The Attic
Transcript
I mentioned in my last episode I would talk about The Queen Mary, and at most waved from afar at the topic. So, next time I will talk in depth about her, her history, and her ghosts. Today, we are in the attic.
You might ask why the Attic? Well, the attic is a frequent habitat of jackdaws …and stories. It is where people store holiday decorations, old yearbooks, costume trunks and family heirlooms that have no use in everyday life. Almost all those items come with a story, and some, with time, change into a story of their own. They might grow wings and fly away in a puff of faery dust, or grow claws and fangs and roam inside the walls. But this is not their story, this episode is about the liminal place that gives those stories, and many others, room to spawn.
The attic started as a small decoration in Roman times, and by the Renaissance it had grown to be an important part of facades, enclosing a whole other floor, of which the windows were also for decorative purposes. Mostly unfinished and neglected, this became storage and a recurrent theme in Victorian literature. It was a place of horror and mystery, of confinement. And strangely enough, of imagination unfettered, and a suspension of societal roles and restrictions.
The iconic madwoman in the attic haunts us through several works. Her confinement serves multiple purposes, from misguided but heartfelt care to protection of and from her, or simply to hide the shameful truth. Although there were well meaning institutions for the treatment of the mentally ill, the fresh air and personalized care soon gave way to overpopulated sanatoriums, restrains and neglect. The sad reality is that even with all the advances in psychology and psychiatry, there is still a stigma attached to mental illness, and we must bring awareness to the fact that mental healthcare is just as important and basic and normal as physical healthcare.
Off my soapbox now and on to the second part of the term madwoman. A woman in those times had very few liberties, and had to sublimate all her self worth and creative impulse to house management. Very few female authors could make a living writing, most published under a nom de plume. Painters, sculptors, composers, scientists, all those minds, tethered, repressed, lost. A woman had to be controlled, docile, and charming. What Virginia Woolf names Angel of the House before she kills her in self defense.
In the attic, the unfinished, mostly decorative part of the house, the madwoman cannot but give into imagination (The Yellow Wallpaper) or become the dark goddess (like Bertha in Jane Eyre), embracing the destructive power and bringing Thornfield down in flames around her as she attempts to fly to freedom. And then? Where do women go when the attic is in ruins?
In 1928, A Room of One’s Own was published. In this essay, Virginia Woolf asserts that “a woman must have money and a room of one’s own if she is to write fiction”. This was a time of rapid change in Great Britain, when universities were opening their doors to women and the suffrage movement was growing. Graduates were looking for a place of their own, lives of their own, breaking with tradition and forming new patterns. And so, the lucky ones found a space of their own, decorated it as best they could, made it theirs, and then created in it.
Virginia Woolf found one such space in Mecklenburgh Square, where she wrote her last novel. In this same square, Dorothy Sayers wrote her first mystery novel, Whose Body? And eventually became one of the Queens of Crime, along with Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Ngiao Marsh. She gave her main character, Lord Peter Wimsey, all the things she wished she had. But while she did not have the cars, wines, book collection and extra efficient and ever loyal butler Bunter, she did have a small apartment of her own and someone to clean and do laundry as these were services included with the rent., This gave her the physical and mental space needed to write.
In episode 44 of Shedunnit, Caroline Crampton concludes:
“Decades on, it’s still pretty much the case that you need financial security and the mental freedom to ignore the rest of the world in order to write. The only difference is that now I think we’re talking more about who has access to those things and who doesn’t, and why. Crime writing is no exception to this. As Woolf put it, who gets to have “the habit of freedom and the courage to write exactly what we think”? It isn’t everybody, yet.”
You must have noticed that I have been talking about a small sector of the population. Matthew Barbee, in his 2004 unpublished thesis proposal titled From the Attic to a Room of One’s Own: Architecture as Metaphor in the Evolution of Women and Their Literature in the Nineteenth Century, says:
“To have space is to be free; to be free is to be human; and to be human is to realize that women are an equal part of that humanity as well as that oh so male, white, illustrious, and illusive literary canon.”
This last phrase must include us all, regardless of gender, race, and all other considerations. If it doesn’t, that means we are still leaving people in the attic, Minds, hearts, and souls. Nowadays, scarcity is created by the few who hoard most of the resources, and the American vote is being ever more restricted, despite finally having progress in the presidency. Trans and BIPOC lives, reproductive rights and women’s health are endangered by legislation passed by regressive politicians. Our First Nation sisters are still disappearing without consequence. We all need the space to be free, to be human, to be an equal part of humanity. Bertha Mason was in that attic for ten years before she brought the house down. How long have you been in the attic?
Well, that soapbox slid right back under my feet, didn’t it? Next episode, nothing but ghosts and woowoo. At least, that’s the plan.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the US. This year has been hard for everyone, but please remember you are not alone. I personally know how dark it can get, and how difficult it is to believe anything will get better, But it always does, somehow. And there is always help. If things are bad, please reach for help before making any permanent decisions.
In the US, the number to call is 1-800-273 8255
In Canada, the number is 133 456 4566
In the UK you can call 116 123 or text shout to 85258
In Australia 13 11 14
Remember that your brain lies, and believe me when I say you matter.
Thank you Brennan and Paul from Ghost Story Guys for bringing awareness of these resources. If you want to listen to a fantastic podcast about the supernatural with an irrepressible sense of humor, you can’t miss this one. They are gifted storytellers and the show has only gotten better and better.
Shedunnit is a storytelling podcast that unravels the mysteries behind classic detective stories. Caroline Crampton, with a wonderfully atmospheric use of narration and music, provides a thorough understanding of the mystery writers of the Golden Age, their lives, works, and the cases that inspired them.
Mathew Barbee is a University Professor in Japan, a musical theatre aficionado, and a talented travel photographer.
The music in this episode was composed by Juan Sanchez. “Juan Sánchez – Tolworth” is under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 3.0) license. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://bit.ly/bkc-tolworth
Lastly, this podcast would not be possible without the support and encouragement from my partners, Erin and Paul. To listen to their own creative endeavors, please visit OpenBetaMusic.com or follow Open Beta Music on Facebook. If you like Celtic, folk, and geeky music, this is a band you will certainly enjoy.
Sound Engineering by Paul Schmidt.
Transcripts for this and all episodes can be found at atticwhisper.com. Links to the books, podcasts, and videos mentioned will be included in the episode notes.
Thank you for listening.
Attic Whisper 