Eng426 20th century english literature

Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway

The events in the story of Mrs. Dalloway take place in a single day in the middle of June. Clarissa Dalloway who has recently recovered from an illness is preparing for the party she is to host that evening. She goes out to buy flowers for the party and while doing this, she reflects on her past including her decision and reasons for marrying Richard Dalloway years earlier instead of Peter Walsh. Septimus Smith, a traumatised war veteran is on the street with his wife Lucrezia. As Septimus struggles with the after effects of the war with the voices he hears and his feeling that life is meaningless, his wife struggles with the drastic changes she has noticed in him. She pities herself and at the same time tries to distract her husband from being overtly preoccupied with himself. Meanwhile, Clarissa returns home and remembers Sally Seton and the kiss they have once shared. Clarissa starts mending the dress she is to wear for the party when her former suitor Peter Walsh comes for a visit. Though Clarissa and Peter talk about the present, they both think of the past and the choices they made which made them who they are now.
The entrance of Clarissa’s daughter, Elizabeth ends his visit. Peter goes to a park where Septimus and Lucrezia are also walking. The couple is discussing Septimus’ attempt and thoughts of suicide heatedly, but Peter sees them as a young couple in love just quarrelling. Lucrezia has decided to take Septimus to a specialist, Sir William Bradshaw, who dismisses the complexity of Septimus’ madness and suggests a rest in an asylum for him.
Richard Dalloway has been to lunch with Lady Bruton and Clarissa is not happy that Lady Bruton has not invited her. Richard decides to tell Clarissa that he loves her, something he has not been able to do for years. But unfortunately, he never expresses his feeling to her eventually. Clarissa goes to see Elizabeth who is studying with her tutor, Doris Kilman. Clarissa dislikes Doris who she sees as a monster who is taking her daughter away from her. Doris dislikes Clarissa because of her high class and financial buoyancy. Septimus and Lucrezia return to their apartment to wait for the attendants that will take Septimus to an asylum. Septimus decides to escape and run away as Dr. Holmes arrives but he jumps to his death through the window. Clarissa’s party has started with Peter Walsh, Sally Seton, and people from her past in attendance. Very late into the party Sir William and Lady Bradshaw arrive and apologise for their lateness. Mrs Bradshaw explains that they have been delayed because of one of Bradshaw’s patients (Septimus) who has committed suicide that day. The party and the novel end with Richard and Elizabeth glad the party is over.

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