Mrs Dalloway: Context & Writers Techniques

Context

Brief Biography of Virginia Woolf

Early Life:

• Virginia Woolf was born in 1882 into a literate and wealthy family in London. She was the second to last among several siblings and half-siblings. Her early life was marked by the deaths of her mother and half-sister, leading to her first nervous breakdown. Education and Career:

• Woolf was well-educated and extremely well-read but did not have the same university opportunities as her brothers. She became friends with notable intellectuals such as John Maynard Keynes, Clive Bell, and Leonard Woolf, forming the Bloomsbury Group. Woolf married Leonard Woolf in 1912 but also had an influential affair with writer Vita Sackville-West.

  

Literary Contributions:

• Woolf was a prolific writer, producing essays, lectures, stories, and novels until her death. Her works significantly shaped modernist literature, psychology, and feminism. She is considered one of the greatest lyrical writers in the English language. Woolf committed suicide in 1941 at the age of 59.

The Novel's History

• When and Where Written: Mrs Dalloway was written between 1922 and 1924 in London and Sussex.
• Publication: The novel was published in 1925.
• Initial Reception: The novel was well-received and is now considered one of the key works of modernist literature.

Literary Contexts

Historical and Political Context

• Post-World War I: The novel is set in June 1923, five years after the end of World War I. The United Kingdom, although victorious, suffered massive financial losses and a significant death toll. The period saw the rise of the "lost generation", exemplified by Septimus, a war veteran suffering from PTSD.
• Social Change: The early 1920s were a time of significant political and social change. In 1922, much of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, and many British colonies sought independence in the following decades. The novel critiques the conservatism and traditionalism of the upper classes during this period.

Cultural and Social Context

• Modernist Literature: Mrs Dalloway is a seminal work of modernist fiction, characterized by its stream-of-consciousness technique and focus on inner psychological states.
• Influences: James Joyce's Ulysses, which also follows characters' streams of consciousness over the course of one day, parallels Woolf's novel. Woolf drew inspiration from classical Greek works like the Odyssey and Antigone, seeing the latter as an important work of feminine protest. Woolf's literary predecessors include Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, and George Eliot.

Philosophical, Religious, and Intellectual Ideas

• Stream of Consciousness: Woolf employs a stream-of-consciousness narrative style, providing an intimate look into the characters' thoughts and feelings, particularly those of Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren Smith.
• Mental Health: Through Septimus's character, Woolf explores themes of mental illness and the inadequacies of contemporary medical practices in treating psychological trauma.
• Critique of Social Norms: The novel critiques the rigid social norms and class structures of post-war British society, highlighting the contrast between public appearance and private reality.

Useful Concepts to Be Aware of in the Novel

• Third-Person Omniscient Narration: The novel uses third-person omniscient narration with free indirect discourse, allowing the narrative to shift seamlessly between the thoughts of different characters.
• Stream-of-Consciousness Technique: Woolf's innovative use of the stream-of-consciousness technique immerses readers in the characters' inner lives and experiences.
• Symbolism: The novel is rich with symbolism, such as the use of Big Ben to represent the passage of time and the constant presence of death and mortality.
• Literary Influence: Mrs Dalloway has influenced countless works of literature and continues to be a subject of study and adaptation.
• Social Critique: The novel provides a critical examination of social structures, class, and gender roles in post-war British society.

Writer's Techniques

Structure and Plot

Stream of Consciousness

• Woolf uses the stream of consciousness technique to delve into the inner thoughts of her characters, capturing the fluidity of their experiences.
• This method allows readers to experience the characters' immediate perceptions and emotions, creating a rich, immersive narrative.

Single Day Narrative

• The novel's events unfold over the course of a single day, emphasizing the significance of everyday moments.
• This tight temporal focus highlights the contrast between external events and internal thoughts, underscoring the theme of time and memory.

Nonlinear Structure

• Woolf employs a nonlinear structure, with frequent flashbacks and shifts in perspective.
• This technique reflects the characters' preoccupations with their pasts and how it shapes their present identities.

Language and Style

Lyrical Prose

• Woolf's writing is noted for its lyrical, poetic quality, often blurring the lines between prose and poetry.
• Her descriptions are rich and detailed, creating vivid images and emotional depth.

Free Indirect Discourse

• The novel frequently uses free indirect discourse, allowing the third-person narration to reflect the inner thoughts of various characters.
• This approach provides insight into the characters' subjective experiences while maintaining an omniscient narrative perspective.

Symbolic Imagery

• Woolf employs symbolic imagery to convey deeper meanings, such as the recurring motif of water symbolizing the flow of time and consciousness.
• Big Ben and the chimes of clocks are recurring symbols that mark the passage of time and the inevitability of mortality.

Symbols

Flowers

• Flowers symbolize the beauty and fragility of life, as well as Clarissa's role as a hostess.
• Clarissa's purchase of flowers reflects her desire to create beauty in the world despite its transience.

Big Ben

• Big Ben represents the relentless march of time, a central theme in the novel.
• The clock's chimes serve as a constant reminder of the passage of time and the characters' mortality.

The Prime Minister

• The Prime Minister symbolizes traditional English values and societal expectations.
• His appearance at Clarissa's party highlights the superficiality and conservatism of the social elite.

The Old Woman

• The old woman across the way represents solitude and the privacy of the soul.
• Clarissa's observations of the old woman underscore her own reflections on isolation and connection.