Mrs. Dalloway
Virginia Woolf began writing Mrs. Dalloway in 1922 and completed it in 1924. The novel was published on May 14, 1925, by Hogarth Press, the publishing house owned by Woolf and her husband, Leonard Woolf. The book was initially titled The Hours, a reference to time and the structure of the novel, but Woolf later changed it to Mrs. Dalloway to focus on the central character.
The novel was inspired by Woolf’s own experiences and observations of post-World War I London. She was deeply interested in mental illness, feminism, and the effects of war on individuals, all of which are key themes in the book. The character of Septimus Warren Smith, the war veteran suffering from shell shock, was based on Woolf’s own struggles with mental illness. Woolf also drew inspiration from James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922), which similarly follows the stream of consciousness technique and focuses on a single day in the life of its characters.
Clarissa Dalloway, a wealthy and well-mannered woman in London, steps out of her house on a bright June morning to buy flowers for a party she is hosting that evening. The city is lively, full of people, and the sounds of Big Ben striking remind everyone of the passing time. As Clarissa walks, she thinks about her past, remembering her youth at Bourton, her childhood home. She recalls Peter Walsh, an old friend who once loved her and asked her to marry him. She refused, choosing to marry Richard Dalloway, a steady and reliable politician instead. Peter had criticized her choice, saying she would end up married to someone important, throwing parties. Even now, she wonders if she made the right decision.
Meanwhile, Septimus Warren Smith, a World War I veteran, sits in Regent’s Park with his Italian wife, Lucrezia (Rezia). Septimus suffers from shell shock and has hallucinations, often seeing his dead friend Evans, who died in the war. He believes he understands the meaning of life but also feels disconnected from reality. Rezia is worried about his worsening condition and takes him to meet a psychiatrist, Sir William Bradshaw. Sir William quickly diagnoses Septimus as mentally unwell and suggests sending him to a home, separating him from Rezia. This terrifies Septimus, and he feels trapped by the doctors trying to control him.
Peter Walsh unexpectedly visits Clarissa at her home in the afternoon. He is now back in London after living in India for years. Seeing Clarissa again stirs old feelings in him, making him wonder if he still loves her. He tells her about Daisy, a much younger woman he is in love with, but he remains unsure about his future with her. The meeting makes both Peter and Clarissa emotional, and for a moment, Peter even cries. As he leaves, Clarissa reminds him to come to her party that evening.
Meanwhile, Richard Dalloway has lunch with Lady Bruton, a strong-willed aristocratic woman who is interested in politics. Richard and Hugh Whitbread help her write a letter about emigration to Canada, as Lady Bruton believes British families should move there for a better future. After lunch, Richard buys a bouquet of flowers for Clarissa, intending to tell her he loves her. However, when he gets home, he is unable to say the words, so he simply hands her the flowers. Clarissa understands his silent affection but feels a sense of emptiness in her marriage.
Elizabeth, Clarissa’s daughter, spends the afternoon with her tutor, Miss Kilman, a bitter and religious woman who dislikes Clarissa. Elizabeth, feeling suffocated, eventually leaves Miss Kilman and enjoys a ride on the bus, considering different career paths. She wonders if she should become a doctor or a politician, but she dismisses these thoughts as unrealistic. She returns home, knowing her mother will want her at the party.
As the party begins, Clarissa greets her guests, including the Prime Minister, old friends, and acquaintances. Sally Seton, her childhood friend, arrives unexpectedly, bringing back memories of their youthful days at Bourton. Peter watches Clarissa move through the room, still captivated by her presence. However, Clarissa does not feel fully engaged in the party.
During the event, Sir William Bradshaw’s wife mentions Septimus’s suicide. Clarissa, hearing this, withdraws from the crowd and reflects on his death. She feels that, in choosing to die, Septimus held onto something pure, something she herself may have lost. She watches an old woman in the house across from hers and finds comfort in the thought that life continues, even in solitude.
Clarissa returns to the party, and Peter and Sally notice her reappearance. Peter suddenly feels overwhelmed by emotion, experiencing both fear and excitement at the sight of her. The novel ends with this moment of intense feeling, leaving Peter’s thoughts and emotions unresolved.
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: Video Explanation
Plot
Part 1:
It is a June morning in London, and Clarissa Dalloway, a 52-year-old woman from an upper-class family, is preparing for a party she is hosting that night. Instead of asking her busy servant, Lucy, to buy flowers, Clarissa decides to buy them herself. As she steps outside into the bright sunlight, it reminds her of her younger days when she would open the windows at her father’s house in the countryside. She would feel the freshness of the morning but also a sense of something bad about to happen.
Clarissa has recently recovered from a serious illness, the flu. As she walks through the busy streets of London, she hears Big Ben tolling 10 o’clock. The city is full of life, and it’s been five years since the end of World War I. Clarissa is grateful for life after being so close to death. Big Ben’s chimes are an important symbol throughout the novel, marking time for everyone.
Clarissa loves life and all its little details, and this is why she’s throwing the party—to share that joy with others. While walking, she meets an old friend, Hugh Whitbread, a traditional English gentleman. They briefly talk, and Clarissa feels a little self-conscious about her hat. Hugh represents the conventional, upper-class England. Clarissa thinks about how Hugh is admired by her husband, Richard, but she knows that Peter Walsh, another old friend, doesn’t like him.
Clarissa also thinks about Peter Walsh, who has been in India for years but is coming back soon. She remembers how Peter once criticized her life choices and told her she would marry someone like a Prime Minister and become a “perfect hostess.” Clarissa still wonders if she lives up to Peter’s expectations, though she is happy with her life now.
As Clarissa keeps walking, she thinks about how fragile life is and how dangerous it is to live even one day. She reflects on death as a comforting thought, quoting lines from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline about the peace death brings. She realizes that life will go on even after she dies, and that everyone experiences time passing in the same way.
Clarissa also feels that people see her more as “Mrs. Richard Dalloway” than as her own person. She wishes she were more like her hero, Lady Bexborough, a strong, independent woman. Clarissa feels small and unimportant compared to her, and she regrets not being able to do more with her life after marrying Richard.
She passes a glove shop and thinks about her daughter, Elizabeth, who cares more about her dog than about fashion. Elizabeth has been spending a lot of time with her history teacher, Miss Kilman, which worries Clarissa. She is afraid that Elizabeth might be falling in love with Miss Kilman, though Richard believes it’s just a phase.
Clarissa despises Miss Kilman, who is poor and always wears a raincoat that Clarissa thinks symbolizes her martyrdom. Clarissa knows her hatred of Miss Kilman is irrational, but she can’t help how she feels. She thinks of this feeling as a “monster” inside her.
Clarissa enters the flower shop and feels comforted by the beautiful flowers. She tries to forget her dislike of Miss Kilman as she enjoys the kindness of the shop owner, Miss Pym. For a moment, Clarissa thinks she hears a gunshot outside, but Miss Pym explains it’s just the sound of a car backfiring.
Part 2:
A fancy car drives by in the street, and people wonder if it contains the Queen or the Prime Minister. Septimus Warren Smith, a young World War I veteran, hears the car too. He has “shell shock” or PTSD from the war, and he feels responsible for the traffic jam caused by the car. Septimus and Clarissa Dalloway never meet in the story, but they are connected in the novel because they both represent different ways of dealing with life. Septimus’s struggles highlight how poorly England dealt with the aftermath of the war and its traumatized soldiers.
Septimus’s wife, Lucrezia, is embarrassed and scared of his strange behavior. He has recently threatened suicide, and she wants to get help but is also afraid of showing others her “failure.” She remembers happier times in their past before Septimus changed. She takes him for a walk in Regent’s Park to distract him.
The people on the street are excited by the royal car and feel patriotic, thinking they are close to the majesty of England. Clarissa also imagines the Queen is in the car and feels guilty for hosting a party like Peter had once criticized her for. She connects the royal car to people like Hugh Whitbread, who represent traditional England.
As the car moves on, people begin thinking about “the dead” and “the Empire.” A crowd gathers outside Buckingham Palace, but suddenly their attention shifts when they hear an airplane flying overhead. The plane starts writing advertisements in the sky, and people focus on it, ignoring the royal car.
Lucrezia tries to distract Septimus by pointing out the airplane, but he becomes emotional at the beauty in the sky. He thinks the skywriting is a message meant just for him. Septimus’s thoughts become more intense, and he feels a connection with trees and thinks of his dead friend, Evans, who fought with him in the war.
Lucrezia walks away to a fountain, frustrated with Septimus, and starts to believe Dr. Holmes’s opinion that he is not really sick but just out of sorts. She is angry at him for threatening suicide, believing he is being selfish, as she thinks the real Septimus is a brave man who fought in the war.
Septimus continues to have strange thoughts, feeling that men must not cut down trees and that there is a God. He suddenly feels the presence of his dead friend Evans, as though Evans is hiding nearby. Lucrezia, feeling alone in England because she has no one else, tries to distract Septimus by pointing out a group of boys playing cricket.
Septimus’s mind grows more confused, and he believes he is “the greatest of mankind,” sent to renew society. A young woman named Maisie Johnson asks them for directions, and as she walks away, she thinks that everyone in London, including the couple, is odd. She wishes she had stayed in Edinburgh instead.
While this happens, Mrs. Dempster, an older woman, watches Maisie and thinks about her own youth. She reflects on the airplane flying by and wishes she had traveled more when she was young. The airplane continues writing “TOFFEE” in the sky, and a man passes by a nearby cathedral and decides to go inside.
Part 3:
Clarissa returns to her home and feels like a nun coming back to her daily duties. Though she doesn’t believe in God, she feels thankful for the special moments in her life, which she sees as precious. She feels comfortable in her life as Richard’s wife, but it also makes her feel invisible and like she has become just another middle-aged housewife living up to society’s expectations.
Clarissa finds out that Richard has been invited to lunch at Lady Bruton’s house without her, and she feels hurt and offended. Her servant, Lucy, takes Clarissa’s parasol and holds it like it’s an important object. Clarissa starts thinking about time and death, remembering lines from Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline about the comfort death can bring. She goes to her room, thinking about being ignored by Lady Bruton and how time is slipping away.
Clarissa takes off her hat and feels an emptiness inside, thinking about how she and Richard sleep in separate rooms since her illness, but she is okay with it. She thinks about having no passion for Richard and how she feels like she’s become a cold, distant person, but at the same time, she enjoys the privacy she now has.
Clarissa sometimes feels more attracted to women than to men. She thinks about her old friend Sally Seton, with whom she once had a strong emotional connection. Clarissa believes she was truly in love with Sally. Sally was different from anyone else she knew—wild, bold, and free-spirited. Clarissa remembers how Sally once ran through the house naked because she forgot her sponge while bathing, and how she introduced Clarissa to socialist ideas.
Clarissa reflects on the purity and integrity of her love for Sally. She recalls the day when Sally was visiting, and Clarissa, dressed in white, went down to meet her. She remembers thinking how happy she would be to die in that moment because everything felt perfect. She even quotes Shakespeare’s Othello saying, “if it were now to die ‘twere now to be most happy.” Clarissa only had eyes for Sally that day, even though others, like Peter Walsh and her father, were present.
Clarissa remembers a night when she and Sally were walking together, and Sally stopped to pick a flower and kissed her on the lips. This moment felt like the most beautiful moment of Clarissa’s life, a true religious experience. But Peter Walsh interrupted them, and Clarissa felt his jealousy and criticism. Even though the moment was interrupted, Clarissa still considers that kiss to be the best thing that ever happened to her.
Clarissa starts thinking about Peter again, remembering how much she owes him for the intellectual conversations they had. She and Peter often argued, as she always wanted his approval, and he had very high standards. Clarissa wonders how Peter will feel when he returns from India.
Clarissa looks at herself in the mirror and sees herself as someone who brings people together, which is why she throws parties. She picks out a green dress to wear that night and begins mending a tear in it. She feels sensitive to her servants’ workload, so sometimes she does simple tasks herself.
Lucy, her servant, comes in and admires how wonderful Clarissa is. She offers to help her with the dress, but Clarissa refuses. She feels grateful that her servants like her and are willing to accept her generosity. Clarissa sits quietly, sewing the dress and thinking of life as a series of never-ending waves.
Suddenly, the front doorbell rings, and Clarissa is surprised to find that it’s Peter Walsh, who has just returned from India. They greet each other, and Peter kisses Clarissa’s hands but immediately feels embarrassed. He pulls out his pocketknife and starts playing with it, which is something he always used to do.
The two talk briefly, but Peter becomes irritated with Clarissa for her lifestyle and for marrying Richard, who is conservative. He comments on how she is mending a dress, which seems to fit her new role as the perfect hostess. Clarissa tries to reminisce about their time at Bourton, but Peter refuses, saying that the past was painful for him because of how she treated him.
Peter feels that Clarissa’s wealth and happiness are a reminder of his own failures, and he reassures himself that he is not old yet. Meanwhile, Clarissa feels that Peter’s habit of playing with his knife makes everything she says seem silly. She asks Peter about his life, and Peter tells her that he is in love with a woman named Daisy, who is married to a Major in India.
Clarissa is disappointed that Peter has fallen in love again, but she asks him more about it. Peter explains that Daisy wants to leave her husband for him, and he came back to England to talk to his lawyers about getting a divorce for her. Clarissa feels sorry for him, thinking that he has wasted his life on women.
Suddenly, Peter is overwhelmed by his emotions and starts crying. Clarissa takes his hand and kisses him, and for a moment, she wonders if she should have married Peter instead of Richard. Peter pulls himself together and goes to the window, still thinking about their past. He asks Clarissa if she is happy with Richard, but before she can answer, Elizabeth, Clarissa’s daughter, enters the room. Big Ben strikes 11:30, and Peter abruptly leaves. Before he goes, Clarissa reminds him of her party that evening.
Part 4:
Peter Walsh leaves Clarissa’s house feeling angry and critical of her. He thinks that Clarissa, who was once cold and independent, has now become sentimental and conventional as she got older. He feels embarrassed for having cried and confessed his feelings to her, and he is hurt again by the memory of how she rejected him thirty years ago.
Peter hears the St. Margaret’s bell ringing, a few minutes after Big Ben, and it reminds him that Clarissa will die someday. He tries to comfort himself by saying that she is still alive, and he tells himself that he is not old yet. He knows he will need to ask Richard for help to find work soon, but he reassures himself that he doesn’t care what people like the Dalloways and Whitbreads think of him.
Peter recognizes that he has not achieved much in life. He was expelled from Oxford, and now he sees a group of military boys marching by, carrying guns. He respects them, but not the traditional England they defend. Peter feels guilty for not living up to his own expectations, so he distracts himself by fantasizing about the idealism of youth, especially the youth of the military boys.
As Peter stands in Trafalgar Square, he feels a sudden sense of freedom, as if he is young again. He notices a young woman walking by and starts following her at a distance. He doesn’t approach her, but imagines her as his ideal woman—different from Clarissa. He imagines what he would say to her if he were to meet her. Peter enjoys his fantasy of being a “romantic buccaneer” in this imagined courtship.
Eventually, the woman reaches her house, takes out her keys, and goes inside. Peter’s fantasy ends, but he isn’t upset. He accepts that he creates his own happiness through imagination. He remembers Clarissa’s parting words, asking him to remember her party. Feeling optimistic, Peter keeps walking, thinking that it is still early in the day, and heads toward Regent’s Park.
Peter arrives at Regent’s Park and watches the busy life of London passing by. He feels proud of the civilization around him, even though he dislikes the idea of the English empire and army. As he walks, he realizes that meeting with Clarissa has made him nostalgic. He remembers that he never got along with Clarissa’s father.
Peter criticizes Clarissa and Hugh Whitbread for their shallow conformity, but he also acknowledges that he shares the same pride in the comforts of English culture, which come at the expense of places like India, where he just returned from.
Peter sits on a bench next to an older nurse with a baby in a stroller. He thinks about Elizabeth and wonders if she and Clarissa get along, as Clarissa tends to rely too much on her charm. Peter smokes a cigar and then falls asleep.
Part 5:
Peter has a dream about a lone traveler who imagines women in different forms. One woman appears to him made of sky and branches, offering him compassion, and another woman is an elderly mother figure who is waiting for his return. The traveler is unsure of how to respond when the mother figure asks if he needs anything else. In the dream, Peter imagines these women offering him comfort, but it highlights his loneliness as he realizes that no real woman can save him as he desires.
Peter wakes up suddenly and says “The death of the soul.” He connects this thought to a memory from the summer at Bourton in the early 1890s. Peter remembers how he was in love with Clarissa during that time, and how she and others were talking around a table. Someone mentioned a man who had married his housemaid, and Sally Seton spoke openly about how the housemaid had a baby before the wedding.
Peter criticizes Clarissa’s reaction to this topic, thinking it showed the “death of her soul,” making her seem unimaginative and hard. Clarissa had been upset and left the group feeling misunderstood. Despite his criticism, Peter was still deeply in love with her, even though he felt that their relationship was more like rivalry than love.
Later that night, Richard Dalloway arrived at Bourton for the first time. Peter could tell immediately that Clarissa would marry Richard, and this realization hurt him. However, he also knew it was inevitable, so he insulted Clarissa by calling her “the perfect hostess.” Richard represented a safe, conventional choice for Clarissa, and Peter felt that he couldn’t compete with that.
After his angry outburst, Peter often felt love and passion for Clarissa whenever she showed him kindness. However, he also knew that Clarissa and Richard were growing closer. Peter had an intellectual connection with Clarissa, but he knew she would eventually marry Richard, who offered her a more stable life.
Peter had often written to Sally Seton about his feelings for Clarissa. One afternoon, Peter confronted Clarissa by a fountain, demanding to know her true feelings. Clarissa told him that she could not marry him, and Peter felt that this moment was the most important and painful of his life. After this conversation, Peter left Bourton that night, heartbroken.
Part 6:
Peter feels sad again as he recalls memories of his past with Clarissa. However, he is comforted by the passage of time, which helps people heal and move on. As Peter walks through London, he sees a little girl named Elise Mitchell running into a woman’s legs, and he laughs.
The woman, Lucrezia Smith, is with her husband, Septimus, and is deeply troubled by his strange behavior. Septimus has been seeing his dead friend Evans and acting as though he is not himself. Lucrezia helps the little girl and then feels sorry for herself, wondering why she has been chosen to suffer like this. She decides to take Septimus to see a famous doctor, Sir William Bradshaw.
Lucrezia is upset about Septimus’s mental state. She recalls a time when he had suggested they kill themselves, and later claimed to understand everything about life and the world. He had even asked her to write down his “revelations.” Lucrezia wonders why he is seeing dead people and feels confused by his behavior, especially because many soldiers who fought in the war didn’t act the same way. She feels that she should have been more understanding, but she also fears the judgment of others who see Septimus’s behavior as strange.
Septimus, meanwhile, is experiencing moments of intense emotion, feeling a deep connection to the world around him. He starts to see things that aren’t really there, such as the figure of Evans emerging from behind a tree. He feels alone and isolated, and hears voices that tell him he must reveal his secrets to the Prime Minister. When Lucrezia says “time,” Septimus imagines Evans standing nearby, further deepening his delusions.
Peter, who is nearby, watches the couple, but he doesn’t understand the severity of their situation. He views their quarrel as just part of the daily hustle and bustle of London life. Peter, lost in his own thoughts, reflects on how much has changed in the five years he has been away. He thinks about how people, particularly women, have become more fashionable and how subjects once considered off-limits are now being discussed openly in the newspapers. His thoughts turn to Sally Seton, and he recalls that she married a rich man and moved to Manchester.
Peter reflects on Sally’s past rebelliousness, especially how she once despised Hugh Whitbread. Hugh was admired by Clarissa and others for his charm and respectability, but Sally once accused him of representing everything that was wrong with British middle-class life. Peter shares Sally’s critical view of Hugh, although it is unclear whether this is due to Hugh’s treatment of Sally or his own dissatisfaction with his life.
Peter then thinks about Richard Dalloway, whom he finds dull and conventional but still a “thorough good sort.” Peter recognizes that Richard is a kind, good man, unlike Hugh, who only focuses on the surface of things. Peter compares himself to both Richard and Hugh, feeling jealous of their success and wealth. However, he doesn’t agree with Richard’s views on poetry, particularly his opinion that Shakespeare’s sonnets are inappropriate, likening them to “listening at keyholes.” Peter and Sally once bonded over their dislike of such conservative views.
Peter is also struck by Clarissa’s ability to bring people together, especially intellectuals and artists, but he also criticizes her for becoming too conventional in her old age. He wonders if Clarissa, at her core, believes that life is inevitably doomed, and that we may as well enjoy ourselves while we can. This belief may have stemmed from her tragic experience of seeing her sister, Sylvia, die when a tree fell on her.
Clarissa had once been angry at God for her sister’s death, but later she became an atheist, and did not let bitterness take over her life. Instead, she continued to enjoy the beauty in life. Peter admires her cleverness but is frustrated by how her parties, which she throws often, dull her mind.
Peter realizes that he will never experience the same intense suffering for love that he did with Clarissa. He begins to doubt whether he truly loves Daisy, since she doesn’t make him suffer as Clarissa did. Instead, his feelings for Daisy are more about jealousy than genuine passion.
Just as Peter is lost in his thoughts, he hears a voice singing across from Regent’s Park Tube Station. The voice belongs to an old woman who is singing for money. Peter feels pity for the woman, who seems ageless and detached from the world. The song she sings is full of vague words about love and death. Peter gives her a coin, feeling a mixture of sympathy and sadness.
Part 7:
The story shifts to Lucrezia (Rezia), who is with Septimus, her husband, and notices the same old woman Peter had seen singing earlier. Rezia feels pity for the woman at first, but when she hears the words, “if some one should see, what matter they?” she feels comforted and believes her own troubles are just a silly dream. She hopes that Sir William Bradshaw, the famous doctor, will help Septimus.
Rezia, an outsider in English society, finds comfort in the old woman’s song. She has felt the judgment of others because of Septimus’s illness. The woman’s words reassure her that life and her struggles are not as important as they seem, which connects to Clarissa’s ideas about the privacy of the soul.
Meanwhile, Septimus feels he carries the “greatest message in the world” and is both the happiest and most miserable man. The narrative then provides more of Septimus’s backstory. Before the war, Septimus was an aspiring poet, and he fell in love with Miss Isabel Pole, a woman who lectured on Shakespeare and edited his poems. This section is more straightforward than the rest, as Woolf tells Septimus’s story without using free indirect discourse or stream of consciousness. Septimus’s admiration for Shakespeare is significant, as it mirrors Clarissa’s own connection to the poet.
Septimus had worked as a clerk for Mr. Brewer, who thought Septimus had potential in his career. Mr. Brewer encouraged him to play football for his health, and then World War I started. Septimus joined the army, idealizing England as a place of Shakespeare’s works and Miss Isabel Pole. This youthful hopefulness reflects the pre-war Europe, unaware of the devastation war would bring. Mr. Brewer, much like Hugh Whitbread, represents the conventional English gentleman who is out of touch with the real world.
Septimus distinguished himself in battle and became close to his officer, Evans. But when Evans died just before Armistice Day, Septimus felt nothing, which disturbed him deeply. This emotional numbness marked the beginning of his mental breakdown.
Septimus later met Rezia while in Milan, where she made hats with her sisters. Rezia fell in love with Septimus, and although he thought she was pretty and interesting, he still couldn’t feel anything. They married, and Septimus returned to England with her, decorated for his bravery in the war. However, his war experiences had left him emotionally numb, making the decorations seem empty.
Septimus returned to reading Shakespeare, but he now saw his works as full of hatred for humanity. Rezia, on the other hand, was content with Septimus’s seriousness, but eventually wanted children. Septimus, however, didn’t want to bring children into a cruel world, and he found sexual intercourse repulsive. Their disconnect deepened as Septimus’s mental state worsened, and he began to view all human nature as repulsive and evil.
Septimus’s thoughts would often drift to his deep despair about human suffering. Rezia, still hopeful, would try to console him, but Septimus increasingly felt disconnected from her. After one of Rezia’s outbursts, Septimus grew more withdrawn and would sometimes threaten suicide. Dr. Holmes, whom Rezia called for help, dismissed it as just a temporary funk. He advised Septimus to pick up a hobby or get out more.
However, Septimus’s condition did not improve. He continued to have suicidal thoughts, and Dr. Holmes continued his dismissive visits, treating Septimus as though he were just a minor problem. Septimus began to see Holmes as part of the “repulsive” human nature he despised. Rezia, frightened by his behavior, sent for Dr. Holmes again, but Septimus began to feel trapped by the doctors and their inability to understand him. He began to feel that his only choice was to die to escape their control.
The clock struck twelve as Septimus and Rezia arrived at Dr. Bradshaw’s office. Sir William Bradshaw is a respected psychiatrist who is known for his tact and understanding, but his methods are full of sarcasm and dismissal. Bradshaw quickly diagnoses Septimus with a complete breakdown, claiming he must be separated from Rezia and sent to a rest home in the country. Septimus tries to confess his feelings to Bradshaw but cannot express them fully.
Dr. Bradshaw, seeing Septimus as a case to fix, tells Rezia that Septimus is very ill, and she admits he has threatened suicide. Bradshaw suggests that Septimus be isolated and given rest, but Rezia disagrees with the treatment. Bradshaw prefers not to discuss madness, instead labeling it a lack of proportion.
Rezia is upset by this suggestion and feels that Septimus is not a case to be handled like this. As she speaks to Bradshaw, Septimus is filled with distrust and anger towards the doctor. He feels trapped by their lack of understanding and their attempts to control his life.
In the following moments, Septimus becomes more lucid and sees things clearly, even designing a hat for Rezia. They share a peaceful moment together, feeling a brief connection before the looming threat of Sir William’s control.
Eventually, Rezia tries to prepare for their separation, but Septimus decides to take his own life. He doesn’t want to die, but feels that death is the only way to escape the oppressive forces around him. He jumps out of the window, ending his life.
Rezia is left to grieve, but Dr. Holmes, dismissive as ever, calls Septimus’s death a cowardly act. Rezia is drugged and unable to process her feelings as Holmes takes charge, further deepening her sense of helplessness.
Clarissa, who had been preparing for her party, feels the weight of death’s inevitability as Big Ben strikes three, and she reflects on her own life and her love of life’s small moments. As she rests, she is unaware of Septimus’s tragic end, though both their stories mirror each other in their struggles with life and death.
This part highlights the tragic disconnect between individuals, especially in terms of mental illness, and shows the profound effects of societal expectations and lack of understanding.
Part 8:
Peter Walsh is walking through London when he hears an ambulance rushing by to pick up Septimus’s body. He thinks about how ambulances symbolize civilization and how all the cars and carriages stop for them. As he thinks about his own life, Peter feels that the “privilege of loneliness” allows him to think whatever he wants in privacy. He feels both sentimental and morbid, reflecting on how easy it is for the ambulance to be coming for him instead. He also thinks about the privacy of the soul but uses it for imagining things rather than exploring deeper truths.
Peter begins to reminisce about his past with Clarissa. He remembers how they used to ride the bus together around London and how Clarissa once had a theory that to truly know someone, you must also understand the people and places that “complete” them. Clarissa believed that people might live on through the connections they have with others, even after death. Peter connects this thought with Septimus’s death, realizing that despite Septimus’s tragic end, he still exists in the memories of others, including Clarissa. This thought about the interconnection of people both supports and challenges the idea of the soul’s privacy.
Peter’s thoughts turn back to his long friendship with Clarissa, which has spanned thirty years. Though they fought many times, he admits that Clarissa has influenced him more than anyone else. He recalls their time at Bourton, where they would walk in the woods, argue, and discuss literature and politics. This was a time when Clarissa was a radical, full of ideas and energy. Despite Peter’s insistence that he no longer loves Clarissa, his thoughts always return to her, indicating how deeply their past still affects him.
Back at his hotel, Peter finds a letter from Clarissa, in which she says how “heavenly” it was to see him earlier that day. This upsets him because he wishes Clarissa had left him in peace, letting him remember their past without intruding on it with her present, conventional life with Richard. Peter feels that Clarissa has become someone very different from the woman he once knew, and this contrast between the past and the present disturbs him.
Peter imagines that after their meeting, Clarissa is regretting her decision to marry Richard instead of Peter, and he fantasizes about her weeping as she wrote the letter. He continues to fantasize, imagining that Clarissa now regrets not choosing him to be her partner in life’s adventure.
Although Peter has had relationships with other women, he compares his current love for Daisy to his love for Clarissa. He feels that his relationship with Daisy is simpler and less tormenting than his past with Clarissa. Daisy adores him, unlike Clarissa, who was more of an intellectual companion than a passionate lover. However, Peter still criticizes Clarissa in his mind, trying to convince himself that he now prefers Daisy.
Peter wonders if marrying Daisy would be a good idea but realizes that he’s too self-centered to stay devoted to her. He struggles with his love of privacy and his desire for human connection, feeling torn between wanting solitude and needing the attention and affection of others.
At dinner, Peter is seen by the other hotel guests as an interesting and respectable man, based on his composure and manners. He is aware that the guests only see his surface, and he briefly feels at ease. He is able to present the version of himself he wants others to see.
Peter decides to attend Clarissa’s party that evening. He tells himself that he wants to talk to Richard about the political situation in India, but he also feels the need to mingle with people, to connect with other souls. He imagines the soul as something that moves like a fish, needing to rise to the surface and touch other souls in moments of shared human experience, like gossiping together.
As Peter walks through the city on his way to Clarissa’s party, he notices the changes in London, including the introduction of daylight savings time, which makes the evening feel different than usual. He watches the young people pass by, heading to the movies, and admires their fashion. Peter reflects on his aunt, Helena, who was from an older era and seemed out of place compared to the modern world. He tells himself that he isn’t getting old, but he still enjoys watching the changes in English society while he’s been away.
Peter muses about the value of tradition and the past, thinking that these things can enrich the present. He walks through the city, admiring the beauty of life and the different lives behind the windows of people’s homes. As he approaches Clarissa’s house, he prepares himself to face whatever comes next, opening his pocketknife and entering her home, full of anticipation for the evening ahead.
Part 9:
As the Dalloway servants hurry to prepare for the party, news spreads that the Prime Minister will attend, but it doesn’t affect the cook’s work. The first guests arrive, and while the ladies go upstairs, the men enjoy a drink. Elizabeth, concerned about her dog, asks a servant to check on it. Though the Prime Minister is an important figure to some, he doesn’t affect the lower-class servants, and the details of the party seem particularly indulgent after Septimus’s suicide.
Guests continue arriving, and Peter Walsh, upon seeing Clarissa, feels disappointed, thinking she is insincere. Clarissa worries the party will fail but decides she prefers to “burn up” in a party than fade away like her cousin Ellie Henderson, who is at the party but feels out of place. Ellie is nervous but enjoys admiring the guests, taking mental notes to tell someone later, possibly Edith.
The party starts with some excitement when a curtain flaps in the wind, but Clarissa doesn’t enjoy herself yet. She feels like she has become an unreal figure and wonders if anyone could replace her as the hostess. Lady Bruton arrives, and then Clarissa is surprised by Sally Seton, now older and less attractive but still boasting about her life with five children. Clarissa is initially disappointed, but Sally’s presence stirs up old memories.
The Prime Minister arrives and moves around the room, but Peter finds him ordinary and almost laughable. The presence of the Prime Minister, representing tradition and English society, feels absurd when faced with his plainness. Peter then criticizes Hugh Whitbread, who is busy flattering the other guests, and watches Clarissa, still impressed by her ability to exist fully in the moment.
Clarissa enjoys the success of her party but feels disconnected from it, remembering Miss Kilman and the strength of the hatred she inspires. Clarissa, like Sally, is caught between her past passions and her current, conventional life. Later, Clarissa meets her Aunt Helena, who still lives in the past, discussing Burma and orchids. Clarissa sends Peter to talk to her, showing the divide between the old and the new.
Clarissa speaks briefly with Lady Bruton, but they have little in common despite mutual respect. Lady Bruton, with her deep attachment to the British Empire, stands in contrast to Clarissa, who once was more radical. Sally catches Clarissa’s arm, but Clarissa is too busy hosting to engage in a real conversation. She watches Sally and Peter reunite and remembers the old passion she had for Sally.
The Bradshaws arrive and, while Clarissa is expected to engage with them, she is struck by the news that Septimus has committed suicide. Clarissa retreats to a private room, shaken by this news. She reflects on Septimus’s death, seeing it as an act of communication, a defiance of life’s emptiness that she has obscured with the superficiality of her own life.
Clarissa realizes that Septimus’s death, in its purity, is something she could never achieve with her own conventional choices. She compares herself to the old woman across the street and feels a similar isolation. As the party continues, Clarissa finds comfort in the fact that Septimus, even in death, has managed to communicate something pure and real about life and its fleeting beauty.
She goes back to the party, filled with new understanding and ready to reconnect with Peter and Sally. Meanwhile, Peter and Sally, reminiscing about the past, realize how much they’ve changed and how their past dreams have faded. Sally talks about Clarissa, admitting her disappointment in Clarissa’s choice to marry Richard, but still showing affection for her.
Peter, feeling conflicted about his relationship with Clarissa, admits that it has “spoilt his life.” He reflects on his own emotional turmoil, which he believes was caused by his unrequited love for Clarissa. He and Sally observe Elizabeth, who seems very different from Clarissa. Eventually, Clarissa reappears, and Peter is filled with both terror and ecstasy at the moment of their reunion.
