, I mean, t o suddenly see Nessim's naked body f l o a t i n g i n t h e m i r r o r ... I wondered suddenly whether my attachment f o r you wasn't lodged here somehow among t h e f e e b l e i n c e s t u o u s d e s i r e s of t h e i n n e r h e a r t * . (M,

pp. 53 - 54)

Narouz a l s o a s s o c i a t e s Nessim w i t h M o u n t o l i v e , at t h e same time i d e n t i f y i n g himself

with h i s father's jealousy.

f e e l s t h a t he i s t o o much o f a m i r r o r , t h a t Leila,

(M, p . 227) Nessim

some of h i s l i f e

so t h a t he t h i n k s he may "never be a b l e t o f a l l

p e r l y " w h i l e she l i v e s ,

i n love

pro-

(M, p . 195), and when she d i e s , h i s p r i v a t e

r e a c t i o n i s a f e e l i n g of new l i f e . The

is in

(C, p . 266)

l o v e o f Pursewarden and L i z a i s a major key t o t h e s u b t l e

arcana of t h e Quart e t , but t h e key does not t u r n e a s i l y and t h e door does not swing wide open. strous f i g u r e . it

Pursewarden i s a s t r a n g e ,

almost a mon-

He i s a s u c c e s s f u l a r t i s t , a p p a r e n t l y

a great

seems r e a s o n a b l e t o assume t h a t t h e views on a r t and l i f e

pronounces at l e n g t h a r e g e n e r a l l y D u r r e l l ' s v i e w s . s u i c i d e , while Darley,

which he

But he commits

who i n comparison seems i n e p t as w r i t e r and

p e r s o n , s u r v i v e s , even t r i u m p h s . there

one, and

Somewhere i n Pursewarden's sbheme

i s a flaw.

Pursewarden's a r t i s t , l i k e Rank's, i s a F a u s t .

As c r e a t o r , he

u s u r p s suprahuman powers, and he c o n t i n u a l l y contends w i t h t h e s e powers l e s t

t h e y c o n t r o l i n s t e a d o f obeying him.

This struggle en-

gages a l l men, t h e a r t i s t more o n l y because he i s more c r e a t i v e and t h e r e f o r e more o f a t h r e a t t o t h e gods; " ' I b e l i e v e t h a t Gods a r e men

98

and men

Gods; t h e y i n t r u d e on each o t h e r ' s l i v e s t r y i n g t o e x p r e s s

themselves

through each o t h e r - hence such apparent

confusion i n

our human s t a t e s of mind, our i n t i m a t i o n s of powers w i t h i n or beyond us'".

(B, p.

124)

In Sade's J u s t i n e , Roland outdoes t h e merely F a u s t i a n i n h i s double crime of i n c e s t

and murder.

He brags t h a t he "most i n s o l e n t l y t a u n t s

t h e hand of heaven and c h a l l e n g e s Satan's own".

1

Roland's m i s t r e s s

i s h i s s i s t e r and t h e i r u n i o n i s a worse crime than her murder, it

i s o u t s i d e the r u l e s of both good and e v i l .

because

S t u d y i n g the O s i r i s

myths, Pursewarden would f i n d t h a t " t h e k i n g m a r r i e s h i s s i s t e r he as God

( s t a r ) wandering

on e a r t h , i s immortal and may

because

t h e r e f o r e not

propagate h i m s e l f i n the c h i l d r e n of a strange woman - any more t h a n he i s a l l o w e d t o d i e a n a t u r a l d e a t h " . immortal, as a r t i s t

i f not as man.

2

The

a r t i s t , l i k e the god, i s

Pursewarden observes both

i n l o v i n g L i z a and i n a r r a n g i n g h i s own

death.

rules,

His immortality i s

t e s t i f i e d t o i n the volumes of q u o t a t i o n s from h i s works and

conversa-

t i o n , which o c c u r i n t h e speech of the o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s a f t e r h i s death.

In f a c t , he v e r y seldom appears d i r e c t l y i n D a r l e y ' s n a r r a t i v e ;

people r e m i n i s c e about

him or quote him, and most of t h e e p i s o d e s i n

which he does appear are made t o r e l a t e t o h i s d e a t h . The a r t i s t ' s s u i c i d e i s an aspect of the s u b j e c t - o b j e c t s p l i t i n the s e l f .

Rank says t h a t "a l i f e has t o be s a c r i f i c e d

l i v e on i m m o r t a l l y i n the work".

so t h a t

This sacrifice i s usually

i t may

carried

out f i g u r a t i v e l y as the s a c r i f i c e o f immediate e x p e r i e n c e t o the

p. :

273.

Rank; p. 145

note.

99

creation of experience. the s e t s of doubles and Remus.

One

But the myth of the s a c r i f i c e i s r e l a t e d

i n legend - f o r i n s t a n c e , C a i n and A b e l , Romulus

of the m o r t a l doubles "must be s a c r i f i c e d

m o r t a l ego i s t o l i v e on i n the work". Nessim.

1

Narouz i s k i l l e d

I t i s Pursewarden*s h a l f of the double

f i c e d , w h i l e L i z a goes on t o e x p e r i e n c e l i f e h e r own his

life.

to

I f h i s "immortal

ego",

i f the

im-

i n s t e a d of

s e l f which i s s a c r i -

as a whole s e l f

with

h i s " i " , i s t o l i v e on i n

a r t , and t h e o u t e r l i f e of e x p e r i e n c e i s t o l i v e i n L i z a

and

her l o v e f o r M o u n t o l i v e , t h e r e i s no need f o r Pursewarden h i m s e l f to

continue l i v i n g .

Frank Kermode suggests t h a t t h i s i n c e s t may

"meant t o i n d i c a t e a n a r c i s s i s m of the s o r t t h a t s e t s up an

be

oscilla-

t i o n between an a r t i s t ' s i n n e r and o u t e r l i f e t h a t o n l y an Empedoclean s u i c i d e can e n d " . is

suggested

The o s c i l l a t i S n between the i n n e r and o u t e r

2

i n Pursewarden*s j u s t i f y i n g h i s l o v e w i t h the myths and

symbols of h i s a r t . is

He and L i z a are so c l o s e l y i d e n t i f i e d t h a t L i z a

part of h i s i n n e r l i f e .

"*He

converted my

w i t h my

eyes!"

Describing t h e i r childhood, L i z a

blindness into poetry.

(C, p. 190)

Pursewarden sees w i t h her-

I saw

with h i s brain,

he

i s the " r e a l " world f o r them o n l y .

"eyes" which are the i n n e r eyes, of imagina->

t i o n , the a r t i s t ' s eyes, and

she " s e e s " through the p r o d u c t s of h i s

brain. Ten t h i r s t y f i n g e r s of my b l i n d Muse Confer upon my f a c e t h e i r s e n s u a l s p e l l i n g . (C, P. 188)

iRank, p.

says,

L i z a ' s e x i s t e n c e i s o n l y i n n e r , so the

world t h e y c r e a t e f o r themselves

2

life

202.

P u z z l e s and E p i p h a n i e s , p.

221.

100

These l i n e s , and

supposed t o be Pursewarden's, show t h e b l e h d j n g

i n n e r , sense and i m a g i n a t i o n .

Her r e a d i n g

of books and men depend on h e r sense o f t o u c h , It

i s a l s o a"sensual

and h e r r e c o g n i t i o n a ""sensual

s p e l l i n g " f o r him i n t h a t h e r touch

i n s p i r a t i o n f o r him.

She i s h i s " b l i n d Muse".

of outer

Their

spelling". s p e l l s out

interchange

of p a r t s o f each o t h e r ' s mind and senses makes them more than m i r r o r r e f l e c t i o n s , but t h e g e n e r a l metaphor i s a p p l i c a b l e . as soul-images, they r e f l e c t

t h e i r double s e l v e s .

sode i n which L i z a seems t o be l o o k i n g i n a m i r r o r .

As t w i n s and

There i s an e p i Her b l i n d

i s " l u c i d " , a c l e a r m i r r o r f o r an e a s i l y read r e f l e c t i o n .

She i s

i n a sense a c t u a l l y " e x p l o r i n g h e r own b l i n d n e s s i n t h e great because t h e f a c t

face

of h e r i n r e l a t i o n t o a m i r r o r has p a r t i c u l a r

mirror", impli-

cations: T h i s caged r e f l e c t i o n g i v e s h e r n o t h i n g back Thfct women d r i n k l i k e t h i r s t y stags from m i r r o r s . (C, p. 189) L i z a exchanges no look of c o m p l i c i t y w i t h h e r m i r r o r as C l e a , J u s t i n e and M e l i s s a do.

The e x t r a o r d i n a r y p a l l o r of h e r f a c e , p o s s i b l y

c o n t r i b u t i n g t o i t s l u c i d i t y , i s uncamouflaged because she cannot e n list and

t h e m i r r o r ' s a i d i n masking i t . (C_, p. 168) Theere i s no mask no s e l f - d e c e p t i o n .

Her b l i n d n e s s p r o v i d e s

a s o r t of c l a r i t y ; h e r

l a c k o f a m i r r o r makes h e r a b e t t e r m i r r o r of h e r s e l f and o t h e r s . " B l i n d n e s s " has a f i g u r a t i v e c o n n o t a t i o n

which Pursewarden i m p l i e s

i n h i s wish f o r "someone t o whom he could speak f r e e l y - but i t must be

someone who c o u l d not f u l l y understand?"(M, p. 174, D u r r e l l ' s i t a l i c s )

M e l i s s a s e r v e s here,

but she, " b l i n d " though she i s , " s e e s "

much f o r Pursewarden's good, f i r s t

f a r too

r e a d i n g h i s hand a c c u r a t e l y and

101 l a t e r r e v e a l i n g Nessim's p l o t . Kermode c a l l e d the s u i c i d e "Empedoclean". was

t r y i n g t o prove h i s a r t i s t i c godhead and

Perhaps Pursewarden immortality.

His

death,

however, s e r v e s s e v e r a l other c a u s e s ; l e a v i n g L i z a f r e e t o l o v e Mounto l i v e , and

exempting h i m s e l f ffom the r e s u l t s of h i s d u t i f u l r e p o r t i n g

of Nessim's s u b v e r s i o n t o M o u n t o l i v e Nessim.

and h i s subsequent warning t o

To both c a s e s , h i s a d v i c e t o J u s t i n e a p p l i e s , " L a s t l y i t i s

honourable

i f you can't win t o hang y o u r s e l f " .

(B, p. 125,

Durrell's

italics) D u r r e l l has l i n k e d h i s i n c e s t theme w i t h t h a t i n Herman M e l v i l l e ' s Pierre.

Near t h e end

1

of t h a t book i s a d e s c r i p t i o n of a p o r t r a i t

of

Beatrice Cenci: So sweetly and s e r a p h i c a l l y blonde a b e i n g , b e i n g double-hooded as i t were, by the b l a c k crape of t h e two most h o r r i b l e c r i m e s . . . p o s s i b l e t o c i v i l i s e d humanity - i n c e s t and parricide. L i z a i s blonde, but Pursewarden makes her dye her h a i r b l a c k t o mask t h e i r resemblance and hence t h e i r g u i l t , an attempt revealing

t o drape the t o o -

mirror.3

l-in a l e t t e r t o Jean F a n c h e t t e , dated 31 March 1958, i n World, p. 223.

printed

( L o n d o n , 1923), p. 489. P i e r r e also i s a w r i t e r i n love with h i s s i s t e r , who i s dark. H i s o t h e r l o v e i s v e r y blonde - and she i s an a r t i s t . But the d a r k - f a i r dichotomy i n l i t e r a t u r e i s not a simple matter of b l a c k and w h i t e , bad and good. In P i e r r e , dark I s a b e l i s more r e a l ^ v i b r a n t , h e a l t h i l y a l i v e , than the c o l d l y c h a s t e , f a i r Lucy. See Northrup F r y e , Anatomy of C r i t i c i s m ( P r i n c e t o n 1957), p . 101. 2

c f . Hawthorne's Marble Faun, which employs v a r i o u s m o t i f s s i m i l a r t o some of D u r r e l l ' s : a Mediterranean s e t t i n g with Gothic d e t a i l s ; dark Miriam and f a i r H i l d a ; a r t i s t s ; t h e h i s t o r i c present of Rome and B e a t r i c e C e n c i l i k e A l e x a n d r i a and C l e o p a t r a ; the c l i m a x of t h e c a r n i v a l which sweeps up Kenyon, as the A l e x a n d r i a n c a r n i v a l does D a r l e y , t h e a r t i s t - o b s e r v e r , who i s at t h e time unaware of t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of events; the anonymity of costumes. 3

102

Perhaps t h e r e i s a c o n n e c t i o n a l s o w i t h t h e c o n t r a s t between

blonde

C l e a , who i s an a c c u r a t e m i r r o r , and dark J u s t i n e , who d e c e i v e s . D u r r e l l p l a c e s two c h a r a c t e r s i n t h e f o l l o w i n g scene from h i s poem "Mneiae";; both a r e "my s e l v e s " .

They a r e I and I .

I, t h e watcher, smoking at a t a b l e , And I , my s e l v e s , observed by human c h o i c e , A d i s i n h e r i t e d p o r t i o n of t h e whole: With you t h e s i b l i n g o f my s e l f - d e s i r e . ("Mneiae", P, p . l ) The of The

f a c t t h a t t h e r e a r e two I's makes each a " d i s i n h e r i t e d p o r t i o n t h e whole", not i n t e g r a t e d i n a u n i t y o f s e l f o r o f c r e a t i o n . literal

" s i b l i n g o f my s e l f ' d e s i r e " i s t h e o b j e c t o f i n c e s t u o u s

love.

E.

The Five-Sexed

Mirror

In A l e x a n d r i a one may l o v e whom one p l e a s e s as one p l e a s e s . There a r e "more than f i v e

sexes" i n t h e c i t y which i s i n f u s e d w i t h

"something s u b t l y androgynous, i n v e r t e d upon i t s e l f " . The

(J_, p. 14)

v e r y l a y o u t map of A l e x a n d r i a i s a map o f t h e landscape

mind, showing t h e s p a c i n g of t h o u g h t s .

of t h e

From t h e i n t r o v e r t e d p l a c e ,

from t h e d e s i r e whose o b j e c t i s t h e d e s i r e r , come " t h e s i c k men, t h e s o l i t a r i e s , t h e p r o p h e t s " - t h o s e who l i k e t o be alone and "who have been d e e p l y wounded i n t h e i r sex". ( J , p. 14)

The l o g i c a l

f a t e o f t h e s e l f - d e s i r e r s i s t o become "hermaphrodites o f c o n s c i e n c e , c o p u l a t i n g w i t h o u r s e l v e s " . (S, p. 81)

The homosexual makes one sex

do t h e work o f two, and t h i s a p p a r e n t l y i s an important of

achievement

t h e A l e x a n d r i a n s , of "a whole heaving heap/of i n e f f a b l y herbaceous

A l e x a n d r i a n hermaphrodites"'.

(S_, p. 65)

The A l e x a n d r i a n god o f l o v e

103

i s no modern u p s t a r t invoked t o j u s t i f y "the

o l d , double-sexed E r o s of P l a t o " .

space-age

i m m o r a l i t y , but

1

In t h e Aegean, e s p e c i a l l y on Cyprus, D u r r e l l encountered t h e legend of the double-sexed, bearded A p h r o d i t e , whose worshippers wore t h e d r e s s of the o p p o s i t e sex.

She was

symbolic "not of l i c e n c e

and sensuousness, but of t h e d u a l n a t u r e of man". the

self-sufficient

(BL, p. 1 7 1 )

A p h r o d i t e i s not an obscure C y p r i o t

That

2

i s shown by

Spenser's d e s c r i p t i o n of Venus: Both male and female, both under one name: She s y r e and mother i n here s e l f e a l o n e , Begets and she c o n c e i v e s , ne needeth o t h e r n o n e . T h i s i s the u n i f i e d b i s e x u a l s e l f .

3

Most s e l v e s are not u n i f i e d

r e q u i r e another as soul-image t o complete the s e l f .

and

That o t h e r i s

u s u a l l y of the o p p o s i t e sex s i n c e i t i s t o m i r r o r the s o u l which, i n an attempt

at b a l a n c e , i s l i k e l y t o possess q u a l i t i e s o p p o s i t e t o t h o s e

e x h i b i t e d i n the c o n s c i o u s a t t i t u d e . In t h e c r e a t i o n myths of G n o s t i c i s m , Hermetism, Orphism and Judaism, the o r i g i n a l l y is

c r e a t e d human b e i n g i s androgynous

s u b s e q u e n t l y d i v i d e d i n t o two b e i n g s of o p p o s i t e sex.

m o r d i a l bise«uality

pri-

remains as a f o r c e d r i v i n g the psyche t o seek

a r e s t o r a t i o n of u n i t y . In

The

and

Groddeck*s

4

v e r s i o n of the u n i f i e d

s e l f , t h e " i t - u n i t " of

an i n d i v i d u a l i n c l u d e s not o n l y a male I t p l u s a female I t , but

•^"Lawrence D u r r e l l Answers p. 62. 2 a l s o D e l c o u r t , p.

World, p. 157. c f . Young,

27.

3 F a e r i e Queene, IV, 10,- x l i ( V o l . I I , p. 121). d e l c o u r t , pp. 68, 77, 78.

also

Groddeck,

pp. 127,

129.

104

" a l l t h e I t - b e i n g s of t h e a n c e s t r a l c h a i n " . i s one of

of time as w e l l as of sex.

conscious

and u n c o n s c i o u s ,

Both a r t and

artist

Once a g a i n th&

1

unity

I t i s a union of i n n e r and

" t o make up a balanced

have h e r m a p h r o d i t i c

outer,

psyche".

qualities.

2

In a r t , the

b i s e x u a l symbol i s the s u b j e c t i n Greek s t a t u e s of l i t e r a l hermaphrod i t e s , i n renaissance

romances of t r a n s v e s t i s m , and

anonymous c a r n i v a l dominoes.

The

concept,

s c i o u s , i s welcomed by the a r t i s t his

o r i g i n s and t o symbolise

depict h i s progress

in Durrell's

o r i g i n a t i n g i n the uncon-

as "the f i g u r e best a b l e t o sum

up

c e r t a i n of h i s a s p i r a t i o n s " , t h a t i s , t o

away from and

return to unity.

Delcourt

describes

a Pompeian p a i n t i n g of a hermaphrodite r e c e i v i n g a m i r r o r from a bearddd E r o s i n f e m i n i n e

dress.

The

m i r r o r i s here a s s o c i a t e d w i t h

b i s e x u a l i t y i n a r e f l e c t i o n of t h e d u a l nature ambiguous n a t u r e The work.

artist

must be b i s e x u a l as the p a r t h e n o g e n i c

parent

He must a l s o e s t a b l i s h t h e cosmic u n i t w i t h i n h i m s e l f

complete human being and

"Male, female and

4

Delcourt

b e i n g t o the phoenix which f e r t i l i s e s and

p.

2

Delcourt

75. (Quoting

Jung),

^ D e l c o u r t , pp. x i , 60, 4

5

G r o d d e c k , p. p.

71.

child

make up

of h i s and the

o n l y when they are u n i t e d w i t h i n h i m s e l f

become C r e a t o r and L o r d " .

X

the

of e r o s .

become a whole i n d i v i d u a l :

can man

of the psyche and

184.

63.

p. x i i .

compares t h e double

engenders i t s e l f .

105

D a r l e y , l i k e the phoenix, emerges from h i s own h i s former s e l f and The

becoming an

ashes,

transcending

artist.

homosexual, l i k e the hermaphrodite, i s connected w i t h

i d e a of the i n t e g r a t i o n of p e r s o n a l i t y . u n i f y , the a r t i s t most c l o s e l y .

chooses the m i r r o r which w i l l r e f l e c t

The

than of b l o o d .

In an extreme &$$m&

s e l f , attempting

f i e s "a p o r t i o n of i t s own

rather

to idealise i t s e l f ,

i n another

personi-

individual"." "

The

relation-

s h i p i s both i d e a l i s a t i o n and h u m i l i a t i o n of the s e l f .

The

loved

object

ego

to

himself

l i k e n e s s i s based on i d e n t i t y of sex

The

the

1

i s as l i k e the s e l f as p o s s i b l e , because " t h i s

of a f r i e n d i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y

self-glorification".

glorification

In h i s poem

" E l e g y on the C l o s i n g of the French B r o t h e l s " , D u r r e l l the "bodies

of boys" as mere s u b s t i t u t e s , "the temporary/refuge f o r

a k i s s on the

s i l v e r backs of m i r r o r s " . (P_, p.

B a l t h a z a r e x e m p l i f i e s the ambiguity perhaps of any r e l a t i o n s h i p . a d o c t o r of mind and

He

196)

of the homosexual c o n d i t i o n ,

i s a wise man

and a p h i l o s o p h e r ,

body, a l i v i n g key t o depths of A l e x a n d r i a ,

" i t s P l a t o n i c daimon, mediator between i t s , G o d s and 72,

91)

At the same time, he

c y n i c a l l y about h i s l o v e r f a l l i n g Armenian g i r l ' . r

(B_, p. 170)

i t s men".

( J , pp.

can a l l o w p a s s i o n f o r a boy t o drag

i n t o the s q u a l o r i n which D a r l e y f i n d s him

behind

describes

But

i n Clea.

He

can

him

joke

i n l o v e w i t h "a h e a v i l y moustached t h e r e i s a l s o a sort of

philosophy

h i s a b e r r a t i o n t h a t e l i m i n a t e s any " q u a l i f i c a t i o n of h i s i n n a t e

-'•Rank, pp.

52,

56,

61.

106

m a s c u l i n i t y of mind". ( J , p. 92)

The

homosexual i s not

a criminal

but merely a p r a c t i t i o n e r of a p a r t i c u l a r s o r t of l o v e . the t r a u m a t i c

d i f f e r e n c e i n sex,

l o v e can become a companionship

or an empathy, r a t h e r than an o b s e s s i o n . own

soul-image, and

Without

The

subject r e t a i n s h i s

the r e f l e c t i o n r e c e i v e d from the m i r r o r of

l o v e r i s an o b j e c t i v e

the

one:

'At l e a s t t h e i n v e r t escapes t h i s f e a r f u l struggle to give oneself to another. Lying w i t h one's own k i n d , e n j o y i n g an e x p e r i e n c e one can s t i l l keep f r e e the p a r t of one's mind which d w e l l s i n P l a t o , or g a r d e n i n g , or t h e d i f f e r e n t i a l c a l c u l a s * . ( J , pp. 96 - 97) B a l t h a z a r does not m a i n t a i n

t h i s l o f t y plane

perhaps because h i s l o v e r s are not excessive

r e a l l y h i s "own

i d e a l i z a t i o n of h i s s e l f i n t h e

B a l t h a z a r i s p h y s i c a l l y u g l y , and They a r e a l s o s t u p i d and mirror to r e f l e c t been a c q u a i n t e d of him

i n his actual a f f a i r s ,

superficial.

h i s young men

are

beautiful.

I t i s as though he

the o p p o s i t e of h i m s e l f .

He

chose a

i s supposed t o have

w i t h the poet Cavafy, and D u r r e l l ' s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n

i n a crowded A l e x a n d r i a n 1

an

other.

resembles Cavafy's poems about the a g i n g

he w o r s h i p s .

k i n d " but

The

lover waiting, usually

c a f e f o r the a r r i v a l of a youth whose beauty

beauty i s " e x q u i s i t e " , " i d e a l " , "the beauty of

natural a t t r a c t i o n s " .

2

As the wise man,

C a b a l l a , B a l t h a z a r i s a seeker

the i n t e r p r e t e r of

a f t e r a b s o l u t e s , but

i n his

the life

embodies such c o n t r a r y elements as t o c o n t r a d i c t the a s s e r t i o n of a possible absolute.

i

C a v a f y , pp. 66,

2 Cavafy, pp.

133.

163

- 164,

133

and

others.

un-

107

Homosexual l o v e r s might be expected t o f i n d f a i r l y

uncomplicated

m i r r o r s i n one a n o t h e r , but such i s not t h e case i n D u r r e l l ' s w o r l d . They seem t o be l e s s l i k e each o t h e r than t h e h e t e r o s e x u a l a r e , maybe because t h e b i s e x u a l n a t u r e image o f t h e o p p o s i t e some way.

lovers

o f t h e psyche r e q u i r e d a s o u l -

sex, and t h e o p p o s i t e - n e s s

must be found i n

B a l t h a z a r and h i s l o v e r a r e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s .

The l e s b i a n -

ism of C l e a and J u s t i n e i s p o s s i b l y even more p a r a d o x i c a l . i s the conventional

Here a g a i n

c o n t r a s t of t h e f a i r woman and t h e dark:

Clea

who c o n t i n u a l l y t r i e s t o d i s c o v e r and i l l u m i n a t e t h e t r u t h about people and l i f e and a r t ; and J u s t i n e who r e v e l s i n d e c e p t i o n when she t h i n k s she i s t r y i n g t o c o n f e s s .

even

But t h e s e o p p o s i t e s

m i r r o r s i n which each f i n d s v i t a l t r u t h s about h e r s e l f .

provide

Justine t e l l s

t h e t r u t h , as she would not t o a male l o v e r , and i s a b l e t o e x p l o r e her own problems ( J , pp. 227 - 228; B_, p . 51) is

C l e a f i n d s t h a t what

supposedly a p e r v e r s i o n becomes a " p e r f e c t l y a c h i e v e d r e l a t i o n s h i p * ,

because, as B a l t h a z a r e x p l a i n e d , t h e r e i s no problem of t h e p h y s i c a l body b e i n g

i n t h e way.

I n t h i s l o v e she f i n d s

'self-realization*,

' s e l f - l o v e ' , a ground f o r ' h e a l t h o f t h e psyche*. (J_, pp. 129 - 130) In h e r l o v e f o r a woman, C l e a d i s c o v e r s t h e t r u t h of her own womanhood and

h e r n a t u r a l r e l a t i o n t o men. (B, p. 54) Among D u r r e l l ' s A l e x a n d r i a n s ,

t h e r e a number o f remarkable

friendships.

Some mention has been made o f those

sexual l o v e .

There a r e a l s o i n t i m a t e acquaintances

the

same sex, without

connotations

of sodomy.

related t o heterobetween members o f

The f r i e n d perhaps more

t h a n t h e l o v e r , may p r o v i d e t h e s e l f w i t h a c l e a r r e f l e c t i o n , f o r h e r e , w i t h p a s s i o n e l i m i n a t e d , t h e m i r r o r approaches o b j e c t i v i t y .

108

B a l t h a z a r does t h i s v e r y e x p l i c i t l y f o r D a r l e y w i t h h i s i n t e r l i n e a r c o r r e c t i o n of D a r l e y ' s

story.

But

more or l e s s s u b t l y t h e y a l l do

t h i s f o r each o t h e r , by a s i g n i f i c a n t v e a l i n g a new

f a c e t of t h i n g s .

appearance, a c t i o n , word, r e -

Modern f r i e n d s h i p , l i k e modern l o v e ,

i s d e p i c t e d i n terms of the r e l a t i v e , and

each of them - D a r l e y ,

B a l t h a z a r , Pursewarden, Nessim, M o u n t o l i v e and f r i n g e of the n o v e l s : each has tion

those more on

the

Narouz, A m a r i l , C a p o d i s t r i a , Mnemjian, Keats -

s p e c i a l views

and h i d d e n l i g h t s p e r c e p t i b l e from h i s p o s i -

only. But

these

f r i e n d s h i p s are a type of l o v e , and

mands upon t h e emotions. as any

Tensions

as such make de-

among the f r i e n d s prove as

among l o v e r s ; f o r i n s t a n c e , the t r i a n g l e of

Mountolive,

Pursewarden and Nessim, i n which each of the t h r e e has personal

agonising

a duty

outside

r e l a t i o n s h i p s . These d u t i e s are t o f o r c e Pursewarden t o

f o r c e M o u n t o l i v e t o stop Nessim. At

i t s b e s t , the A l e x a n d r i a n

f r i e n d s h i p i s t h a t of M o u n t o l i v e

and B a l t h a z a r , a "communion of minds" over a chessboard, the a q u i e t parody of the p o l i t i c a l game M o u n t o l i v e p l a y s . i s r o o t e d i n "the fecund

The

chess communion

s i l e n c e s of the r o y a l game". (M, p.

233)

Sometimes t h e f r i e n d s h i p becomes i d e n t i t y , as when M e l i s s a bequeaths her l o v e f o r D a r l e y t o C l e a where he had The

(B, p. 135)

found M e l i s s a . (C, p.

and D a r l e y l a t e r f i n d s C l e a

76)

c a r n i v a l i s the climax of A l e x a n d r i a n

b l a c k dominoes, everyone i s b i s e x u a l , a s e x u a l

androgyny, f o r i n the or m u l t i s e x u a l .

wears costume i n s t e a d of the domino, i t i s l i k e l y , feminine

ensemble, t o suggest a nature

like

If

one

Pombal's

c o n t r a r y t o one's own

(B_, p.

179)

109

o r i r o n i c a l l y l i k e i t . T o t o de B r u n e i , t h e "gentleman o f t h e Second Declension", the sexually dispossessed",

(B_, pp. 25, 200) wears

J u s t i n e ' s r i n g and i s " t u r n e d from a man i n t o a woman," h i s outward corresponding

t o the sexual b i a s of h i s inner s e l f .

w h i l e he ceases t o be d i s p o s s e s s e d .

completely

(B, p. 25, 248)

anonymous.

For a l i t t l e

He and S c o b i e have t h e i r own

p e c u l i a r languages, p e r v e r s i o n s of phraseology, gous t o t h e f l e s h .

t h e word made a n a l a -

The c a r n i v a l c e l e b r a n t s a r e 1

The d i s g u i s e d s e l f i s f r e e t o be i t s e l f .

i s e l i m i n a t e d from a c t s performed i n costumes resembling I n q u i s i t o r s , the probers

of g u i l t .

regalia

Guilt

thfct of t h e

The ambiguous dark, amoral f i g u r e s

are "outward symbols of our own s e c r e t mind", t h e i r v e r y o b s c u r i t y making them a c c u r a t e m i r r o r s o f t h e hidden The

self.

(B, p. 201)

most p l e a s a n t hermaphrodite i n A l e x a n d r i a i s S c o b i e , t h e

comic m i r r o r d i s c u s s e d e a r l i e r . He i s r e p e a t e d l y e u l o g i s e d i n a r c h e t y p a l terms as t h e A n c i e n t upside-down s a i n t .

Mariner,

He i s T i r e s i a s t h e hermaphrodite prophet.

c a r n i v a l a p e c u l i a r jazz-song Old

t h e O l d Man o f t h e Sea, a s o r t o f At t h e

plays:

Tiresias

No one h a l f so breezy as H a l f so f r e e and easy as O l d T i r e s i a s . (B, pp. 44, 202) I t s composer might have belonged t o t h e s'hhool o f T.S. E l i o t ' s p e h e r i a n r a g , and C a r l Bode has suggested

t h a t Scobie

shakes-

comes from Greek

myth v i a the W.aB.te.rLand..

2

T i r e s i a s t r a d i t i o n a l l y i s v e r y o l d , he i s a s e e r , he i s b l i n d and

The word i s a p p r o p r i a t e ; comparison i s made t o dark r i t u a l s such as t h e Brocken o r Sade's account of t h e s a t y r monks. (B, pp. pp. 190 - 191, 216) ~~ 2World, p. 210

110 he i s b i s e x u a l .

1

Scobie i s "anybody's age" ( J , p. 121), he sees

C l e a ' s e p i s o d e s w i t h A m a r i l and Narouz. (C, pp. 124, 207) one

He has

b l i n d eye, and, t o add t o h i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , he has t e n d e n c i e s

which i n s p i r e him t o d r e s s as a woman at f u l l moon. (B, p . 40, C, pp. 80 f f . ) A f t e r h i s death, he i s canonized as a s a i n t w i t h power t o cure s t e r i l i t y ,

by t h e Arab q u a r t e r

another

of T i r e s i a s ' s

accomplishments. D i s c u s s i n g The Waste Land i n h i s Key t o Modern P o e t r y , D u r r e l l quotes a G n o s t i c s a y i n g r 'When t h e L o r d was asked by a c e r t a i n man, When should his.'kingdom come, he s a i t h unto him: When two s h a l l be one, and t h e without and t h e w i t h i n , and t h e male w i t h t h e female, n e i t h e r male o r female'. (Key, pp. 152 - 153)

'

E.M. F o r s t e r ' s v e r s i o n o f t h e r e p l y b e g i n s , "Whenever ye put o f f the garment of shame", t h e e l i m i n a t i o n of g u i l t , as at c a r n i v a l , being necessary f o r the purgation of d e s i r e .

D u r r e l l goes on t o

o f f e r T i r e s i a s as a symbol " p o i n t i n g toward t h e f u t u r e i n t e g r a t i o n which l i e s

beyond t h e h i l l s o f s c i e n c e and metaphysics,

and even perhaps artJ i t s e l f " .

S c o b i e , j o k e though he i s , a c h i e v e s

some measure o f t h i s i n t e g r a t i o n .

C l e a p o i n t s out t h a t "He was

q u i t e s u c c e s s f u l l y h i m s e l f " . (C_, p . 120) his

bisexuality.

r i d d l e o f man:

H i s himself-ness includes

He i s , as w e l l , wise i n t h e ways of t h e Sphinx's 'Cheer up, my boyo, i t t a k e s a l i f e t i m e t o grow.

People haven't t h e p a t i e n c e any more". (C_, p. 33) s q u a l i d , but i s l o s t

1

anthropology,

i n t h e context

D e l a c o u r t , p . 42.

A l e x a n d r i a , p . 235.

H i s death i s

of h i s s a i n t h o o d and i n t h e

Ill

reminiscences of the Alexandrians.

B e s i d e s , he i s not t h e f i r s t

martyr t o d i e a d i s g u s t i n g death o f h i s own i n v i t i n g . A l e s s a t t r a c t i v e double-sexed t r a n s l a t i o n from R o y i d i s .

s a i n t i s t h e Pope Joan o f D u r r e l l ' s

She grows a beard t o escape r a p e , d i s g u i s e s

h e r s e l f as a monk, b e g i n s t o b e l i e v e she has changed sex l i k e and f i n a l l y b e a r s a c h i l d d u r i n g a p a p a l p r o c e s s i o n . v e n t i o n a l t r a p p i n g s o f t h e hermaphrodite she f a i l s t o be h e r s e l f , because, i n e s t a t e she i s overcome by i t .

1

Tiresias,

She has t h e con-

c h a r a c t e r , but u n l i k e S c o b i e

i n s t e a d o f e s c a p i n g from h e r f e m i n The r e s u l t

i s d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of

t h e s e l f she has c r e a t e d . The A l e x a n d r i a n , l i k e V i r g i n i a Woolf*s Orlando, i s man and woman and "knew t h e s e c r e t s , shared t h e weaknesses of e a c h " .

2

D e l c o u r t , p . 90. Orlando, p . 145. D e l c o u r t ( p . 87) l i s t s n i n e female s a i n t s who assumed m a s c u l i n e g u i s e ; t h r e e of t h e s e a r e Alexandrian.

CHAPTER IV:

The M i r r o r o f Malady:

I l l n e s s and M u t i l a t i o n

" I swear, gentlemen, t h a t t o be t o o c o n s c i o u s a r e a l thoroughgoing i l l n e s s " , he

c l a i m s , a " s i c k man".

1

i s an i l l n e s s -

says t h e underground man, who i s ,

Commenting on t h i s passage, F . J . Hoffman

w r i t e s , "What he has i n mind i s t h e s e n s i t i v i t y t o h i m s e l f i n terms of h i s s u r r o u n d i n g s ,

as w e l l as an almost absurd

m i r r o r r e f l e c t i o n of h i s behaviour

s e n s i t i v i t y t o the

and appearance".

The

Dostoevskian

d i s e a s e , and t h e D u r r e l l i a n , i s a s e l f - s i c k n e s s , and t h e major symp2 ton i s i n a c t i o n .

The A l e x a n d r i a n s

are accident-prone,

disease-prone,

deformity-prone.

They l o s e hands, eyes, noses and minds.

Some a r e

i n f l i c t e d w i t h i n c u r a b l e d i s e a s e s and some a r e born deformed.

They

are l o v e s i c k , t i m e s i c k , and s e l f - s i c k . S u f f e r i n g i s "an acute

form of s e l f - i m p o r t a n c e " .

( J , p . 181)

Nessim r e a l i z e s t h i s , and knows a l s o t h a t he i s i n c a p a b l e of f o l l o w i n g P l o t i n u s ' s command t o "Look i n t o y o u r s e l f , withdraw i n t o y o u r s e l f and

look".

He cannot bear t o see a t r u e r e f l e c t i o n o f h i m s e l f .

complains o f t h e

filexandrian

Pombal

"mania f o r d i s s e c t i o n , f o r a n a l y s i n g t h e

s u b j e c t " , t h e s u b j e c t o f one's own l o v e s and a c t i o n s ( J , p. 21; D u r r e l l italics)

T h i s s e l f - i m p o r t a n c e and e x c e s s i v e i n t e r e s t

are unhealthy,

because they amount to f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h one's own d i s e a s e

l i k e picking a sore. to dissect

i n self-analysis

P l o t i n u s ' s i n t e n t i s t o diagnose and c u r e , not

and p r e s e r v e .

J u s t i n e ' s quest

among t h e p s y c h o a n a l y s t s

of h e r s e l f and o t h e r s .

Pursewarden accuses

x

N o t e s , pp. 53, 56.

2

Beckett,

pp. 30 - 31.

o f Europe i s a d e c e p t i o n h e r of u s i n g n e u r o s i s as

113

an excuse and suggests t h a t h e r i l l n e s s i s " ' j u s t self-pity*".

(B, pp. 122, 125)

due t o an i n f l a m e d

She checks h e r s e l f short o f any r e v e -

l a t i o n which might g i v e t h e a n a l y s t a c l u e .

On h i s e v e r - p e r c e p t i v e

m i r r o r , Pursewarden w r i t e s f o r her: "Oh D r e a d f u l i s t h e check! Intense t h e agony When t h e ear begins t o hear And The

t h e eye begins

r e a l agony begins

t o see!"(M, p. 174)

at t h e verge of detection,, and hence o f a n n i h i -

l a t i o n , o f t h e t r u t h about t h e s e l f . t h i s as m a l i n g e r i n g .

But i t i s t o o easy t o d i s m i s s

The agony i s r e a l because one d e s i r e s t h e t r u t h

which one i s a f r a i d t o f a c e .

J u s t i n e says, "'Perhaps our only s i c k n e s s

i s t o d e s i r e a t r u t h which we cannot bear r a t h e r than t o r e s t w i t h t h e f i c t i o n s we manufacture out of each o t h e r * "

content

(C, p. 60)

T h i s i s t h e g r e a t e r s i c k n e s s : t o be d i s c o n t e n t e d w i t h t h e l e s s e r s i c k n e s s complained of by Pombal, and diagnosed by C l e a as "' t o want t o c o n t a i n e v e r y t h i n g w i t h i n t h e frame o f r e f e r e n c e o f a p s y c h o l o g y or a p h i l o s o p h y ! "

( J , p. 77)

Groddeck b e l i e v e s t h a t a cause of any i l l n e s s i s " t o g a i n e i t h e r by e s c a p i n g guilt.

1

pleasure"

from an i n t o l e r a b l e r e a l i t y o r by e x p i a t i n g one's own

Mountolive's

earache u s u a l l y o c c u r s o n l y when h i s mother i s

near t o cure him, but makes an e x c e p t i o n a l appearance i n time t o p r e vent

him from a t t e n d i n g Pursewarden's cremation

Nessim and be f o r c e d t o a c t o r d e c i d e . f o r what he must do t o Nessim.

where he might

encounter

T h i s i s excape and a l s o g u i l t

L i k e P r o u s t ' s man, he p r e f e r s "h'is i n v a l i d ' s

cell',' w i t h h i s mother m i n i s t e r i n g t o him, t o t h e g i v e and take of human

pp.

81 - 82.

114

intercourse.

1

As i n J u s t i n e ' s case, t h e p a i n i s r e a l .

In The B l a c k Book, D u r r e l l has w r i t t e n what might be a d e s c r i p t i o n of h i s A l e x a n d r i a : The problem of the p e r s o n a l i t y grows l i k e a s t e n c h i n the a i r , i n f e c t i n g the town w i t h man's e s s e n t i a l l o n e l i n e s s . Rib t o r i b , f a c e t o f a c e w i t h the a b s o l u t e h e r a l d i c p e r s o n a l i t y which wakes i n each o t h e r ' s eyes, even the l o v e r s t r e m b l e , and become s i c k w i t h the h o r r o r and emptiness. (p.

175)

F e e l i n g t h i s i n f e c t i o n i n h i m s e l f . . D a r l e y f l e e s from the plagued .city t o h i s Greek i s l a n d . t h a t he i s a s i c k man.

The] psychosomatic

He t o o begins h i s book by

U n l i k e the underground man,

t o h e a l h i m s e l f . ( J , p.

personalityannouncing

he r e t r e a t s i n o r d e r

13) epidemic

i s a modern a i l m e n t , and D u r r e l l

t h a t Groddeck*s e q u a t i n g of mind and body does,

i n the m e d i c a l

field,

r o u g h l y what E i n s t e i n has done i n the realm of p h y s i c s w i t h the of space and t i m e " . of mind,

(Key, p. 209) The

i l l n e s s of body i s a l s o

claims

concepts

illness

R e t u r n i n g t o A l e x a n d r i a , D a r l e y has come " f a c e t o f a c e w i t h

the n a t u r e of time, t h a t ailment of the human psyche".

(C, p. 12)

He

has been a b l e t o r e c o g n i z e time as an " a i l m e n t " because of h i s f a i l u r e i n w r i t i n g about

J u s t i n e . . Events cannot

be reduced t o

chronology;

t h e r e are t o o many ways of s e e i n g any one o c c u r r e n c e and time i s subord i n a t e t o one's p o s i t i o n - r e l a t i v e t o t h e o c c u r r e n c e . c h r o n o l o g i z e , l i k e the attempt o i s o f t e n mistaken

f o r a cure.

p h i e s i s l i k e an i n v a l i d

to

t o s y s t e m a t i z e , i s a l a t e symptom which So " J u s t i n e surrounded

surrounded

i n v a l i d w i t h quack medicines

The attempt

by m e d i c i n e s " , but

by her

philoso-

she i s a c h r o n i c

and her b r a i n , attempting t o a p p l y p h i l o s o p h y ,

W i l s o n , A x e l ' s C a s t l e , p.

184

t i c k s " l i k e a cheap a l a r m - c l o c k " .

( J , p.

133)

"To be l o v e s i c k " i s a c l i c h e which i n the Quartet " l o v e " i s d e f i n e d as "a cancerous up i t s s i t e anywhere without 106)

the s u b j e c t knowing or w i s h i n g

cancer".

(C, p. 256)

of the carcinoma maxima", (C_, p. 256) madness are i d e n t i c a l except

"You

it".

are i n l o v e "

heart i s the

The

remedy". (M, p. 156)

" i am no doubt i l l ,

but what my

and

Pursewarden*s

Swann's l o v e " , - past

T h i s has been the A l e x a n d r i a n d i s e a s e s i n c e Longus's

complained,

"site

p o s s e s s i o n of

L e i l a d i e s of " h e a r t s i c k n e s s l i k e a t r u e A l e x a n d r i a n " .

1

take

(C_, p.

and the " a e t i o l o g y of l o v e

d i s e a s e i s l i k e P r o u s t ' s "malady, which was

266)2

The

i n degree". (B_, p. 56)

a human heart i s a " d i s e a s e without

tion"." "

Here

growth of unknown o r i g i n which may

I t i s a "synonym f o r derangement or i l l n e s s " .

i s equal t o ""you have got

i s a fact.

opera-

(C, p.

Chloe

malady i s I know n o t " ,

and

i s g i v e n no p r e s c r i p t i o n , " f o r t h e r e i s no mighty magic a g a i n s t l o v e ; no medicine, and

whether i n food o r d r i n k r

n o t h i n g , i n s h o r t , save k i s s e s

embraces, and the c l o s e s t u n i o n of t h e naked body'".

3

Cavafy, w r i t e s of "an e r o t i c i n t e n s i t y , unknown t o h e a l t h " and h i s young men The

are " s i c k w i t h what l o v e meant".

heart deludes

i t s e l f because i t i s "tormented by the d e s i r e

t o be l o v e d " . (B, p. 240)

1

Swann's Way,

4

p.

The

s e l f , i n o r d e r not t o be h o p e l e s s l y i n -

237.

8 e c i l y Mackworth (World, p. 26) counts " a t l e a s t t h r e e deaths ' h e a r t s i c k n e s s ' which i t seems i s a l e t h a l A l e x a n d r i a n s p e c i a l t y " .

2

by

" D a p h n i s and C h l o e " i n The (London, 1901), pp. 272, 290~. 3

4,

"lmenos", p. 108.

Greek Romances, .trans. Rowland Smith

" i n the D r e a r y V i l l a g e " , p.

149.

116

v e r t e d , demands another s e l f as a m i r r o r and cancer

a complement.

The

delusion,

and madness, a r i s e when t h i s becomes a demand f o r mutual

i o n , when t h e l o v e i s t u r n e d w h o l l y as an image of o n e s e l f .

inward and

Love-sickness

is still

the l o v e d one

possess-

seen o n l y

self-sickness.

Love, when i t t u r n s outward as w e l l as inward i s a h e a l i n g f o r c e , "lifesaving, life-giving".

Groddeck c l a i m s t h a t "without

of E r o s no wound can h e a l , no o p e r a t i o n succeed, no E r o s i s the l i f e - f o r c e , only m i r r o r s the A popular tuberculosis. by "the

shows i t i n r e l a t i o n

disease i n Alexandrian

and

toothers.

other l i t e r a r y climates i s

M e l i s s a i s dying of i t , and

s o f t bloom of p h t h s i s " , (M, p. 166)

t i v e , and

symptom improve .

l o v e which g i v e s as w e l l as t a k e s , which not

s e l f , but

hands". ( J , p. 18)

the arrow

her l o v e r s are f a s c i n a t e d and

"her b l u e - v e i n e d

phthsic

G r a c i e , the p r o s t i t u t e i n The B l a c k Book, i s consump-

the poem "A>Bowl of Roses", addressed t o a M e l i s s a , speaks of

f l o w e r s t r a v e l l i n g "under g l a s s t o great

s a n a t o r i a " . (P, p. 2 8 )

2

The

e x p l a n a t i o n f o r the a s s o c i a t i o n of t u b e r c u l o s i s w i t h the "good" p r o s t i t u t e may and

perhaps be found i n Groddeck's t h e o r y t h a t the "hollow

the h o l l o w

womb are s y m b o l i c a l l y i d e n t i f i e d " , " b r e a t h i n g

g e t t i n g " depending on "an may

be i m p l i c i t

x

p.

inward and

i n the episode

outward r h y t h m " .

3

This

i n which D a r l e y r e v i v e s C l e a

and

chest be-

theory with

189.

T h e d i r e c t o r of the sanatorium i n Mann's Magic Mountain e x c l a i m s , " i s i t my f a u l t i f p h t h s i s and concupiscence go t o g e t h e r ? " quoted i n an anonymous a r t i c l e " L i t e r a r y G i a n t " i n MP of Canada IV, no. 9 (September, 1963), p. 76. ' 2

3

p.

115.

117

artificial

r e s p i r a t i o n , r e s t o r i n g her b r e a t h , the c r e a t i v e a c t i v i t y

them both,

and

a r e l a t i o n s h i p which i s both outward and

of

inward.

In so v i s u a l l y v i v i d a c i t y as D u r r e l l ' s A l e x a n d r i a , i t i s n o t e worthy t h a t many of t h e i n h a b i t a n t s are b l i n d . the c a l l of the b l i n d muezzin, who

M,

pp.

day

begins

i s a b l e t o see the nature

p e r f e c t i o n of A l l a h , and,- h i m s e l f past h e a l i n g powers. ( J , p. 25;

The

292

with

of the

c u r e , i s the d i s s e m i n a t o r - 293;

C_, pp.

90,

258)

of

Alexandri

c a n a r i e s a t t a i n a song n e a r e r t o p e r f e c t i o n i f they are b l i n d e d (M, 255)

The

c a n a r i e s are mentioned by Memlik, who

cause t h e y

see t o o much.

f o r the "second s i g h t " .

But

p r e s i d e s over Memlik's Night (M, pp.

261

- 264)

of God

The

(M, pp. 32,

118)

t i n g h i m s e l f and i s b l i n d e d i n one p o s s i b l e seer.

s i g n and

who

160

possesses

ff.);

Narouz,

a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the examining

angels.

Narouz i s an examining a n g e l , t e s t i n g and i n v e s t i g a a r o u s i n g a s i m i l a r anguished p r o c e s s eye t o evade c o n s c r i p t i o n and

(C, p. 258;

B,

p. 214;

a r e maimed i n one

the power t o a c t , t o cease and t h e eye-patch,

sheik

e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y b l u e eyes, a f e a t u r e

J , p. 148)

Hamid

Nessim l o s e s an

eye

18)

eye o n l y seem t o be a b l e t o r e g a i n

begin again.

C a p o d i s t r i a , the man

i s J u s t i n e ' s c h i l d h o o d r a v i s h e r and

presumably d i e s i n one

i n others.

becomes i n s c r u t a b l e , a

a f i n g e r when he i s f o r c e d t o stop a c t i o n . (C, p. Those who

blind

has an i n c r e d i b l e power of memory.

eyes i n whose gaze i s m o r t a l danger. (B_, pp.

d e s c r i b e d as an e v i l

He

symbol-in-reverse

Magzub the d e r v i s h i s not b l i n d , but

the s u p e r n a t u r a l l y i n s p i r e d , has

and

l o s t an eye.

be-

L i z a ' s b l i n d n e s s " g i v e s an e x p r e s s i o n of double

awareness". (C_, p. 114) unusual

b l i n d s h i s enemies

blindness i s also a

S c o b i e has

p.

n o v e l , but

l a t e r her

i s r e v i v e d i n another.

with

friend. There i s

118

no

c o n s i s t e n t symbolic

e q u a t i o n f o r the eye, but

i t i s u s u a l l y connected

w i t h e x t r a o r d i n a r y powers of p e r c e p t i o n and w i t h t h e power f o r a c t i o n . It i s above a l l the mind's eye, psyche.

and t h e unseeing

eye i s the

unperceptive

1

L i z a ' s b l i n d n e s s i s p a r t of an e e r i e c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of the mysterious

p a r t n e r of the a r t i s t ' s i n c e s t , hidden

story, a f a i r

l a d y d i s g u i s e d as a dark.

u n t i l w e l l on i n t h e

Her b l i n d n e s s i s i n p a r t a mask

f o r the " s e c r e t s of the f o u n d l i n g h e a r t " . (M, p. 67)

Her head i s compared

t o t h a t of a Medusa, and both her l o v e r s , Pursewarden and M o u n t o l i v e ,

are

t u r n e d t o stone, r e a c h i n g a p o i n t where a c t i o n i s no l o n g e r p o s s i b l e . Her

b l i n d n e s s i s l i k e t h a t of a Greek s t a t u e w i t h " b u l l e t h o l e s f o r

eyes".

(M, pp. 60,

67)

The

h o l e s are not meant t o be b l i n d , but

repre-

sent the s i t e of s i g h t , the v e r y emptiness emphasizing t h e impact that

sight.

destroyed

L i z a can " s e e " what Pursewarden cannot, so she i s not

by t h e i r l o v e , but

contexts.

of

can o b j e c t i f y i t and p l a c e i t i n a l l i t s

F i n a l l y she can go from i t t o . a more " h e a l t h y " l o v e w i t h

Mountolive.

Pursewarden cannot o b j e c t i f y and he cannot l o v e anyone

else. In A l e x a n d r i a as elsewhere, l o v e i s b l i n d . on t h i s when he r e a l i z e s J u s t i n e ' s d e c e p t i o n .

Darley

(B, p. 185)

speculates Discussing

C l e a ' s l o v e f o r J u s t i n e , he t a l k s of " t h e t r a n s f o r m i n g membrane, t h e c a t a r a c t w i t h which A p h r o d i t e

s e a l s up t h e s i c k eyes of l o v e r s , the

t h i c k , opaque form of a s a c r e d s i g h t l e s s n e s s . (B, p. The

possessed

54)

l o v e r ' s p a s s i o n s obscure h i s m i r r o r view of h i m s e l f

-••"Psychologists o f t e n compare c o n s c i o u s n e s s t o the eye: we speak of a v i s u a l - f i e l d and of a f o c a l p o i n t of c o n s c i o u s n e s s " . Jung, p. 532.

119

and a l s o h i s outward-going view of the Nessim l o s t both of t h e two

an eye and

beloved.

a f i n g e r , and t h u s s u f f e r s p a r t i a l l y

major A l e x a n d r i a n m u t i l a t i o n s .

The

disembodied

from

hand,

a p a r t of t h e s e l f , become an o b j e c t f o r comment and f o r h o r r o r , i s one of D u r r e l l ' s f a v o u r i t e m o t i f s . wearing

In The B l a c k Book, a s k e l e t o n hand

a wedding r i n g i s stuck t o a h o t e l doorknob (p. 187).

r e c e i v e s a b a t t l e s o u v e n i r , a severed arm wearing p a r t of a l i v i n g man,

i t i s now

merely

a bracelet.

(pp. 41, 43)

The Dark L a b y r i n t h l o o k s at h i s hands "as i f t h e y belonged

man"

Once

a t h i n g " w i t h no r e f e r e n c e t o

t h i s w o r l d / E x i s t i n g t h e r e i n some r e c e s s of time", in

Sappho

Baird

to

another

f o r a clue to h i s s e l f . In t h e A l e x a n d r i a n Q u a r t e t , hands are r e l a t e d t o t h e o c c u l t

which runs through the b l o o d of most of t h e c h a r a c t e r s . t r u t h from Pursewarden's hand, and

stream

M e l i s s a reads

s h o r t l y afterwards r e v e a l s t o

o t h e r t r u t h s which change, i n f a c t , end, h i s whole e x i s t e n c e .

him

Handprints

a r e the t a l i s m a n of A l e x a n d r i a - b l u e or b l a c k p r i n t s of c h i l d r e n ' s hands, supposed t o ward o f f t h e e v i l eye, one d i s t o r t e d member t o e x o r c i s e another. C, p. 146 a last

ff.)

( J , pp. 45, 61, 189;

stand a g a i n s t t h e dark powers and the " t e r r o r s which

the darkness".

w i t h the p i t i f u l her daughter.

M, pp. 288 f f ;

These p r i n t s a r e l i k e "blows s t r u c k by c o n s c i e n c e " i n

desperate

thronged

B_, pp. 73, 174;

child

The

( J , pp. 61, 189)

p r o s t i t u t e s among whom J u s t i n e supposedly

little

mate p i t of d e p r a v i t y .

They are f r e q u e n t l y a s s o c i a t e d

hands s t r i k e f o r something beyond the

The

s t a r k encounter

w i t h t h e depths of themselves

and an i n s i g h t

w i t h e v i l i s an

finds ulti-

encounter

i n t o those w i t h them.

F o r M o u n t o l i v e , Pursewarden, J u s t i n e and D a r l e y , i t i s an

experience

120

not

immediately u n d e r s t o o d , because of i t s nearness t o the deep i n n e r

mysteries. D e s c r i b i n g B a l t h a z a r , D a r l e y remarks t h a t , i f he had hands, he would amputate them and

throw them i n t o the sea.

L a t e r on, B a l t h a z a r attempts t o do j u s t t h a t . (C, p. 69) i s almost t o o heavy h e r e . the r e l a t i v e n a t u r e work. and

.It i s Balthazar's

of t r u t h and

D a r l e y i s the n o v i c e

B a l t h a z a r t o s e l f - d e s t r u c t i o n . The

life

The

91)

irony

s t o r y t h a t shows D a r l e y

l e a r n e d i n the l o r e of

i n l i f e and

m a n u s c r i p t , which B a l t h a z a r h i m s e l f had

complete mental and

( J , p..

changes the d i r e c t i o n of h i s l i f e

B a l t h a z a r i s the o l d e r , wise man,

religion.

such u g l y

rendered

and

science

a r t , but h i s o r i g i n a l invalid, inspires

sage at t h i s time i s i n a s t a t e o f

p h y s i c a l degradation,

by the e f f o r t s of the l e s s e r beings

and must be brought back t o around him.

D a r l e y and

d i s s i m i l a r though they a r e , m i r r o r each o t h e r ' s h u m i l i a t i o n and

Balthazar, rebirth.

B a l t h a z a r i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the a c c i d e n t which f o r c e s D a r l e y cut o f f C l e a ' s hand, another death and c i a l hand l e a d s C l e a back t o her

self.

rebirth.

i s the mind's eye.

of the body has human hand has knows".

of i n d i v i d u a l i t y " :

i t s I , t h a t i t knows what i t does, and

C l e a ' s new

1

hand i s not

c e l l and

With or without

organ

knows t h a t i t

even more marked a specimen of i n d i v i d u a l i t y , an image of how

symbolic

so i s she,,

i t s secondary

a s s o c i a t i o n s , the hand i s always b a s i c a l l y connected w i t h

1

p.

83.

this

" i b e l i e v e the

even r e a l l y p a r t of her, and

as the whole i n d i v i d u a l , i s t o a c t .

artifi-

T h i s i s the mind's hand, as

Groddeck says t h a t every

a "consciousness

marvellous

Henry M i l l e r remarks t h a t

hand " r e s i d e s i n the psyche". (Cor, p. 363) the eye

The

to

the

121

human power t o c r e a t e . S e v e r a l o t h e r m u t i l a t i o n s should be mentioned h e r e . s e a r c h f o r t h e l o v e t h a t w i l l not end

i n f r i e n d s h i p b r i n g s him t o '"a

p a i r of anonymous hands" and a n o s e l e s s f a c e .

He

i s able to create

Semira's f a c e , i n f a c t her whole c h a r a c t e r , i n h i s own (B, p. 196;

202;

M,

pp.

148

ff.)

Amaril's

soul-image.

Narouz i s p h y s i c a l l y deformed, w i t h

a h a r e l i p and u n g a i n l y body, and.his

o u t e r form suggests

inner, since

d e f o r m i t y " c o n f e r s m a g i c a l powers i n the E a s t " . (B, p. 161,

167,

M,

self-esteem,

p. 27)

L e i l a ' s smallpox

d e p r i v e s her of both beauty and

so t h a t she cannot bear e i t h e r l i t e r a l

or metaphorical m i r r o r s .

p r a c t i s e s e x p r e s s i o n s w i t h her eyes, and suddenly

68;

i s compared t o "a man

b l i n d l e a r n i n g t o s p e l l w i t h the o n l y member l e f t

She struck

him,

his

hands". (B, p. 79)

L i k e her l a t e r r i v a l L i z a , L e i l a must l e a r n

sual s p e l l i n g .

eye and the hand are ways of c o n t a c t i n g o t h e r

The

s e l v e s , and of e x p r e s s i n g one's own

s e l f a n d . r e c e i v i n g back t h e image.

T h i s melange of i l l n e s s e s and d e f o r m i t i e s i s p a r t of t h e

obsess-

i v e p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h one's s e l f t o t h e _ e x c l u s i o n of the o u t e r and

of the o u t e r view of one's

self.

sen-

world

122

CHAPTER V:

A.

The Landscapes of t h e Mind

Alexandria The

inner self

i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e o u t e r p h y s i c a l environment.

There a r e t h r e e major s e t t i n g s i n t h e A l e x a n d r i a n

Quartet.

The p r e -

dominant one i s A l e x a n d r i a as reshaped by D u r r e l l i n t o what George S t e i n e r c a l l s "one of t h e major monuments of t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e of t h e immagination", comparable t o P r o u s t ' s other

P a r i s and Joyce's D u b l i n .

1

The

s e t t i n g s a r e D a r l e y ' s Aegean I s l a n d , which p r o v i d e s t h e scene f o r

a s m a l l p a r t of each of D a r l e y ' s n o v e l s , and England, which i s at c e n t r e stage o n l y f o r p a r t o f M o u n t o l i v e , seas and a c o n t i n e n t

but i s always t h e r e o n l y two s m a l l

away.

In a p r e f a t o r y note t o J u s t i n e and a s i m i l a r one t o B a l t h a z a r , Durrell

s t a t e s t h a t a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r s a r e imaginary

is real".

T h i s seems a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d e x p l a n a t i o n , but i t i s not t h e

whole t r u t h . or " i m a g i n a r y "

" R e a l " does not mean simply " f a c t u a l " , and " i n v e n t i o n s " a r e not t h e same as ' " f i c t i o n " . .

i s not " r e a l " . course,

I n these

the Egyptian

Past

i s certainly close

But perhaps F o r s t e r

cartographer.

t h e p r e f a t o r y n o t e , but s t i l l

at t h e b e g i n n i n g

Darley f i n d s that "the c i t y , half-imagined

J-World, p. 18. 2

Alexandria

h a r b o r - c i t y o f our o r d i n a r y a c q u a i n t a n c e .

t h e f a c t u a l c i t y i n E..M. F o r s t e r ' s guidebook.

is a novelist's

senses,

C r i t i c s who have been t h e r e i n s i s t t h a t i t i s "not, of

T h i s i s another h a l f - t r u t h , f o r D u r r e l l ' s A l e x a n d r i a to

and " o n l y t h e c i t y

S t e i n e r , World, p. 18.

(yet wholly

of Balthazar,

real),

begins

123

and

ends i n us, r o o t s lodged

i n our memory". (B, p. 13)

The

imagined

i n c l u d e s the r e a l , and what i s r e a l about t h e c i t y i s what i s i n the c h a r a c t e r s , t h e i r imagined and says A l e x a n d r i a subconscious".

invented

selves.

C e c i l y Mackworth

i s " i n f l a t e d i n t o the Sadean dream of the The

1

unleashed

c i t y i s an image of the s e l f , which i s " h a l f -

imafcined" because i t i s p a r t l y a product t h e conterts of c o n s c i o u s n e s s

are

of the mind.

It i s " r e a l "

as

real.

D u r r e l l has g i v e n the c i t y a s e l f and

a definite personality.

T h i s must be where i t p a r t s company from t h e A l e x a n d r i a of geography textbooks,

and

yet t h e p e r s o n a l i t y i s not p u r e l y D u r r e l l ' s i n v e n t i o n .

A c h i l l e s T a t i u s , wide-eyed at the m u l t i p l i c i t y and

i n t r i c a c y of o

A l e x a n d r i a , gave up t r y i n g t o f i t i t i n t o categoaes f o r d e s c r i p t i o n . I t has

always been a c i t y of m y s t e r i e s

l i t e r a l l y a c i t y of m i r r o r s . once was

A great

and m u l t i p l i c i t i e s ,

and

" m i r r o r " or r e f l e c t i n g

p l a c e d above the Pharos l i g h t h o u s e , and

instrument

t o i t contemporary 3

rumor and

subsequent legend

Alexandria

a t t r i b u t e d magical

powers of

i s concerned w i t h t h e i n n e r l i v e s of i t s i n h a b i t a n t s .

t i m e s i t i s drawn as a great Dobree quotes Groddeck, *I am dria " l i v e s " i t s people. subconscious,

the

4

extra-human f o r c e c o m p e l l i n g l i v e d by the I t * and

s e c r e t compulsions, and

J-World, p.

435

p.

" T h e Loves of C l i t o p h o n and - 436.

W o r l d , p.

Alexan-

i s t h e i r unleashed

i s appropriately described Therefore,

a l s o , the

29

A l e x a n d r i a , pp. 145 20T 4

At

their actions.

suggests t h a t

I f t h i s i s so, A l e x a n d r i a

w i t h ornaments of mystery, i n t r i g u e and magic.

2

perception.

194.

- 146,

Leucippe",

150.

Greek Romances,

Pharos and

Parillon

pp.

(London, 1961),

124

c i t y i s made a m o t i v a t i n g our landscape;

factor i n action:

"We a r e t h e c h i l d r e n of

i t d i c t a t e s b e h a v i o u r and even thought i n t h e measure

t o which we a r e r e s p o n s i v e

t o i t ' . ( J , p. 41) r

This observation i s

r e l a t e d t o t h e q u e s t i o n of how a c t i o n s a r e t o be judged. beings

a r e t o be c o n s i d e r e d

I f human

as " p a r t o f p l a c e " , "members of a c i t y " ,

(B, p. 225) then judgement o f any a c t i o n i n v o l v e s j u d g i n g t h e whole h i s t o r y of A l e x a n d r i a : The c i t y which used us as i t s f l o r a - p r e c i p i t a t e d i n us c o n f l i c t s which were hers and which we mistook f o r our own: beloved A l e x a n d r i a ! ... I see at l a s t t h a t none o f us i s p r o p e r l y t o be judged f o r what happened i n t h e p a s t . It i s the c i t y which should be judged, though we, i t s c h i l d r e n , mast pay f h e p r i c e . (