This is gorgeous and full of the gothic, which women began writing, to wrestle with fears and specters. I also kept thinking about Joan of Arc and her voices and the light you describe hearing--she said “the light comes in the name of the voice.” 💜
Freya, thank you. And I don't know how I didn't know that quote from Joan of Arc, but I read it with tears. Thank you for sharing. And the gothic - a genre that once felt like an expression of the past, but increasingly becomes the place where I can understand my present.
yes! I didn't know that quote until recently and can't stop thinking about it--how many voices in one's head have been silenced, as you so beautifully wrote about. 💜
It's also so uncanny, Meg, that you described the voices as light. I kind of had to catch my breath and read to the end before I could write you about that Joan of Arc line! 💜
My therapist had me do a guided visualization last week where I was walking down a long hallway and opening doors. Reading this right after gave me goosebumps. I love your piles of books and your fierce voice.
This makes me want to share an architectural and societal thing I learned a while back. I wish I could credit the source and reread it to confirm my memory of it but there goes. The hall was originally the main gathering space in a living dwelling. Think back to the stories like Beowulf where they're all gathered in the hall feasting. They're not standing in a skinny space with separate rooms closed away from each other, they're together. We shifted our use of public and private spaces within the home. I don't know what this means in the context of voices in the hallway-- perhaps that some of the stories are in those voices when we gather--but had to share it.
Oh, this gave me full-body goosebumps TWICE. Thank you for sharing your hallway.
Goosebumps! Hurray!!!!
Very much needed this today. Thank you.
Natalie, so glad to hear it.
This is gorgeous and full of the gothic, which women began writing, to wrestle with fears and specters. I also kept thinking about Joan of Arc and her voices and the light you describe hearing--she said “the light comes in the name of the voice.” 💜
Freya, thank you. And I don't know how I didn't know that quote from Joan of Arc, but I read it with tears. Thank you for sharing. And the gothic - a genre that once felt like an expression of the past, but increasingly becomes the place where I can understand my present.
yes! I didn't know that quote until recently and can't stop thinking about it--how many voices in one's head have been silenced, as you so beautifully wrote about. 💜
It's also so uncanny, Meg, that you described the voices as light. I kind of had to catch my breath and read to the end before I could write you about that Joan of Arc line! 💜
That quote gives me chills (in the best way). And this essay did as well!
me too! I can't get it out of my head after learning that. What a line, what a woman. :)
My therapist had me do a guided visualization last week where I was walking down a long hallway and opening doors. Reading this right after gave me goosebumps. I love your piles of books and your fierce voice.
This makes me want to share an architectural and societal thing I learned a while back. I wish I could credit the source and reread it to confirm my memory of it but there goes. The hall was originally the main gathering space in a living dwelling. Think back to the stories like Beowulf where they're all gathered in the hall feasting. They're not standing in a skinny space with separate rooms closed away from each other, they're together. We shifted our use of public and private spaces within the home. I don't know what this means in the context of voices in the hallway-- perhaps that some of the stories are in those voices when we gather--but had to share it.
I have childhood memories of reading Ray Bradbury, too, and he really was the spookiest storyteller.