Nightwood

by

Djuna Barnes

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Nightwood makes teaching easy.

Guido Volkbein (junior) Character Analysis

The younger Guido Volkbein is Felix Volkbein and Robin Vote’s son. Guido is named after Felix’s father, Guido Volkbein (senior). Robin never wanted to be a mother, and after Guido is born, she abandons both Guido and Felix. As Guido grows up, he develops an interest in the church, so Felix does some research to support his son’s interest. Unfortunately, Guido is very underweight (he’s described as looking more like a six-year-old when he’s ten) and seems to suffer from some sort of mental illness (Felix turns to Dr. Matthew Connor to talk about Guido’s mental issues, but they’re neither explicitly described nor diagnosed). Both Matthew and Felix believe Guido will die young. Felix and Frau Mann bring Guido all over Europe, making him sit with them in bars while they get drunk.

Guido Volkbein (junior) Quotes in Nightwood

The Nightwood quotes below are all either spoken by Guido Volkbein (junior) or refer to Guido Volkbein (junior). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Sexuality, Gender, and Nonconformity Theme Icon
).
Where the Tree Falls Quotes

“Guido is not damned,” he said, and the Baron turned away quickly. “Guido,” the doctor went on, “is blessed—he is peace of mind—he is what you have always been looking for—Aristocracy,” he said, smiling, “is a condition of the mind of the people when they try to think of something else and better—funny,” he added sharply, “that a man never knows when he has found what he has always wanted.”

Related Characters: Dr. Matthew O’Connor (speaker), Felix Volkbein, Guido Volkbein (junior)
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:

“One has, I am now certain, to be a little mad to see into the past or the future, to be a little abridged of life to know life, the obscure life—darkly seen, the condition my son lives in; it may also be the errand on which the Baronin is going.”

Related Characters: Felix Volkbein (speaker), Robin Vote, Guido Volkbein (junior)
Page Number: 130
Explanation and Analysis:
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Guido Volkbein (junior) Quotes in Nightwood

The Nightwood quotes below are all either spoken by Guido Volkbein (junior) or refer to Guido Volkbein (junior). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Sexuality, Gender, and Nonconformity Theme Icon
).
Where the Tree Falls Quotes

“Guido is not damned,” he said, and the Baron turned away quickly. “Guido,” the doctor went on, “is blessed—he is peace of mind—he is what you have always been looking for—Aristocracy,” he said, smiling, “is a condition of the mind of the people when they try to think of something else and better—funny,” he added sharply, “that a man never knows when he has found what he has always wanted.”

Related Characters: Dr. Matthew O’Connor (speaker), Felix Volkbein, Guido Volkbein (junior)
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:

“One has, I am now certain, to be a little mad to see into the past or the future, to be a little abridged of life to know life, the obscure life—darkly seen, the condition my son lives in; it may also be the errand on which the Baronin is going.”

Related Characters: Felix Volkbein (speaker), Robin Vote, Guido Volkbein (junior)
Page Number: 130
Explanation and Analysis: