Virginia Woolf(1882-1941) (Virginia and Leonard Woolf,1912) Signature: lgi.W 1
1 Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) (Virginia and Leonard Woolf, 1912) Signature:
VIRGINIA WOOLF Mrs.Dalloway Understanding the Author: Virginia Woolf(1882-1941)is acclaimed as one of the great innovative novelists of the 20th century.An outstanding English writer and a leader of the "Bloomsbury Group",she was one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century.With her persistent experimentation with the stream-of-consciousness technique and with the form of the novel,she became a skilled exponent this technique.Mrs.Dalloway (1925).To the Lighthouse (1927)and The Waves (1931)are among her best-known works.As one of the most distinguished literary critics of her time and journalist of distinction,Woolf exposed the severe discrimination against women in England, particularly,women intellectuals.Her feminist viewpoints are best expressed in A Room of One's Own (1929),which has been accepted as a classic of the feminist movement.She was also a tireless letter-writer and diarist. 2
2 Understanding the Author: Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) is acclaimed as one of the great innovative novelists of the 20 th century. An outstanding English writer and a leader of the “Bloomsbury Group”, she was one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century. With her persistent experimentation with the stream-of-consciousness technique and with the form of the novel, she became a skilled exponent this technique. Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927) and The Waves (1931) are among her best-known works. As one of the most distinguished literary critics of her time and journalist of distinction, Woolf exposed the severe discrimination against women in England, particularly, women intellectuals. Her feminist viewpoints are best expressed in A Room of One’s Own (1929), which has been accepted as a classic of the feminist movement. She was also a tireless letter-writer and diarist
Understanding Stream of Consciousness: It is a phrase coined by William James in his Principles of Psychology (1890)to describe the flow of thoughts of the waking mind,but now widely used in a literary context to describe the narrative method by which certain novelists describe the unspoken thoughts and feelings of their characters,without resorting to objective description or conventional dialogue.In England,this method as a modern technique was developed by Dorothy M.Richardson,James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.The ability to represent the flux of a character's thoughts,impression,emotions,or memories,often without logical sequence or syntax,marked a revolution in the form of the novel in early twentieth-century England.The related phrase "interior monologue"is also used to describe the inner movement of consciousness in a character's mind.Celebrated examples are the opening pages of Mrs.Dalloway and Molly Bloom's reflections in the closing pages of Ulysses. Synopsis of Mrs Dalloway: The action of Mrs Dalloway covers one day for Clarissa Dalloway (with some other central characters,too)as she prepares for a big party that will take place that evening. As the novel begins,Clarissa strolls through Westminster,her neighborhood in London,on her way to a flower shop.Along the way,a few big things take place:she runs into an old friend named Hugh Whitbread,an explosion comes from a diplomatic car on its way to Buckingham Palace,and an"aeroplane"does a little skywriting. When she gets back from her errand,an old friend and former suitor,Peter Walsh,shows up unexpectedly.They're happy to see each other,but there's still some tension.Peter is clearly still in love with Clarissa,and she feels like he judges her for the decisions she's made-among them marrying the conservative but loyal Richard Dalloway.Numerous flashbacks-including one of Clarissa's kiss with a girl named Sally-fill in the story as it happened years ago at her family's country home,Bourton. Feeling desperate over his own unfulfilling life,Peter gets weepy and asks Clarissa if she really loves Richard.Before she can answer,Elizabeth (her daughter)interrupts, and Peter heads out to Regent's Park. We then move to the perspective of Septimus Warren Smith,a shell-shocked World War I veteran who saw Evans,his friend and officer,killed in war.Septimus' wife,Lucrezia,is trying to distract him as they wait for an appointment with Sir William Bradshaw,a mean old psychiatrist. The third person omniscient narrator takes us back to Septimus'life before the war:he was an aspiring poet,read Shakespeare,and loved Miss Isabel Pole.After the war,Septimus becomes emotionally numb.On a total whim,he becomes engaged to an Italian girl Lucrezia.Back in the present day,Septimus is driven deeper into
3 Understanding Stream of Consciousness: It is a phrase coined by William James in his Principles of Psychology (1890) to describe the flow of thoughts of the waking mind, but now widely used in a literary context to describe the narrative method by which certain novelists describe the unspoken thoughts and feelings of their characters, without resorting to objective description or conventional dialogue. In England, this method as a modern technique was developed by Dorothy M. Richardson, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf. The ability to represent the flux of a character’s thoughts, impression, emotions, or memories, often without logical sequence or syntax, marked a revolution in the form of the novel in early twentieth-century England. The related phrase “interior monologue” is also used to describe the inner movement of consciousness in a character’s mind. Celebrated examples are the opening pages of Mrs. Dalloway and Molly Bloom’s reflections in the closing pages of Ulysses. Synopsis of Mrs Dalloway: The action of Mrs Dalloway covers one day for Clarissa Dalloway (with some other central characters, too) as she prepares for a big party that will take place that evening. As the novel begins, Clarissa strolls through Westminster, her neighborhood in London, on her way to a flower shop. Along the way, a few big things take place: she runs into an old friend named Hugh Whitbread, an explosion comes from a diplomatic car on its way to Buckingham Palace, and an “aeroplane” does a little skywriting. When she gets back from her errand, an old friend and former suitor, Peter Walsh, shows up unexpectedly. They’re happy to see each other, but there’s still some tension. Peter is clearly still in love with Clarissa, and she feels like he judges her for the decisions she’s made – among them marrying the conservative but loyal Richard Dalloway. Numerous flashbacks – including one of Clarissa's kiss with a girl named Sally – fill in the story as it happened years ago at her family’s country home, Bourton. Feeling desperate over his own unfulfilling life, Peter gets weepy and asks Clarissa if she really loves Richard. Before she can answer, Elizabeth (her daughter) interrupts, and Peter heads out to Regent’s Park. We then move to the perspective of Septimus Warren Smith, a shell-shocked World War I veteran who saw Evans, his friend and officer, killed in war. Septimus’ wife, Lucrezia, is trying to distract him as they wait for an appointment with Sir William Bradshaw, a mean old psychiatrist. The third person omniscient narrator takes us back to Septimus’ life before the war: he was an aspiring poet, read Shakespeare, and loved Miss Isabel Pole. After the war, Septimus becomes emotionally numb. On a total whim, he becomes engaged to an Italian girl Lucrezia. Back in the present day, Septimus is driven deeper into
madness,including some crazy hallucinations.Doctors never acknowledge the fact that the war has impacted Septimus.Lucrezia is also miserable,homesick for Italy While Clarissa rests and prepares for the party,Richard has lunch with the impressively rich and British upper crust Lady Bruton.After lunch,Richard wants to go home and tell Clarissa he loves her,but he cops out and just gives her flowers instead.Clarissa actually cherishes the independence she has in her marriage, knowing that she could never have that with Peter.In the meantime,Clarissa's daughter goes off shopping with her friend Miss Kilman,whom Mrs Dalloway hates, despises,and absolutely cannot stand. Meanwhile,Septimus and Lucrezia wait at their apartment for Sir William Bradshaw,who is coming to take Septimus to a psychiatric home.The couple shares a rare moment of joy,but before Bradshaw enters the apartment,Septimus throws himself out the window.He would rather die than have the doctor steal his soul. When Clarissa's party begins,she circulates,making sure to pay attention to every guest-especially the prime minister.Peter and Sally patiently await some attention from Clarissa as they talk about their memories of Bourton.A late arrival, Sir William Bradshaw,shows up with his wife,who announces that Septimus has killed himself.Clarissa is annoyed that Lady Bradshaw mentioned death at her party, but she is envious of Septimus'ability to embrace the moment.Finally,she returns to the party and her appearance fills Peter's heart with joy. Text: Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway (excerpts)(see docx) Questions for Discussion: 1.From this chapter,what can we know about Mrs.Dalloway's past life experiences,her marriage,her expectations of life,and above all,her personality? 2.How does the author indicate the changing points between the present action of the story and the inner workings or free associations of Mrs.Dalloway? Give examples. 3.Show some examples of the poetic quality of Virginia Woolf's prose (rhythm and imagery). 4
4 madness, including some crazy hallucinations. Doctors never acknowledge the fact that the war has impacted Septimus. Lucrezia is also miserable, homesick for Italy. While Clarissa rests and prepares for the party, Richard has lunch with the impressively rich and British upper crust Lady Bruton. After lunch, Richard wants to go home and tell Clarissa he loves her, but he cops out and just gives her flowers instead. Clarissa actually cherishes the independence she has in her marriage, knowing that she could never have that with Peter. In the meantime, Clarissa’s daughter goes off shopping with her friend Miss Kilman, whom Mrs Dalloway hates, despises, and absolutely cannot stand. Meanwhile, Septimus and Lucrezia wait at their apartment for Sir William Bradshaw, who is coming to take Septimus to a psychiatric home. The couple shares a rare moment of joy, but before Bradshaw enters the apartment, Septimus throws himself out the window. He would rather die than have the doctor steal his soul. When Clarissa’s party begins, she circulates, making sure to pay attention to every guest – especially the prime minister. Peter and Sally patiently await some attention from Clarissa as they talk about their memories of Bourton. A late arrival, Sir William Bradshaw, shows up with his wife, who announces that Septimus has killed himself. Clarissa is annoyed that Lady Bradshaw mentioned death at her party, but she is envious of Septimus’ ability to embrace the moment. Finally, she returns to the party and her appearance fills Peter’s heart with joy. Text: Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway (excerpts) (see docx) Questions for Discussion: 1. From this chapter, what can we know about Mrs. Dalloway’s past life experiences, her marriage, her expectations of life, and above all, her personality? 2. How does the author indicate the changing points between the present action of the story and the inner workings or free associations of Mrs. Dalloway? Give examples. 3. Show some examples of the poetic quality of Virginia Woolf’s prose (rhythm and imagery)
