1
A. S. Byatts Self-mirroring Art

• By Julian Gitzen
• Critique 36.2 (Winter 1995) 83-95.
• Presented by Carol Chi
• Based on the online journal article

2
The Key Concept of Byatts Self-mirroring Art

• Byatt creates the connection and the gap between
  words and their referents and between art and its
  subject. (Gitzen 1-2)
• This distinction is much emphasized on the
  narrative or action in her novels. (Gitzen 2)
• Byatt changes the traditional concept that art
  holds the mirror up to the nature and presents
  how reality may imitate art. (Gitzen 2)

3
The Characteristic of Byatts Self-mirroring Art

• Major characters are scholars or artists. (Gitzen
  2)
• Shadow of A Sun (1964)
• The Game (1967)
• The Virgin in the Garden (1978)
• Still Life (1985)
• Possession (1990)

4
The Virgin in the Garden

• The protagonist, Alexander Wedderburn, perceives
  and takes part in the activities which mirrors
  his art. (Gitzen 3)
• Alexander Frederica (an embodiment of
  his creation in his play)
• He finally determines to flee from his own art
  represented by Frederica.

5
Still Life

• This novel is the sequel to The Virgin in the
  Garden.
• Byatt essentially deals with the subjects of
  painting and metaphors.
• Painting This novel remains her mirror-stage
  structure, for while she describes how Van Gogh
  observes his environment, she also views the
  fictional characters in terms of a painter.
  (Gitzen 3)

6

• Alexander is working on a play named The
  Yellow Chair, about Van Goghs final years.
  (Gitzen 3)
• Byatt details the beach in France, Les
  Saintes-Maries, where Van Gogh painted boats in
  1888. (Gitzen 4)
• Metaphor For Byatt, metaphors shows qualities of
  imaginative vehicle of implied or explicit
  comparisons, an essential function of the human
  mind, and the potential to inspire or sharpen
  the writers art. (Gitzen 4-5)

7
Possession

• Possession demonstrates her knowledge in medieval
  legends and Victorian literature. (Gitzen 5)
• LaMottes preference for solitude is similar to
  Melusina in her work, The Fairy Melusina.
  (Gitzen 5)
• The mirror image
• A. Mauds physical appearance resembles
  LaMotte and Melusina. (Gitzen 6)

8

• B. Maud likes solitude as LaMotte and Melusina.
  (Gitzen 6)
• C. Ash LaMotte Roalnd Maud
• Ellen Blanche Val
  Leonora
• Medieval myth
• Edens allusions (Gitzen 7)
• The private meeting between Ash and LaMotte
  
• Roland enters Mrs. Irvings garden

9
Byatts Admiration for Literary Figures

• She admires T. S. Eliot, so her characters often
  cite The Four Quartets and her works are filled
  with literary allusions and mythic parallels.
  (Gitzen 7)
• She is also familiar with Donne, Shakespeare,
  Marvell, Milton, Wordsworth, Coleridge, George
  Eliot and D. H. Lawrence. (Gitzen 7)