Virginia Woolf

–”Mrs
Dalloway”
Biographical facts about Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf,
Original name in full Adelina Virginia
Stephen, (born January 25, 1882,
London, England – died March 28, 1941,
near Rodmell, Sussex)
English writer whose novels, through
their nonlinear approaches to narrative,
exerted a major influence on the genre.
While she is the best known for her
novels, especially Mrs. Dalloway(1925)
and To the Lighthouse(1927),
Woolf also wrote pioneering essays on
artistic theory, literary history, women’s
writing, and the politics of power.
A fine stylist, she experimented with
several forms of biographical writing,
composed painterly short fictions, and
sent to her friends and family a lifetime
of brilliant letters.
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Early Life And Influences
Born Virginia Stephen, she was the child of ideal Victorian
parents. Her father, Leslie Stephen, was an eminent
literary figure and the first editor (1882-91) of the
Dictionary of National Biography.
Her mother , Julia Jackson, possessed great beauty and a
reputation for saintly self-sacrifice; she also had prominent
social and artictic connections, which included Julia
Margaret Cameron, her aunt and one of the greatest
portrait photographers of the 19th century.

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Early Fiction
 “Virginia Stephen determined in
1908 to “re-form” the novel by
creating a holistic form embracing
aspects of life that were “fugitive”
from the Victorian novel. While
writing anonymous reviews for
the Times Literary Supplement and
other journals, she experimented
with such a novel, which she
called Melymbrosia. In November
1910, Roger Fry, a new friend of
the Bells, launched the exhibit
“Manet and the Post-
Impressionists,” which introduced
radical European art to the
London bourgeoisie
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 Mrs. Dalloway

✘ Novel published 14th March 1925.

✘ Genre: modernist, formalist, feminist
✘ Motifs: Time; Shakespeare; trees and flowers, waves
and water
✘ Symbols: The prime minister, Peter Walsh’s
pocketknife and other weapons; the old woman in the
window; the old woman singing an ancient song
✘ Themes: Communication vs. privacy; disillusionment
with the British Empire; the fear of death; the threat
of oppression

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 The Plot briefly
This novel starts when Clarissa is getting
well after an illness. She intends to have
a gathering at her house. Her day starts
with her going to acquire some flowers
for her gathering. That morning, Clarissa
flashes to her past, which involved her
decision to marry Mr. Richard Dalloway
over Peter Walsh, another good suitor.
.
In the other story, Septimus Smith is a
veteran who lives with Lucrezia, his
wife. Septimus is still affected by the
post effects of war, which includes
hallucinations. A vehicle backfires and
sends the man into shock. He starts
reflecting on his war life. He lost a friend
called Evans, a commander, and he
currently holds frequent talks with him.
Clarissa arrives home and remembers her
friends Sally, who she was very close to.
They even kissed once.
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Continue

Clarissa then starts mending a dress for her

occasion, which was green. Peter visits her
unexpectedly. Peter had previously informed
Clarissa of how she would turn into a great
hostess. That prediction seemed to be accurate.
The two discuss their current lives and also some
decisions they had made untill they are
interrupted by Clarissa’s daughter named
Elizabeth.

Peter leaves and heads for a nearby park.

Septimus and Lucrezia are also in this park. The
couple gets into an intense discussion, Peter
views the two as just two people who love each
other, arguing.

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 Continue
The two are talking about suicide.
Lucrezia had arranged for Septimus to
see a specialist called Bradshaw to
combat Septimus’s condition.
Richard Dalloway is at lunch with
Lady Burton, who did not invite
Clarissa and only invited Clarissa’s
husband. During this lunch, Richard
feels the urge to head back home and
inform Clarissa of how much he loved
her. He hadd failed to tell her this for
a long time.
Elizabeth works with a certain
tutor called Doris, whom
Clarissa hates and views as her
competition, trying to take her
daughters. Septimus and
Lucrezia head home to await
the people from the asylum to
arrive for him. He decides the
flee the last moments through a
window and meets his death in
the process.
Clarissa’s gathering has several people from
her youth, that includes Sally and Peter.
Richard still is not able to tell Clarissa of this
love for her. The Bradshaws arrive blaming
their lateness on a patient(Septimus) who
killed himself. The party turns out to be
disappointing for Clarissa. 9
 Characters diagram

Clarissa
Clarissa Dalloway
Dalloway

doubles spouses

Septimus Warren
Warren
father
Smith Peter
Peter Walsh
Walsh
ex- lovers Richard Dalloway
Dalloway

spouses
mother
Rezia Warren
Warren Elizabeth
Smith Sally
Sally Seton
Seton Dalloway
Dalloway

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 What kind of woman is Clarissa
Dalloway?
Struggle to balance her
has a tendency toward she is always concerned
internal life with the
introspection that gives her with appearances and keeps
external world.
a profound capacity for herself tightly composed,
emotion. seldom sharing her feelings
Her world consists of
with anyone.
glittering surfaces, such as
fine fashion, parties, and high
society.
strives to reconcile herself never lets go of the doubt
she uses a constant stream
to life despite her potent she feels about the decisions
of convivial chatter and
memories. that has shaped her life,
activity to keep her soul
partcularly her decision to
locked safely away, which
marry Richard instead of
can make her seem shallow
Peter Walsh.
even to those who know her
well.

.
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 What's Up With the Title?

✘ "Why is it called Mrs Dalloway?" Because it’s about someone

named Mrs Dalloway, duh.
✘ Not so fast. There’s definitely more to it than that. Think about it:
Woolf could have named the novel Clarissa Dalloway or
just Clarissa. But, no: the title Mrs Dalloway suggests something
different. This title refers to her married name, to the fact that she’s
identified with Richard Dalloway. Who Clarissa is has a lot to do
with the fact that she is a "Mrs." And don't forget: "Mrs" is quite
different from "Miss." Remember Miss Kilman? It’s important
that she is single, and the narrator makes it pretty clear that she will
remain unmarried: she’s both a lesbian (who couldn't marry back
then) and sort of a people-hater.

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 Flowers
Clarissa’s first action in the story is to buy flowers; as she enters the flower
shop, "There were flowers: delphiniums, sweet peas, bunches of lilac; and
carnations, masses of carnations […]" (1.25). After this moment, flowers
continue to appear throughout the entire novel. Most importantly, they are
an enormous source of joy for Clarissa, who cherishes the beauty of
everyday life. Flowers are also important as symbols of love (surprise
surprise): Clarissa's daughter, Elizabeth, is often compared to a flower and
Richard brings roses to Clarissa, a gesture that replaces saying "I love
you." The beauty of the roses seems to get the point across .

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Major conflict
Clarissa and other
characters try to
preserve their souls
and communicate in an
oppressive and
fragmentary post
World War I England.
Conclusion
Happily Ever After?
After a few moments of reflection, Clarissa is no longer offended by Septimus' suicide, but rather identifies with it. She feels that he’s made a beautiful
and sublime sacrifice that allows her to see life with fresh eyes. She returns to the party a somewhat different person, and her joy spreads immediately to
Peter Walsh.
Complication
We now meet Septimus,
who’s waiting for an
appointment with the
eminent psychiatrist Sir
William Bradshaw
. Imstead, he throws himself
Septimus’ presence isn’t a
complication to the main
conflict (yet): he doesn’t
really even cross paths with
any of the other main
characters.
Analysis
Climax
Suicide
After a moment of joy with
his wife, Lucrezia,
Septimus decides that he
won’t go with the doctors
to a mental institution.
out a window and is
impaled on the railings
below. The contrast
between the joy of the
couple’s conversation and
Septimus’ suicide makes
this scene even more
climactic.
Suspense
So What?
Woolf leaves the reader in
the dark about the
relevance of Septimus and
his suicide to the rest of the
story. What could a shell-
shocked
World War I soldier have to
do with a fifty-two-year-old
society lady? The narrative
jump back to Peter's
thoughts and Clarissa's
party forces us to wait even
longer for an answer.
Denouement
Party Foul
Dr Bradshaw and his wife
arrive late to the party and
Lady Bradshaw excuses
them by explaining that one
of her husband's patients
had committed suicide.
Clarissa is outraged that
anyone would mention
death at her festive
gathering, and she retreats
to her bedroom to collect
herself. (We're starting to
see how it's all connected
now.)
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Mrs Dalloway is a 1997 British drama film
, a co-production by the United Kingdom,
the United States, and the Netherlands,
directed by Marleen Gorris and stars 
Vanessa Redgrave, Natascha McElhone
 and Michael Kitchen.[1]
 Characters

Mrs
Dalloway (Clarissa)
It's no surprise that
Clarissa Dalloway is
our main protagonist
– heck.
Septimus
Warren Smith
Septimus is a shell-
shocked World War I
soldier. He’s a unique
figure in literature.

Peter Walsh Richard Dalloway

Peter is Clarissa’s old Mr Dalloway is
suitor from the days around in part to give
of Bourton. He’s lives Mrs Dalloway an
in India, but has... identity.

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 Thanks!
Resources: https://
www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/mrs-dal
loway/characters
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mrs-Dalloway-
novel-by-Woolf

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