Mrs. Dalloway, a masterpiece by Woolf, intricately portrays the ebb and flow of human consciousness through its unique prose and innovative structure. Set against the backdrop of post-World War I London, the novel delves into the inner workings of the mind, capturing the complexities of identity, memory, and societal conventions. Through the stream-of-consciousness technique, Woolf skillfully weaves together the thoughts and experiences of various characters, offering readers a profound exploration of the human condition. Mrs. Dalloway stands as a testament to Woolf's genius in illuminating the subtle nuances of everyday life and the profound impact of individual choices on the course of existence.
Introduction
Virginia Woolf's masterpiece, "Mrs. Dalloway," depicts the ebb and flow of human consciousness through a unique prose style and innovative narrative structure. Set over the course of 12 hours, from one morning to the evening of a party where an award is to be presented, the novel intensely portrays the inner thoughts and profound worlds of its main characters until they return to the lingering echoes of the past and the solitude of the present. Published in 1925, it combines themes of the longing for death and the affirmation of life, the world of parties that bind people, and the world of lonely madness, encapsulating Woolf's essence.
Born Adeline Virginia Stephen in 1882 in London, Virginia Woolf's early life was marked by tragedy, experiencing severe mental health issues after her mother's death when she was 13 and her father's death in 1904. Settling in London, she became part of the Bloomsbury Group, a gathering of intellectuals, where she met Leonard Woolf, whom she married. Despite her prolific literary career, Woolf's struggles persisted, leading to her tragic suicide in 1941.
"Mrs. Dalloway" stands as one of Woolf's seminal works, representing modernism and pioneering the stream-of-consciousness narrative technique, focusing on the inner lives of characters rather than event-driven storytelling.
Characters
The protagonist is Clarissa, who happens to be Mrs. Dalloway. Her husband is Richard Dalloway, a politician. Then, Clarissa's past lover from her youth, Peter, makes an appearance, causing a stir. Meanwhile, another couple, Septimus and Lucrezia, who are unrelated to Clarissa, also appear.
Pot summary
Living in the Westminster area of London, Clarissa Dalloway, a woman in her mid-fifties, resides with her husband, Richard, a politician, and their daughter, Elizabeth. One morning, as Clarissa goes out to buy flowers, she reminisces about her past love, Peter Walsh, who is returning from India. Peter had loved Clarissa, but she married Richard, prompting Peter's impulsive marriage to another woman in India. While selecting flowers at a shop, Clarissa hears a commotion outside, likely caused by the passage of a high-ranking royal figure's car.
Nearby, Septimus, a World War I veteran suffering from severe depression following the death of his close friend Evans, becomes anxious. His wife, Lucrezia, an Italian woman, accompanies him as they stroll, but Septimus's condition does not improve. Returning home, Clarissa learns that her husband has been invited to lunch by a Mrs. Bruton, causing her some internal discontent for not being invited herself.
Later, while altering her dress for an evening party, Clarissa is unexpectedly visited by Peter. They engage in reminiscences, and Peter, overwhelmed by his emotions for Clarissa, sheds tears before hastily leaving as Elizabeth enters. Clarissa invites Peter to her evening party before he rushes out onto the street. Outside, Peter wanders in confusion until he sits in a park, reflecting on his past with Clarissa.
There, he coincidentally encounters Septimus and Lucrezia. The Septimus couple meets the prominent doctor, Bradshaw, who advises Septimus to go to a nursing home for treatment, and the couple agrees.
Meanwhile, attending the luncheon with Mrs. Bruton, Richard, admiring her, suggests ideas for a press article on Mrs. Bruton's plans to emigrate to Canada. Learning that Clarissa's former lover, Peter, is in London during the luncheon, Richard gifts roses to Clarissa on their way home. Departing for his afternoon parliamentary duties, Richard leaves Clarissa feeling disillusioned by his superficial kindness. Returning home, Septimus and Lucrezia, enjoying a rare moment of brightness thanks to Septimus, are visited by Dr. Holmes, their former physician. Upon seeing him, Septimus impulsively throws himself out of the window, ending his life.
As evening falls, Clarissa hosts a dinner party attended by many prominent figures. Although Peter also attends the party, Clarissa, preoccupied with hosting duties, fails to pay him much attention. She becomes uncomfortable when Dr. Bradshaw, among the guests, discusses the suicide of a patient named Septimus.
Meanwhile, Peter, who has been waiting anxiously for Clarissa, finally sees her approaching, feeling a mix of fear and ecstasy, concluding the narrative.
Review
This work masterfully employs the "stream of consciousness" technique to reveal the multifaceted and enigmatic aspects of life. From the morning Clarissa sets out to buy flowers in June 1923 London to the evening when she hosts a party attended by old lovers and friends, the narrative delves into the stream of consciousness of key characters over the span of twelve hours.
The apex of the story is the party Clarissa hosts, during which her inner thoughts about childhood memories, death, physical decay, and the affirmation of life unfold, offering insight into the true nature of humanity as perceived by the author.
The narrative also explores the interconnectedness of events that occur within a single day, culminating in two pivotal parties: Mrs. Bruton's luncheon and Clarissa's evening soirée. These events are depicted from the perspectives of various characters. Mrs. Bruton and Clarissa, though contemporaries, are portrayed quite differently.
Mrs. Bruton exhibits a strong interest in politics and society, actively asserting her opinions and influencing men, leaving an impression on Clarissa's husband Richard akin to that of a battlefield commander. In contrast, Clarissa appears disinterested in political and societal issues, evident even in the atmosphere of her party, which differs from Mrs. Bruton's luncheon. While Mrs. Bruton's gathering resembles a forum for discussing political and social issues, Clarissa's party seems merely a social affair.
However, Clarissa, like Mrs. Bruton, harbors her own political views.
"To be twice as smart as Dalloway yet always echoing his words – that too was one of the tragedies of married life. Having her own thoughts but constantly quoting Richard's words."
Through this, Clarissa seems to portray the image of a woman who couldn't express her opinions according to the societal norms of that time. Even her husband, Richard, seems to view Clarissa as merely a content being if given a bouquet of roses. It makes one think about the societal norms of that time that categorized women of the same era and generation into those who could express their views and those who couldn't.
In this narrative, there is a character named Septimus who is unrelated to the protagonist. However, he abruptly dies, and it's necessary to ponder what significance this death holds for Clarissa. Septimus, who fought in World War I and suffered severe mental illness after losing his friend, shares no direct connection with the protagonist, Clarissa. Yet, the author continually brings their story into the narrative. Despite the tearful care from his wife, Lucrezia, Septimus meets a tragic end. However, news of his death reaches Clarissa only as a brief note during her evening party.
Initially, she feels discomfort at the doctor, Bradshaw, discussing death at someone else's party. However, what's intriguing is that Clarissa's emotions don't stop at mere discomfort; she momentarily contemplates life and death.
The one important thing in her life, it was enveloped and obscured by trivial matters, gradually corroding and disappearing into decay, falsehoods, and idle chatter day by day. That was precisely what she preserved."
Clarrisa considered her own life, flowing languidly, corroding into decay, falsehoods, and idle chatter, to the point where she felt overwhelmed by the mundanity of it all, suggesting that she too may be so weary of the everyday drudgery that she contemplates suicide. Meanwhile, Septimus perceives his suicide as ironically preserving his own life. I believe this indicates that Clarrisa herself may be exhausted enough with the banality of her life to consider suicide.
The ending of the story is intriguing, concluding with Clarrisa approaching Peter. What transpires between them and their future remains unknown. However, given the flow of the narrative and the emotions of the characters, one can anticipate that something will unfold. Considering the relationship between Clarrisa and Peter, their conversations, and Clarrisa's emotional state, it seems plausible that Peter approached Clarrisa, leading her to face a moment of decision regarding her attitude towards him.
However, whether Clarrisa accepts Peter's affection is not merely a matter of love, but rather a choice about how she will live her life going forward. It's about whether she will continue to live as Mrs. Dalloway, Richard Dalloway's wife, as implied by the title, or choose to live as Clarrisa with Peter. The author hints at what choice Clarrisa might make.
"Standing there, merely playing the role of a hostess rather than being herself felt overwhelmingly burdensome. It was something anyone else could do."
Looking at this sentence, it seems as though she is choosing Clarissa's life rather than being Mrs. Dalloway. However, the following sentence immediately presents her contradictory thoughts.
"However, she somewhat looked up to the role of being that hostess, feeling as if she was presiding over all of this, as if she were the focal point that made this moment, this scene, exist."
She was, in a way, also content with her life as Mrs. Dalloway. Why did the author leave this choice open-ended without making a definitive decision? Humans always stand at the crossroads of choice and contemplate. There is no right answer. There is only regret for the path not taken. As one progresses down a chosen path, there is often the tendency to wonder what it would have been like to take a different one. Perhaps humans are not seeking happiness through their choices, but rather finding happiness within the choices they make.
Final thoughts
In this novel, the worlds of 'life and death' and 'sanity and madness' are not separate and antagonistic realms, but rather intricately intertwined. The author demonstrates through this novel how these two seemingly polarized worlds share internal connections. The bizarre intersection of two stories, one about Clarissa, an upper-class socialite who enjoys parties and facilitating connections between people, and the other about Septimus, who struggles with mental illness after his service in the war, where he finds it difficult to reconcile with society and eventually meets his demise, embodies the author's fresh yet potent message. It serves as a powerful warning against fascist authoritarianism that seeks to eliminate differences between opposing forces and encourages embracing the somewhat paradoxical reality as a means to discover the truth of life.
