Published 1925 / Length 213 pages
Mrs Dalloway is an important example of experimental modernist literature. Eschewing the conventions of the novel and using a stream-of-consciousness narrative, Woolf attempts to describe the workings of the human mind by illustrating all the thoughts of her characters. The book centres on Clarissa Dalloway, a politician’s wife, a mother and a wealthy member of post-war London society, for a single day in June 1923 as she prepares to host a party. As the plot develops, Clarissa’s unhappiness becomes clear, as she contemplates the past and the future as represented by her various guests. Septimus Warren Smith, a former soldier suffering from shell shock, highlights the social legacy of the First World War; his narration also offers an insight into mental illness. Septimus and the other characters’ thoughts converge to form a holistic view of Clarissa as the book builds to its climax. Though Mrs Dalloway’s form and style are challenging, the sheer breadth of Woolf’s themes and the dexterity with which she renders human emotion make for a thoroughly rewarding read.
‘This novel incorporates such a diversity of characters that there’s never a dull moment. The possible autobiographical implications in the character of Septimus make for a genuine insight into the mind of the author.’ – SHERRI, 22
• Woolf’s use of the stream-of-consciousness technique raises the question of whether a book can realistically describe human thought. Which features of Woolf’s writing aim for realism?
• How does Woolf’s passion for metropolis come across in her descriptions of London? How do her feelings about post-war society present themselves?
• What do you make of the parallels between Septimus and Clarissa, and the ways in which they relate to Woolf herself? (See BACKGROUND INFORMATION.) Is Woolf trying to suggest anything about the treatment of mental illness?
• Do you think the female characters in the book – especially Sally Seton, Elizabeth Dalloway and Clarissa herself – are a comment on feminism? If so, in what way(s)?
• Published in 1925, Mrs Dalloway depicts London after the First World War, as women strove for fairer treatment and a more influential place in society.
• The novel started life as two short stories. Despite being an experiment in narrative and style, it was one of Woolf’s biggest commercial successes.
• Woolf struggled with mental illness throughout her life. The parts of the novel concerning Septimus were based on her own experiences; she saw them as an exorcism of her demons.
• The Hours by MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM – tells the story of three women influenced by Mrs Dalloway.
• Ulysses by JAMES JOYCE and Saturday by IAN MCEWAN – both employ stream-of-consciousness narratives and the events described take place over the course of a single day.
• The Bell Jar by SYLVIA PLATH (see here) – deals with similar issues of mental breakdown and the pressures of womanhood.
• A Room of One’s Own by VIRGINIA WOOLF – an essay about the constraints on women in post-First World War society.