Mrs Dalloway

Mrs.DallowayByVirginiaWoolf…Thejobofthenovelist,asVirginiaWoolfviewedit,istoconveysubjectiveratherthanobjectivereality,inthetraditionofJoyce,James,andFlaubert…ThistechniqueisknownasStreamofConsciousnessThisnovelinmanyrespectsispatternedafterJamesJoyce’sUlysses,whichwaspublished3yearspriortoMrs.DallowayBiographyVirginiaStephenWoolfwasraisedinanuppermiddleclass,sociallyactive,literaryfamilyShehad3fullsiblings,2half-brothersand2half-sisters,unfortunately,herandhersisterVanessaweresubjecttosexualabusefrom2ofherhalf-brothersShewaseducatedathomeandwasanavidreaderTragedy1ststrucktheWoolfhouseholdwhenhermotherdiedin1895,andthenagainwhencaregiver/halfsisterStelladied2yearslaterWoolfsufferedher1stboutofmentalillnesswhenhermotherdiedandwasplaguedwithdepressionandmentalillnessthroughoutherlifeVirginiaWoolfwasamemberoftheVictorian,patriarchal,andrepressivemaledominatedsociety,whichdidnotencourageintellectualismamongwomen,neverthelessWoolfbeganpublishingessaysin1904andbecameanoteworthyfeministandauthorofnovelsandessaysWhenherfatherdied,sheandhersiblingsmovedtotheBloomsburyareaofLondonYoungstudentsandartistscametomeetregularlyforintellectualdiscussionsandbecameknownasTheBloomsburygroupofwhichWoolfwasanintegralpartShemarriedLeonardWoolf,amemberoftheBloomsburygroup,andwithhimfoundedHogarthPublishingCo.,whichpublishednotableauthorssuchasT.S.Eliot,andSigmundFreudShealsopursuedherownwritingcareer,dissatisfiedwiththerealismoftheVictoriannovel,shesearchedforherownmethodofwritingBiographycont’dBiographycont’d•Mrs.Dallowaywaspublishedin1925,anditincorporatedheranti–war(WWI)sentimentsaswellas,providedanewmodeandwriter’svoiceforWoolf:streamofconsciousness(thewayonethinks)•Woolftransformedthenovelwithstreamofconsciousness,whichistheattempttochronicletheinnerthoughtsofamyriadofcharacterswithoutpause,andratherthanchapters,therearepartsofthenovel,therearealsosudden‘momentsofbeing’–ahamoments–influencedbyauthorJamesJoyce(Ulysses)OverviewMrs.Dallowaytakesplaceduring24hoursinthemonthofJune,inLondonAdayinthelifeofClarissaDalloway,anuppermiddle-classhousewifewhoishostingapartythateveningThereaderfollowsherthroughoutherdaywithpreparationsforthepartywithanextendedinteriormonologue,streamofconsciousness–thoughwebrieflyexperiencethethoughtsofmanyamongalargegroupofcharacters–Clarissa’smindisall-pervasivePointofViewshiftsthroughoutthenoveltoprovidethereaderwithotherperspectivesofprotagonist,ClarissaDallowayCharactersClarissaDalloway–avivacious,perfecthostess,ambitious,worldly,fashionable;herpartiesareherwayoforderingtheworldandarrangingrealityintopleasingpatterns,shehasinternalresolve(frigidity)andemotionalsterility;theseservetoexcludeherfromloveandgenuine,honestopennesswithpeople–thenovelbecomesajustificationofhercharacterPeterWalsh–Clarissa’sharshestcritic,over-romanticmiddle-agedman,intellectual,ahardworkingcolonial(Indian)administrator,consideredafailureintheworld’seyes.AsuitorofClarissa’s,thoughsherejectedhismarriageproposalRichardDalloway–theembodimentofanEnglishgentleman,reasonablysuccessfulpolitician,notexceptionallybrightoranintellectuallikePeterWalsh,butalsonotsmug,overbearingandinsolentlikeHughWhitbread,heissincere,inlovewithhiswifeandanxioustodogoodintheworldHughWhitbread–theantithesisofRichardDalloway;well-dressed,wealthy,socialclimber;insufferablyrude,insolentandboorishto‘inferiors’ortheclerksandservantswhocannotbenefithimsociallySeptimusWarrenSmith–intendedbyVirginiaWoolftoserveasClarissa’s‘double’symbolically,aninsaneversionofthepresumablysane‘perfecthostess’Mrs.Dalloway;Septimusisalowermiddleclassyoungmanofliteraryproclivities;neuroticandfanatic;hisproblemparallelsClarissa’s–heisanemotionallycoldpersonwhocannotrelatetoothersonanemotionallevelLucreziaWarrenSmith–ebullient,warm-hearted,charming,Italiangirl;sherepresentsthespiritofloveandlaughterinSeptimus’lifebutisunabletosavehimfromself-destructionDr.Holmes–alocalgeneralpractitioner,heisunimaginativebutawell-intentionedmanwhospeaksfoolishplatitudesinsteadofofferingrealwarmthSirWilliamBradshaw–‘thevillain’persay,ambitious,self-centeredpsychiatrist,totallylackinginwarmth,loveorinterestinhumanity,hecaressolelyforpowerthathisprofessiongiveshimsuchasmanipulativebehavioroverthelivesofothersandthepowertointrude,meddleandinterfereElizabethDalloway–Clarissa’steenagedaughterisashyinarticulategirlwhohasjustcomeoutinsociety,butunlikehermother,haslittleinterestinthesocialwhirl;likeherfathershewantstohelppeopleDorisKilman–anenigmaofacharacter,sheistheonlycharacterwhoarousesrealpassioninClarissa,thepassionhowever,ishatred;ifanythingDorisKilmanshouldbeanobjectofpity–sheisunattractive,poor,lumpy,intense;yetseeminglyexercisespoweroverElizabeth,heronly2interestsareElizabethandreligiousfervor;ClarissahatesherbecauseofherrelationshipwithElizabethSallySeton–Clarissa’sgirlhoodfriend,abeautifulanddaringyoungwoman,thathasgrownintoaratherordinarymiddle-agedwoman;she’smarriedtoarichman,andlivesabourgeoisthoughexpensivelife;mid-lifehasrobbedherofherfieryyouthfulnessandintellectuali