Question 2.

Virginia Woolf talked of ‘time on the clock and time of

in the mind’. Explicate with reference to Mrs Dalloway. (15 marks)

Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway discusses time as one of the most

important elements explored throughout the novel. Woolf believed
that the concept of time is a human construction. To explain the
presence of time in the novel, Woolf explores the idea of Henri
Bergson’s concept of clock time which is the time on the clock and
the psychological time which is the time on the mind. According to
Bergson, clock time is referred to the external and objective time
which is the natural flow of time measured by hours. It is the physical
time that exists outside the human mind and is part of the natural
world. Whereas Psychological time is the time experienced by an
individual measured by memories and thoughts. Psychological time
is subjective and has a mind dependent existence, it is the duration
of experience as the human consciousness perceives it. Woolf uses
this concept of time to explore the human mind in the novel.
Woolf divides the characters in hours or a certain duration which is
seen through the striking of Big Ben, a representation of clock time.
The striking of Big Ben is a constant reminder of the passage of time
which represents the progression of hours and the constant
presence of past which is the circular motion of time. It also
represents the inevitability of passing time and death. And this
passing of time is frequently made aware in the novel through the
tolling of Big Ben. For example, as the aeroplane demonstrates sky
writing, everyone stares at the sky with amazement and fascination
at the technology, then the Big Ben tolls eleven o’clock which
reminds them of the passing time and brings them back to reality. It
reminds them of the unstoppable march of time. Another example is
of the opening scene, as Clarissa goes out to the streets of London
she is immersed in her thoughts, then all of a sudden she hears the
Big Ben striking ten o’clock which brings her back to the reality, to
the present where she remembers that its already been five years
since the world war I ended. The striking of Big Ben irritates Clarissa
as it reminds her that she is running out of time and getting aged.
Also, throughout the novel, it is uncertain how many hours have
passed throughout the novel but at a certain point, it marks the
passing of time in everyone’s life. It constantly reminds Clarissa of
the mortality. And by this, Woolf sets up dichotomy between
external and internal time.
On the other hand, Psychological time which is the time on the mind
is represented through the consciousness of the mind and the
memories experienced and lived. Through the psychological time,
Woolf allows the characters to think of both past and present all at
once without any chronological order. Psychological time is internal
and is measured in memories. For Woolf, time on the mind meant
the representation of human mind’s consciousness and
understanding the inner thoughts. It also represents how the
characters’ thoughts are interrupted by the external events, and the
way these external events have different effects for different people
and how their consciousness reacts. For example, the scene in the
Regant’s park that appears after Peter’s nap, which explores the
fluidity of the external and internal time. In the park, Peter sits there
and observes the squirrels and then sees a child running and crying.
The child then collides with a nurse. Then the point of view shifts to
Rezia as she thinks of Septimus. Then again, Peter seems to be
laughing at the child after noticing the child collide with Rezia. And
all of these events occur in just few seconds that connects these
characters and brings them into one another’s thoughts. And by
allowing the readers to get in the thoughts of these characters,
Woolf covers not only the hours of the present but the hours of
entire lives stored in memory. For example, within the first moments
we are introduced to Clarissa, we get to know her past, present and
the thoughts of future. We get to know all of that about in just a
single day narration. In a short amount of time, readers get to know
all about the internal thoughts which is represented through the
Psychological time. Woolf has shown the presence of the time on the
mind through the psychological time and the time on the clock
through the concept of clock time.