<html><head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; "><div>Hi Jeannette,</div><div><br></div><div>Yes—both Leonard and Virginia justly feared the potential implications of such a situation and had stockpiled both petrol and morphine so that they could commit suicide if the Nazis were to invade Sussex by planning to run the engine of their automobile in their garage (carbon monoxide, a side product of combustion, has no smell), while having already taken lethal doses of morphine as a precaution to ensure their deaths. On page 150 of the monograph, Orr points out that multiple Woolf family members and friends (including Adrian Stephen and Vita Sackville-West) had already stashed away medications that would guarantee a relatively quick and painless demise if Britain were to fall. </div><div><br></div><div>Best,</div><div><br></div><div>Vara</div><div><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div style="font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt; text-align:left; color:black; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt"><span style="font-weight:bold">From: </span> jeannette smyth <<a href="mailto:jeannette_smyth@earthlink.net">jeannette_smyth@earthlink.net</a>><br><span style="font-weight:bold">Reply-To: </span> jeannette smyth <<a href="mailto:jeannette_smyth@earthlink.net">jeannette_smyth@earthlink.net</a>><br><span style="font-weight:bold">To: </span> VWOOLF listserv <<a href="mailto:vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu">vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>><br><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject: </span> Re: [Vwoolf] Apocryphal lines & Woolf's suicide<br></div><div><br></div><style>body{font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:#ffffff;color:black;}p{margin:0px;}</style><meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 9.00.8112.16446"><div><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">Thank you for this excellent Orr information; I know Sir Leslie's financial anxiety was formative in Woolf's life, as well as Virginia's and Leonard's natural asceticism and frugality. </font></font></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif"></font></font></font> </p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">Another factor in her suicide, as I understand it, was the imminence of a Nazi invasion. I think this is mentioned, rather brutally, by Vanessa, in one of her letters to Virginia -- the prospect of being an "invalid" or raving lunatic at such a time, with both Leonard and herself on Hitler's to-kill list. </font></font></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif"></font></font></font> </p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">Finally, as I understand it, Adrian Stephen, a physician, had provided them all with a suicide pill in the event of a successful Nazi invasion. </font></font></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif"></font></font></font> </p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">These factors, along with the Bloomsberries' longstanding atheism and Leonard's carefully cultivated stoicism (via Montaigne/Seneca), would have made Virginia Woolf's suicide the altruistic, logical, long-contemplated, communitarian and sane decision -- the absolute opposite of a romantic madwoman's hurling herself into the abyss -- that it seems to have been.</font></font></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif"></font></font></font> </p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">Thanks.</font></font></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif">Jeannette Smyth</font></font></font></p><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><font face="arial,sans-serif"><p><br></p></font></font></font><blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 0px">-----Original Message----- <br>From: "Neverow, Vara S." <neverowv1@southernct.edu><br>Sent: Jun 14, 2012 8:36 AM <br>To: "<a href="mailto:helt0010@umn.edu">helt0010@umn.edu</a>" <helt0010@umn.edu>, Woolf list <vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu><br>Cc: Wayne Chapman <cwayne@clemson.edu><br>Subject: Re: [Vwoolf] Apocryphal lines & Woolf's suicide <br><br><zzzhtml><zzzhead><zzzmeta content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252" http-equiv="Content-Type"></zzzmeta></zzzhead><zzzbody style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; WORD-WRAP: break-word; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 14px; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space"><div>With regard to Woolf's suicide, I would recommend that Woolfians also consult the monograph <i>Virginia Woolf's Illnesses</i> by Douglass W. Orr <<a href="http://www.clemson.edu/cedp/cudp/pubs/orr/main.htm>" target="_blank">http://www.clemson.edu/cedp/cudp/pubs/orr/main.htm></a>. Orr argues <b>very</b> convincingly that Woolf's suicide was linked to financial anxieties. If she were to have needed nursing care, the costs would have been devastating. Chapter 14 of the volume is exceptionally informative on this topic and can be read in a searchable PDF format (many thanks to Wayne Chapman, for not only publishing the manuscript but also making it so readily accessible!).</div><div><br></div><div>Vara Neverow</div><div><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: left; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From: </span>Brenda Helt <<a href="mailto:helt0010@umn.edu" target="_blank">helt0010@umn.edu</a>><br><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Reply-To: </span>"<a href="mailto:helt0010@umn.edu" target="_blank">helt0010@umn.edu</a>" <<a href="mailto:helt0010@umn.edu" target="_blank">helt0010@umn.edu</a>><br><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To: </span>VWOOLF listserv <<a href="mailto:vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>><br><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject: </span>[Vwoolf] Apocryphal lines & Woolf's suicide<br></div><div><br></div><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml"><zzzmeta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><ZZZ!--
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--></style><zzz!--[if 9]msogte=""><xml><o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"></o:shapedefaults></xml><zzz![endif]--><zzz!--[if 9]msogte=""><xml><o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"><o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"></o:idmap></o:shapelayout></xml><zzz![endif]--><div lang="EN-US" vlink="purple" link="blue" bgcolor="white"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black">Um, then don’t? I’m disturbed by tendencies among scholars and others to attempt to recuperate Woolf’s suicide in ways that might make it seem a model for those who see her as an icon. She left a suicide note—in fact, she left two. Leonard is also on record as to the reasons for the suicide. Surely it’s sufficient to stick to the primary source evidence of what Woolf actually said before taking her life, together with the long history of her fight with mental illness as recorded in her diaries and letters as well as in Leonard’s autobiography, Vanessa’s letters, etc. I think we tread on dangerous ground when we give voice in the classroom or on the stage or in print to a redemptive view of Woolf’s suicide that the evidence does not support. She feared she was again going mad and would not recover this time. She calls what she suffers from a “disease,” which it is. This is what she said. Why not tell students about that fear and have a discussion about depression, bipolar disorder, and mental illness more generally? About the likely outcomes of not getting such diseases treated properly—“proper” treatment was not available for Woolf at this time. Of course, do your research first. And Hermione Lee’s biography of Woolf is quite solidly grounded in the facts on the issue of her suicide. I’d read her pages dedicated to the suicide before talking about it with students.<!--?xml:namespace prefix = o /--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black">Hope that’s helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black">Brenda Helt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; ">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; "> <a href="mailto:vwoolf-bounces+helt0010=umn.edu@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf-bounces+helt0010=umn.edu@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a> [<a href="mailto:vwoolf-bounces+helt0010=umn.edu@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">mailto:vwoolf-bounces+helt0010=umn.edu@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Melody Wilson<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 14, 2012 6:14 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:atleswoolf@aol.com" target="_blank">atleswoolf@aol.com</a><br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vwoolf] Apocryphal lines<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Interesting--I'm very troubled about putting words in her mouth as well.<br><br>Be Wise<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div><div><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><br>On Jun 14, 2012, at 6:12 AM, <a href="mailto:atleswoolf@aol.com" target="_blank">atleswoolf@aol.com</a> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style="MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">As far as I know, these lines are the screenwriter David Hare's and not Michael Cunningham's. They don't appear in the novel -- only in the film. I read somewhere a while back that Hare said he was nervous about putting such words into Woolf's mouth, or something to that effect.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Best, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Drew Shannon<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">College of Mount St. Joseph<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">-----Original Message-----<br>From: Melody Wilson <<a href="mailto:melodywilson@tds.net" target="_blank">melodywilson@tds.net</a>><br>To: <a href="mailto:Vwoolf@lists.osu.edu" target="_blank">Vwoolf@lists.osu.edu</a> <<a href="mailto:Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>><br>Sent: Thu, Jun 14, 2012 8:51 am<br>Subject: [Vwoolf] Apocryphal lines<o:p></o:p></span></p><div id="AOLMsgPart_0_25516dbe-fa86-454e-a454-ea7676e2c062"><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">Dear Woolfians:<o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">I am writing a eulogy, and after showing The Hours in my class (we had read <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">Dalloway), I was struck by the final lines I paraphrase as to look life in the <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">face and to love it...then to put it away (I'm stuck in this screen and can't <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">verify). I have done a preliminary search and think these are cunningham's <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">lines (he attributes them to one of the suicide notes). Can anyone verify that <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">these lines are not Woolf's? I will probably open w them anyway as the are <o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">appropriate but I would like to know. Thanks for your help.<o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">Be Wise<o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black">Vwoolf mailing list<o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black"><a href="mailto:Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">Vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre><pre style="BACKGROUND: white"><tt><span style="COLOR: black"><a href="https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/vwoolf" target="_blank">https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/vwoolf</a><o:p></o:p></span></tt></pre></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></zzz![endif]--></zzz!--[if></zzz![endif]--></zzz!--[if></zzzmeta></div></span></zzzbody></zzzhtml></cwayne@clemson.edu></vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu></helt0010@umn.edu></neverowv1@southernct.edu></blockquote></div></span></body></html>