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

Notes

Task What is Richard doing about the police?

Clarissa had to move on to another group of people. She came upon Professor Brierly, an
expert on Milton, and Jim Hutton, who shared Clarissa’s love for Bach, not getting along.
Clarissa wished she could have Hutton play on the piano, but the party was too loud. She,
then, greeted Lord Gayton and Miss Blow, who were not speaking much. Clarissa wished she
had dancing for the young people, but there was no room. Spotting her aunt, Clarissa went
to old Helena Parry. She had gotten along so well with Peter, so Clarissa brought Peter to her.
Clarissa promised Peter that they would speak later. Clarissa met with Lady Bruton briefly.
They were very different and did not have much to say. Lady Bruton joined Peter near
Miss. Parry, and invited him to lunch. Sally noticed Peter with Miss. Parry. She tried to make
Clarissa join them, but Clarissa could not be stopped. Clarissa hoped they would wait until
she had time. She remembered Sally’s vigor from youth, her insatiable vivacity. Sally did not
illuminate a room as she once had. Settling down to a normal marriage was not expected of
her, Clarissa thought. Sally sat with Peter. Clarissa saw them as the link to her past.

The Bradshaws entered and Clarissa hurried to greet them. Clarissa and Richard had never
liked the couple, especially the doctor. They were so late because, as Lady Bradshaw intimated
to Clarissa, Sir William had received a call about a young man who had killed himself.
Clarissa was appalled that Lady Bradshaw was bringing death into the party. Distraught,
Clarissa wandered into a little room but no one was there. The thought of death overwhelmed
her. She could feel the man, who had been Septimus, fall and his body hit the metal spikes
as if it were she. She thought of her past, Peter, and Sally, and she wondered if the man had
been happy. Clarissa realized why she despised Sir Bradshaw; he made the life of his patients
intolerable. The death seemed her disgrace, a fate into which she might have slipped if it had
not been for Richard. He made her life happy, she thought. Clarissa looked out the window
and noticed that the old woman across was looking back toward her. She thought it bizarre
to watch the old woman prepare for bed while her party roared in the next room. Clarissa felt
revived by the knowledge that Septimus had thrown his life away. She returned to the party,
to find Peter and Sally.
Peter was still sitting with Sally but he wondered where Clarissa had gone. Sally figured that
the people at the party were all important politicians, like Richard. Richard, however, had
never made the Cabinet. Sally had changed, Peter thought. Peter had not, Sally thought. Sally
remembered the scene at Bourton the first day Richard had come. It had triggered the three
of them parting. They spoke a little of Sally’s home near Manchester and Sally invited Peter
to visit. Clarissa had never visited. They noticed Elizabeth standing across the room; she
seemed so unlike Clarissa. Sally mentioned that she loved Clarissa, but Clarissa lacked something.
Sally wondered how Clarissa could have married Richard. As Hugh passed, Peter asked Sally
whether Hugh had really kissed her at Bourton. Sally still stuck to the story. After Hugh
passed, Sally asked about many people in the room, but Peter only knew about a few. He kept
looking for Clarissa. Sally felt that they had grown to the age that one must say what they feel.
Peter said he did not know what he felt. He admitted that his relationship with Clarissa had
spoilt his life. One could only be in love once, he reasoned. When Sally said Clarissa must
have loved him more than she loved Richard, Peter felt she had gone too far. Looking at
Elizabeth again, Peter felt that one knew people better as one grew older whereas Sally felt
that one never knew anything.
Richard stood talking to the Bradshaws before they left. Elizabeth caught his eye and wandered
over to him. Richard was amazed how grown up she looked. Sally could tell that Elizabeth

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