Essay Questions

Dr O’Connor is a symbol of hope and goodwill in Nightwood. Illustrate based on Djuna Barnes’ novel of the same name.

Dr O’Connor, in Nightwood, is a symbol of hope for the characters in the novel. As most of the characters face misfortunes in their lives, they always seek help from the doctor. For instance, when Robin marries the fake baron by the name Felix and bears him a disabled son, she sooner realizes that this is not the life that she had imagined for herself, and as such, she leaves. After Robin departs from Felix’s life, he is distraught and thus seeks the doctor’s help. Additionally, when Jenny tries to snatch Robin from Nora, she too is distressed and seeks help from doctor O’Connor. It can thus be argued that the doctor is a symbol of hope for most of the distraught characters in the novel as they all look up to him for help.

The character Robin epitomizes failed to love and relationships in Nightwood. Illustrate this statement based on Djuna Barnes’ novel of the same name.

As the novel begins, Robin’s bad luck at love and romance begins when she is introduced to a fake man by the name Felix who pretends to be a baron to hide his Jewish identity. When Robin marries him, the two have a son whom they name Guido. Guido is disabled, a situation which makes Robin think twice about her marriage to Felix. Robin thus leaves Felix to try and win over another person whom she feels is more befitting of her status. Later, when she meets Nora, her second attempt at love and a relationship fails as she ends up breaking up with Nora too. Meanwhile, she is unhappy while her previous lovers move forward with their lives finding new chances at love and romance.