Detailed analysis of sections of Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs Dalloway. Septimus, Clarissa, Rezia and Peter Walsh's characters are described and analysed. With quotes and context applied to the analysis.
Section 5: Peter Walsh’s journey from Westminster to Regent’s Park
1. Peter is critical of the army for its youth – “they did not look robust”, “they were weedy for
the most part, boys of sixteen”. He notices their innocence “they don’t know the troubles of
the flesh yet.”
But he had respect for them – “one had to respect it, one might laugh; but one had to
respect it, he thought.”
Peter believes that the army is “a very fine training”. “Gordon whom as a boy he had
worshipped” He admires the army and has faith in it and his country.
2. “nobody yet knew he was in London” – gives him the freedom to explore the city without
having to explain his whereabouts to others. “yet stood at the opening of endless avenues,
down which if he chose he might wander.” He has the freedom of choice.
“He had not felt so young for years.” “He had escaped! Was utterly free”
3. “the private name which he called himself in his own thought” are contrasted with those of
the public self as just “Peter”. The qualities of the private self are contrasted with those of
the public self as the public self is often artificial and not true to Peter’s true personality.
4. Civilisation is signified by “moments of pride in England; in butlers; chow dogs; girls in their
security.” “The doctors and men of business and capable women all going about their
business, punctual, alert, robust, seemed to him wholly admirable”. Here he is in awe of the
mundanity of life – this is contrasted by his view of himself as grander. “(landed as he was
from India last night) a romantic buccaneer”. He puts himself above the normality of
civilisation.
5. Woolf repeats “Such are the visions” to differentiate dreams from reality. She also explicitly
states that Peter “sank into the plumes and feather of sleep” and then states that “he woke
up with extreme suddenness.”
6. Even in his dreams Peter sees himself as “a solitary traveller”, (before he had referred to
himself as “a romantic buccaneer”). The imagery of the grey nurse knitting is repeated at the
beginning and end of Peter’s dreaming. This could be because he feels he lacks a motherly
figure or that he seeks the comfort of a caretaker.
Section 6: Peter enters a reverie on his time at Bourton when
Clarissa was introduced to Richard Dalloway
1. “Death of the soul” in his loneliness as a “solitary traveller” he has given up hope of ever
getting Clarissa or much love. In the ‘real’ events, this is reinforced as it becomes clear to
Peter that he has lost Clarissa to Richard. This past memory confirms his suspicion that
Clarissa will never be his.
2. “It was as if she said to Peter – it was all aimed at him, he knew – ‘I know you thought me
absurd about that woman just now; but see how extra ordinarily sympathetic I am; see how
I love my Rob!’” – “They have always this queer power of communicating without words.
She knew directly he criticised her. Then she would do something quite obvious to defend
herself,”
3. “That was the devilish part of her – this coldness, this woodenness, something very
profound in her,” – “She had some queer power of fiddling on one’s nerves, turning one’s
nerves into fiddle-strings, yes.”
4. “She had come back to fetch him. He was overcome by her generosity – her goodness” 2He
had never felt so happy in the whole of his life!” – “He had twenty minutes of perfect
happiness.”
5. Peter considered himself absurd. “He asked impossible things. He made terrible scenes.” He
found himself absurd when he so obviously vouched for Clarissa's attention – causing
'terrible scenes.'
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