Art and Reality in Rebecca West's Fiction

Art as opposed to Reality, Beauty as opposed to Ugliness, Construction as opposed to Deconstruction, War as opposed to Peace, Men as opposed to Women, Progress as opposed to Regression, Imagination as opposed to Common Sensical jarring, Stability as opposed to Chaos, Betrayal as opposed to Loyalty… All these themes, which in fact prove to be universal, are present in Rebecca West’s fictional work and critical work. A great part of it was written during the Interbellum period, between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II. However, her literary and journalistic activity continued all through the Cold War period. Her vivid comprehension of human nature made her a great writer and reporter when she was sent to cover the Nuremberg Trials. She was one of the first suffragists, advocating for the women’s right to vote. Although she was prone to defend women’s rights in general, she was decidedly not a typical feminist writer. In her own words : “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is : I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”