Free Essays on Mrs. Dalloway

In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway one thing Clarissa Dalloway was always fascinated by was the stroke of Big Ben. Throughout the novel Clarissa persistently recalls memories from the past which make her live in memory, not in the moment. When watching an airplane overhead creating a message Clarissa stopped, looked up and hypocritically said, â€Å"In the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some aeroplane overhead was what she loved; life; this moment of June† (Woolf 4). Clarissa Dalloway wanted to live in the moment, however she did not. â€Å"Clarissa was positive, a particular hush or solemnity; an indescribable pause; suspense before Big Ben strikes† (Woolf 4). Clarissa is completely fixated on time. Clarissa continues her obsession with living in the past by thinking of Peter Walsh, a former lover. She couldn’t be with him because she felt he’d smother her, but there’s a sense of regret whenever she thinks about him. â€Å"That was only her dear Peter at his worst; and he could be intolerable; he could be impossible; but adorable to walk with on a morning like this† (Woolf 7). Clarissa dreams about the past thinking it would be better than the present. The strike of Big Ben brings Clarissa’s present mood, exactly what she’s feeling in that moment into perception. â€Å"The sound of Big Ben flooded Clarissa’s drawing-room, where she sat, every so annoyed, at her writing-table; worried; annoyed† (Woolf 117). Big Ben captures her present mood again; it has an omnipresence that makes Clarissa aware of her reality. Often Clarissa lives in fantasy, not reality. Big Ben serves as an alarm so to speak to bring her back to reality. â€Å"Big Ben struck the half-hour† (Woolf 127). Clarissa looks into the window of her neighbor, an elderly woman who she had never known. This woman symbolizes Clarissa’s final reality check. Towards the end of Clarissa’s party she steps into another room, leaving her soci... Free Essays on Mrs. Dalloway Free Essays on Mrs. Dalloway In Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway, she portrays numerous complicating and intriguing passages in which she presents the readers with many questions and confusing scenarios. One particular section that I feel is very problematic and controversial, but also very interesting, is the passage in which Clarissa Dalloway discusses two major components that destroy one’s privacy of soul: love and religion. Love, as she sees it, destroys the soul. Clarissa illustrates this idea through a middle-aged man, Peter Walsh, who is very emotionally attached to her. For Clarissa, Peter destroys her privacy by wanting to know everything and completely possessing her soul. In addition, Clarissa feels that religion can also destroy one’s privacy. For instance, Mrs. Kilman, a bitter old woman, continually tries to know Clarissa’s faults and sins. For me, this section has been very disturbing and frustrating; however, because of Clarissa Dalloway, I am now beginning to u nderstand why she feels the way she does. What bothers me is the fact that a person can never completely know someone. You may think you know everything about them, but in actuality, everyone has secrets. Privacy of soul has been a theme throughout this novel, and it’s in this section thus the readers learn that one’s privacy may not be as private as he or she thought. The problem for Clarissa Dalloway is that she feels through two major components her privacy is taken away from her. She describes these two components, Love and Religion, as being â€Å"detestable.† This strikes me as being very odd. I have always felt that love is the most essential and promising thing one can have in this lifetime. To know someone so well and know what they’re thinking, or feeling, without them saying anything is a very unique gift. On the other hand, however, Clarissa would argue differently. For her, this kind of love is very overwhelming and unhealthy. For that reason, she can not l... Free Essays on Mrs. Dalloway In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway one thing Clarissa Dalloway was always fascinated by was the stroke of Big Ben. Throughout the novel Clarissa persistently recalls memories from the past which make her live in memory, not in the moment. When watching an airplane overhead creating a message Clarissa stopped, looked up and hypocritically said, â€Å"In the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some aeroplane overhead was what she loved; life; this moment of June† (Woolf 4). Clarissa Dalloway wanted to live in the moment, however she did not. â€Å"Clarissa was positive, a particular hush or solemnity; an indescribable pause; suspense before Big Ben strikes† (Woolf 4). Clarissa is completely fixated on time. Clarissa continues her obsession with living in the past by thinking of Peter Walsh, a former lover. She couldn’t be with him because she felt he’d smother her, but there’s a sense of regret whenever she thinks about him. â€Å"That was only her dear Peter at his worst; and he could be intolerable; he could be impossible; but adorable to walk with on a morning like this† (Woolf 7). Clarissa dreams about the past thinking it would be better than the present. The strike of Big Ben brings Clarissa’s present mood, exactly what she’s feeling in that moment into perception. â€Å"The sound of Big Ben flooded Clarissa’s drawing-room, where she sat, every so annoyed, at her writing-table; worried; annoyed† (Woolf 117). Big Ben captures her present mood again; it has an omnipresence that makes Clarissa aware of her reality. Often Clarissa lives in fantasy, not reality. Big Ben serves as an alarm so to speak to bring her back to reality. â€Å"Big Ben struck the half-hour† (Woolf 127). Clarissa looks into the window of her neighbor, an elderly woman who she had never known. This woman symbolizes Clarissa’s final reality check. Towards the end of Clarissa’s party she steps into another room, leaving her soci...