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This is one of my favorite books, but it was a long time since I read it. For me the tale of Orlando is both a story about individual growth, but also a way of describing how we are influenced by our society - not only the part we play but our very identity and wishes. ( I remember how Orlando during the 19 century is overcome by an urge to write romantic poetry) I think the gender switch is partly a way of letting Orlando see the society from the opposite side. He/she has had to love affairs and the situation in the two love affairs are alike, but Orlando has different parts in them.
But there is also interesting similarity to both the myth of the changing hermafrodite and the french 18- century person Chevalier DŽEon ,a male writer/poet/spy who changed and lived like a woman from the middle of his/her life. Some reserachers have argued that it was an ethical choice - that DŽEon disliked the characteristics that defined men and their part of society during that period. Others have argued that it was a question of sexuality, others have said both.
My personal opinion is that the ambigiouty is the best part of the book ; What is to male? What is to be female? What is it to live in a certain age/culture/family? What is Orlando? Can what Orlando is be separated from these things? Is there something about Orlando that is consistent during his/her life? What is the core ins Orlandos being? What am I?
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I've finally finished this book!!!! I didn't much care for it, to me it was more about writing then it was about male vs. female.
And I really didn't get the ending, did shel come home?
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He is supposed to be coming home; Orlando gets the news of his arrival (I think).
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New quizes on Woolf and Orlando have been added to the Forum: http://www.online-literature.com/for...iz.php?catid=1
