Mrs. Dalloway

In her 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf traces a day in life of a upperclass housewife and the heroine of the novel, Clarissa Dalloway, who strolls through the streets of London in order to prepare for a party she is to host that evening. Clarissa Dalloway bumps into many different characters throughout the story, including Peter Walsh, her former lover. However, never does she actually meet Septimus Smith, a World War I veteran who suffers from post-war trauma of being shell shocked by explosions. In fact, it is only through Sir William Brandshaw, Spetimus’s psychiatrist and a guest at Clarissa’s party, Clarissa ever hears of Septimus: of Septimus’s death to be more precise. However, it can be argued that Septimus nonetheless is the character who influences Clarissa the most in the novel. Upon learning about Septimus’s death, Clarissa faces an epiphany and doubts the validity of English society and meaning of life.

Readers are first introduced to Septimus at Regent’s Park as he observes an explosion of a car, which reminds him of the war where he lost many of his comrades, including Evans, the ghost of whom he talks to regularly. Septimus have fought in the war in order to save his country, but affected greatly by the war, he no longer finds joy, nor meaning in life in England. Although readers find Septimus’s grief perfectly reasonable, the English society does not; in fact, even his wife Lucrezia seems to believe that Septimus needs help. Septimus then visits Sir William Brandshaw, a renown psychiatrist, who decides to admit Septimus into a mental asylum.

However, Septimus is never admitted to the hospital because he chooses to rather kill himself. Septimus and Lucrezia returns to their apartment as Septimus must get ready to go to the hospital. When one of the doctors come to their house to take Septimus, however, he jumps out of the building and kills himself in order to preserve the integrity of his soul.

Mrs. Dalloway only hears of Septimus’s demise later that evening at the party when Sir William Brandshaw and his wife joins her party. A typical of upperclass English housewife, Clarissa is shocked to find out about what happened to Septimus. The disparity between Clarissa and Septimus is great on the surface, for Clarissa stands for a sheltered upperclass woman whilst Septimus stands for a middle class war veteran. Nevertheless, they share the common sense of oppression. Upon learning about Septimus’s demise, Clarissa is shocked and applauds Septimus’s integrity to preserve his soul. She also pities Septimus and condemns the society that left an exemplary war veteran like Septimus misunderstood and isolated.  However, then she also realizes that she must keep on living, and her life as it is will have to be endured.