“The two women were alone in the London flat.”
Free Women: 1
The novel opens with Anna Wulf and her friend Molly Jacobs reflecting on their lives as independent women in post-war London. Anna, a writer, struggles with creative stagnation after the success of her first novel. Molly, an actress, deals with her ex-husband and rebellious son. Their conversations reveal their frustrations with societal expectations.
The Black Notebook
Anna’s black notebook contains memories of her time in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during WWII, where she was involved with a group of Communists. She recalls her affair with Paul Tanner, a disillusioned leftist, and the political tensions of the time. These entries highlight her youthful idealism and eventual disillusionment.
The Red Notebook
This section documents Anna’s involvement with the British Communist Party after returning to England. She becomes increasingly critical of the party’s dogmatism and hypocrisy. The notebook also includes drafts of her novel, which she struggles to complete due to her growing sense of artistic and political failure.
The Yellow Notebook
Anna writes a fictionalized version of her life in the form of a novel titled “The Shadow of the Third.” The protagonist, Ella, mirrors Anna’s experiences—failed relationships, creative struggles, and societal pressures on women. The lines between fiction and reality blur as Anna grapples with her identity.
The Blue Notebook
A personal diary, this section reveals Anna’s emotional breakdown. She records her therapy sessions, her turbulent relationship with her lover Michael, and her growing sense of fragmentation. The blue notebook becomes a space for raw, unfiltered self-examination, contrasting with the structured narratives of the other notebooks.
The Golden Notebook
In the final section, Anna attempts to unify her fragmented self by combining the four notebooks into one “golden” notebook. She explores themes of madness, creativity, and female autonomy. The novel ends ambiguously, with Anna and Molly discussing whether true wholeness is possible for women in a patriarchal society.
Key Ideas
- Fragmentation of identity under societal pressures
- The intersection of politics and personal life
- Female autonomy and creative expression
- The failure of ideological systems (Communism, Freudianism)
- Madness as a response to oppressive structures
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in feminist literature and post-war intellectual thought
- Those exploring themes of mental health and artistic struggle
- Fans of experimental narrative structures and meta-fiction
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | BBC Radio Drama | Adapted as a radio play, focusing on Anna’s psychological journey |
| 2013 | Stage Adaptation | Experimental theater production in London |