Largely, ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ is one of those novels that do not have a concrete plot. Other than creating various major situations that exist between characters towards pushing the story forward, the author moved her narrative through following the passage of hours of the day. Additionally, the book comprises of movements that are based on one character to another and those from their internal thoughts to internal thoughts of another. On page 45 the author points out that “But nothing is so strange when one is in love (and what was this except being in love?) as the complete indifference of other people.”
Clarissa Dalloway is a major character in the story and her experiences reflect a broad perspective of the situation in the post-war period. Clarissa Dalloway, who is the hero in the novel, constantly struggles to strike a balance between her internal life and the external world. This means that the world evidently consists of glittering surfaces like high society, parties, and fine fashion. However, as she continues to move through the said world, she especially probes beneath the surfaces looking for deeper meaning. As she yearns for privacy, Clarissa bears a constant tendency towards the introspection, which gives her profound capacity with respect to her emotion and is an element that most of the other characters lack. However, she is rather concerned with her appearances and it is for this reason that she keeps herself rather tightly composed and seldom shares her feelings with any person. On page the 34 author points out that “she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day.” She makes use of a constant stream of convivial chatter as well as activity towards keeping her soul safely locked away and this makes her appear shallow especially to those knowing her well.
Disillusionment with the British Empire was also a major concern immediately after World War 1. All through the 19th century, it was clear that the British Empire was rather invincible. With time, it expanded into several other countries like India, Nigeria, and South Africa and became one of the largest empires worldwide ever seen. World War I fast turned into a violent reality check. It is in this respect that the first time in the century having the English even vulnerable to their individual pieces of land. Technically, the Allies won the war even though the extent of England’s devastation made the victory by name only.
Large populations of young men encountered injuries and other killed. At the Battle of the Somme 1916, England heavily suffered up to 60,000 casualties, which is the largest slaughter in the history of England. On page 26 the author points out that “The world wavered, quivered, and threatened to burst into flames.” Not surprisingly, the English citizens gradually lost their faith in the sustainability of the empire after the war. England could no longer claim to be all-powerful and invulnerable. The citizens became less inclined to the willingness of adhering to the rigid constraints that the England’s class system imposed. This is mainly because it only benefited a small part of the society even though all classes focused on fighting for its preservation.
The threat of oppression is the other most notable issue in this period. The aspects of oppression are constant threats for Septimus and Clarissa in Mrs. Dalloway. Clearly, Septimus dies in a bid to escape what is perceived to be one of the most oppressive social pressures to humankind. This comes in many guises such as religion, science and social convention. Miss Kilman as well as Sir William Bradshaw is part of the major oppressors within the novel. While Miss Kilman dreams of drawing Clarissa through religion, Sir William seeks to subdue all individuals challenging his world’s conception. On page 78 the author points out that “Fear no more, says the heart, committing its burden to some sea, which sighs collectively for all sorrows, and renews, begins, collects, lets fall” The two wish to change the world into their belief systems to gain power and therefore, dominate others. This will mean that their rigidity continues to oppress all people encountering them. Further, more subtle oppressors as well as those not intending to, are seen to induce harm through supporting the English social system, which is repressive.
In discussing the root cause of Septimus’s madness, it is crucial to focus on the power conflict between the doctors and Septimus. This is when the power confrontation props up between reason and madness. In other terms, the power confrontation between madness and reason in a sign of the power relating to taboo and transgression. This means that it is only through incessant transgression movements that the limit of taboo is emancipated and sensed. This will chiefly address the issue of same-sex love between Sally and Clarissa. This choice of marriage is a display of the power of the heterosexuality norm. Further, present Woolf’s point of view (feminist) towards the subordination of the women’s position within marriage is crucial. On page 67, the author points out that “Love and religion! Thought Clarissa, going back into the drawing room tingling all over. How detestable, how detestable they are”! The description of the similarities between Clarissa and Septimus as well as their subsequent resolutions towards power struggles is with reference to the two having a homosexual inclination. However, in the sexual and moral norm of heterosexuality, there is a constant sense of circumstance alienation from that which they live in. Relevantly, such a sense of alienation rapidly generates their attitudes of being between the two poles of death and life.
In conclusion, time has much influence on the activities of this period. Here, time constantly imparts order towards the development of fluid thoughts, memories as well as encounters, which make up ‘Mrs. Dalloway’. For instance, Big Ben is a symbol of England as well as its might. He relentlessly sounds out of the hour and ensures that the continuity of time as well as the overall awareness of eventual death becomes always palpable. Peter, Clarissa, Septimus, and other characters in the story are held by the grip of time. This means that as they continue aging, they constantly evaluate the manner in which they have spent their respective lives. On page the author 90 points out that “Still, life had a way of adding day to day”. In particular, Clarissa senses that the passage of time as well as the appearance of Peter and Sally (friends from the past) emphatically emphasize on how much time is passed by since Clarissa in the youthful days. However, once the hour narrows down, a sound disappears and ‘it is leaden circles dissolved in the air’. The expression alongside recurs several times across the novel and indicates the manner in which ephemeral nature of time irrespective of the pomp of the diversions of Big Ben as well as the people’s wary and obsession with it.
Works Cited:
Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. North Hollywood, CA: Interactive Media. 2012. Print
