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Unit 29: Virginia Woolf — Mrs. Dalloway: Detailed Study of Text

of all of Clarissa’s old friends, he had always liked Sally best. She could see through the Notes
artificiality of the Whitbreads and Dalloways. The two had bonded over this dislike for artifice,
and the fact that Clarissa’s father liked neither one of them. And, now Peter would have to
ask Hugh Whitbread or Dalloway for a job. Richard was not really so bad, Peter thought.
Clarissa had probably fallen in love with him because of his ability to take charge. She thought
Richard independent for not liking Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Clarissa would have never married Hugh, Peter knew. She knew what she wanted. When she
walked into a room, one remembered her. Peter struggled to remind himself that he was no
longer in love with her. Even Clarissa would admit that she cared too much for societal rank.
She cared about the dukes and duchesses. Peter knew that she threw parties because she felt
that Richard should have them. Her opinions, from marriage, had become subdued by Richard.
Still, she was one of the largest skeptics Peter knew. She went through a phase of reading
Huxley after seeing her sister, Sylvia, killed in an accident. It was Clarissa’s nature, however,
to enjoy, and she did. She needed people to bring out her sense of humor. She surely adored
Elizabeth, who would think her and her friends, like Peter, boring and tiresome. Peter’s passions
remained strong but, being older; he could analyze them more objectively. He no longer really
needed people anymore. Perhaps he truly was in love with Daisy even though he scarcely had
thought of her recently. Because Daisy loved him in return, he could relax. Jealousy had
caused his rush of emotions at Clarissa’s that morning. After all, his coming to London was
not so he could marry Daisy, but to finalize her divorce. Clarissa had affected him because she
might have spared him from these travails.
A woman’s incomprehensible song rose from the subway station that Peter had reached. The
song seemed like an ancient song of love. Peter gave the woman a coin. Rezia Smith also saw
the old woman and pitied her. For some reason, seeing the woman made Rezia feel that
everything was going to be okay. Sir William Bradshaw, she thought, would help Septimus.
Looking at Septimus, one likely thought he was a well-educated clerk. Septimus had left home
for London at a young age, leaving a note behind him. In London, he had fallen in love with
Miss Isabel Pole, a woman who fueled the poet in him by lending him books and speaking of
Shakespeare. Mr. Brewer was Septimus’ manager at the office of Sibleys and Arrowsmiths. He
knew that Septimus would be very successful if he maintained his health. He advised Septimus
to play sports to strengthen his health.
Septimus was one of the first volunteers for the army in World War I. He went to protect
Shakespeare and Isabel. Septimus gained strength and was promoted. He became friends with
his officer, Evans, who died just before the war ended. Septimus was glad that he felt no grief
over the death, until he realized that he had lost the ability to feel. In a panic, he married a
young Italian girl, Lucrezia. Lucrezia adored his studiousness. The couple moved to London
and Septimus returned to his post. He wondered if life lacked meaning. He read Shakespeare
again and understood now that Shakespeare had despised love between man and woman.
After five years of marriage, Lucrezia wanted to have a baby. Septimus, however, could not
fathom bringing a child into the world. Rezia became increasingly unhappy. Septimus unhappily
felt nothing when she wept. He wondered if he would go mad and, progressively, he did
surrender to madness.
Dr. Holmes could not help. Septimus knew nothing was physically wrong with him, but he
figured, his crimes were still great. He felt nothing; he had married without love. The third
time Holmes came to see him, Septimus refused him. Holmes pushed in anyway. Even though
Septimus had talked of suicide, Holmes told him to shake off his depression. Septimus felt
that Holmes, representative of human nature, was after him. He hated Holmes. Rezia could
not understand this dislike. Without Rezia’s support, Septimus felt deserted. He heard the
world telling him to kill himself. One moment, he saw Evans, and cried out to him. Rezia

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