Why you should read Mrs. Dalloway…
1. According to the Detroit Free Press, Woolf is the only woman writer and
the 5th most popular writer on HotBot’s list of most actively sought writers
on a list that includes James Joyce, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway,
Jack Kerouac, etc. Find out why!!
2. Virginia Woolf is a master of the “stream of consciousness” technique of
writing; she recreates the meanderings of human consciousness in an
artful, yet engaging manner.
3. Mrs. Dalloway is an uncompromising, yet reverent tribute to the city of
London.
4. Woolf addresses the concepts of time and sanity and mortality – and how
they intersect – in a thought-provoking, disturbing, and exhilarating
manner.
Why you may struggle with Mrs. Dalloway…
1. Since she is most interested in recreating consciousness, plot is deemphasized and may seem hard to follow at times.
2. Without chapter breaks, Woolf may leave you feeling a bit exhausted and
overwhelmed at times.
3. Woolf’s constant awareness of mortality is both exhilarating and
debilitating to her characters – and to her readers at times.
4. If your edition includes a foreword or introduction, consider reading it
half-way through the novel; wait until you have already formed your own
first impressions, but could benefit from an “expert” opinion.
Still interested?
Download the novel for free at one of the following sites:
http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200991h.html
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/w/woolf/virginia/w91md/
Brief description of “stream of consciousness”:
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/stream.html
Mrs. Dalloway – Fast Facts
Pages – 194 (Harcourt Brace & Company)
Author – Virginia Woolf
Date Published – 1925
Setting – London, England, 1923
Point of view – Third person omniscient
Genre – Fiction
Issues/Conflicts – Gender / Love / Family / Sexuality / Human Nature /
Social Class / Mortality
Beyond the Basics…
Interesting site by Elisa Kay Sparks:
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/dial/T&Vseminar/dallinks.html
Maps of Mrs. Dalloway’s walks:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/TVSeminar/dallwalkmap.html
Powerpoint of Mrs. Dalloway’s walks:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/TVSeminar/mrsdalloway.ppt
Excerpts from Woolf’s diary, concerning Mrs. Dalloway:
http://www.uah.edu/woolf/dalcom.html
Link to essays on Woolf and her writings:
http://filer.case.edu/qxh4/essaysreviewsWoolf4.pdf
Virginia Woolf Web:
http://orlando.jp.org/VWWARC/
Mrs. Dalloway -- “Chapter” Breaks
Here are possible “chapter breaks” to help you navigate the focus of the
narration. (The page numbers correspond to Harcourt Brace & Company’s
edition, first published in 1925):
pp. 3 – 20
pp. 21 – 29
pp. 29 – 48
pp. 48 – 64
pp. 64 – 70
pp. 70 – 81
pp. 82 – 102
pp. 102 – 112
pp. 112 – 117
pp. 117 – 123
pp. 123 – 134
pp. 134 – 139
pp. 139 – 151
pp. 151 – 165
pp. 165 – end
Clarissa Dalloway
Lucrezia Warren Smith
Clarissa Dalloway
Peter Walsh
Lucrezia & Septimus Warren Smith
Peter Walsh
Lucrezia & Septimus Warren Smith
Lady Bruton
Richard Dalloway
Clarissa Dalloway
Miss Kilman
Elizabeth Dalloway
Lucrezia & Septimus Warren Smith
Peter Walsh
Clarissa’s Party
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
After reading Mrs. Dalloway, consider reading The Hours by Michael
Cunningham. The Hours is the Pulitzer prize-winning novel inspired by Mrs.
Dalloway. According to http://www.michaelcunninghamwriter.com/books/the_hours/,
the narrative follows the lives of a number of contemporary characters who are
“struggling with the conflicting claims of love and inheritance, hope and despair.
The narrative of Woolf’s last days before her suicide early in World War II
counterpoints the fictional stories of Samuel, a famous poet whose life has been
shadowed by his talented and troubled mother, and his lifelong friend Clarissa,
who strives to forge a balanced and rewarding life in spite of the demands of
friends, lovers, and family.” The title “The Hours” was Woolf’s original, working
title of Mrs. Dalloway.
In 2003, a film version of The Hours was released. It was nominated for nine
Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Nicole Kidman won the Academy
Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf.
Here is a site that highlights the film (be sure to check out the trivia section!!):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274558/
Mrs. Dalloway -- Author Information
Adeline Virginia Stephen was born on January 25, 1882 in London, England to
well-educated and well-connected parents. Her family consisted of four stepsiblings, in addition to two brothers and a sister. During her childhood, many
famous authors visited her parents, including Henry James and George Eliot.
Although the Stephens primary residence was in London, the family spent their
summers in Cornwall. When Virginia was 13, her mother died, then two years
later one of her step-sisters died, and the death of her father occurred less than
ten years later. These premature deaths are thought to have resulted in a number
of nervous breakdowns, including a period of institutionalization. Contemporary
scholars believe she suffered from bipolar disorder, which eventually led to her
suicide by drowning on March 28, 1941.
Virginia studied at King’s College London, where she met her husband, Leonard
Woolf, and a number of other intellectuals who formed the “Bloomsbury Group”
– a group of writers and artists who focused on representing consciousness and
its relationship to time, mortality and daily life. The group also explored
sexuality and Virginia is known to have a number of sexual relationships with
women.
Virginia Woolf was a prolific writer who published nine novels, in addition to
many shorter works of fiction, non-fiction, drama, and three biographies. One of
her most famous works of non-fiction is the essay “A Room of One’s Own” which
addresses the needs of women writers. Woolf is considered to be one of the
foremost modern writers due to her experimental style and artistry with the
“stream of consciousness” genre of writing.
More information on Woolf’s life and
works:
Famous quotes by Woolf:
http://www.moralquotes.com/index.php/a?blog=2&paged=1&page=1
&cat=183
Interesting article on Woolf:
http://asteelring.blogspot.com/
Interview with Woolf:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/woolfv1
.shtml
Forum on Woolf:
http://www.online-literature.com/virginia_woolf/
The website of the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britian:
http://www.virginiawoolfsociety.co.uk/
The International Virginia Woolf Society:
http://www.utoronto.ca/IVWS/
More biographical information:
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/vwoolf.htm
Essay “A Room of One’s Own”:
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/w/woolf/virginia/w91r/
Two websites about the Bloomsbury Group:
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9015730/Bloomsbury-group
http://therem.net/bloom.htm
Printable Bookmark! Please print and then cut to use as a reference as you read!!
The most significant characters are listed, and only basic information has been
provided to avoid “spoilers.” The “Intro” column indicates the page number in
which each character is first introduced. Enjoy!
Character
Clarissa
Dalloway
Peter Walsh
Elizabeth
Dalloway
Hugh and
Evelyn
Whitbread
Richard
Dalloway
Sylvia
Dalloway
Sally Seton
Rosseter
Doris Kilman
Septimus
Warren Smith
Lucrezia
(Rezia)
Warren Smith
Dr. Holmes
Lucy
Lady Millicent
Bruton
Joseph
Breitkopf
Justin Parry
Daisy
Sir William
Bradshaw
Evans
Mrs. Filmer
Milly Brush
Mrs.
Marsham and
Ellie
Henderson
Description
Protagonist; 52
years old.
Former suitor of
Clarissa; 53 years
old.
Clarissa’s daughter;
18 years old.
Clarissa’s friend;
Hugh has job at
court.
P#
3
Clarissa’s husband.
6
Clarissa’s dead
sister.
Childhood friend of
Clarissa’s.
Elizabeth’s friend;
40ish.
WWI vet; 30 years
old.
Septimus’s wife;
Italian; 24 years old.
9
Psychiatrist of the
Smiths
Clarissa’s maid
Friend of the
Dalloways; 40 years
old.
German friend who
stayed at Bourton.
Clarissa’s father.
Woman Peter
intends to marry.
Psychiatrist of the
Smiths.
Friend of Septimus’s
who died in war.
Neighbor of Smiths.
Lady Bruton’s
secretary.
Guests at Dalloway’s
party.
21
3
5
5
9
11
14
15
29
29
35
42
43
66
66
66
103
117
Mrs. Dalloway – Menu Ideas
According to some, Woolf was in the habit of filling her house with flowers –
specifically red, yellow and blue flowers – different kinds in each room.
Interesting article on the different types of tea and social
engagements:
http://www.bartleby.com/95/13.html
Delicious tea!
http://www.choiceorganicteas.com/blackteas-order.asp
http://www.republicoftea.com/templates/detail.asp?navID=291
http://www.celestialseasonings.com/index.html
http://www.teaforte.com/
Here are a number of great recipes for “high tea” from the following
site:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Menu/HighTea.htm
Originally from Devonshire County, England, it is a thick, buttery cream often used as a topping
for desserts. It is still a specialty of Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset as this is where the right breed
of cattle are raised with a high enough cream content to produce clotted cream. It is also known as
Devon cream and clotted cream. Clotted cream has a consistency similar to soft butter.
Before the days of pasteurization, the milk from the cows was left to stand for several hours so
that the cream would rise to the top. Then this cream was skimmed and put into big pans. The
pans were then floated in trays of constantly boiling water in a process known as scalding. The
cream would then become much thicker and develop a golden crust which is similar to butter.
Check out all of Linda's Afternoon Tea & High Tea Recipes and also Puddings, Creams, and
Custard Recipes
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
60 large fresh strawberries, with stems left in tact
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup half and half cream
1 to 2 tablespoons brandy, your favorite liqueur, or 2 teaspoons prepared coffee
Line a baking sheet or cookie pan with waxed paper.Wash the strawberries and pat dry thoroughly with
paper towels; set aside. NOTE: Make sure the strawberries are completely dry. Even a drop of water in
the melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a grainy mess.
If you use refrigerated strawberries, allow them to come to room temperature a few hours before dipping
it in the melted chocolate. If you use cold fruit, condensation will form and that will prevent the
chocolate from sticking.
Using one of the below methods, melt the chocolate chips:
Methods of Melting Chocolate:
Double Boiler:

In the top of a double boiler over hot water, not
boiling water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch
the water, melt chocolate; add cream, stirring until
smooth. NOTE: Be careful boiling water may cause steam droplets to get into
chocolate which can result in "seizing," when the chocolate becomes stiff and
grainy. NOTE: If you don't have a double boiler you can improvise one by
placing a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Remove from heat and blend in brandy, liqueur, or coffee. Let the chocolate
cool slightly, but it should not set.
Microwave Melting Chocolate:


In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips using
either the defrost setting or 10-percent power in the
microwave.
Microwave for 1 minute, then check and stir. If you need more time, do it in
10-20 seconds intervals and check and stir after each addition of microwave
time. Remove the container from the microwave and stir the chocolate until
completely melted. Baking chips and baking chocolate may appear formed
and un-melted after heating but will become fluid after stirring. Blend in
cream, brandy, liqueur, or coffee.
HOW TO DIP: Grasp the stem or green leaves of the strawberry and dip into the chocolate and swirl in
chocolate to partially cover. Give the strawberry a little shake as you withdraw it from the chocolate (this
will fill in all the cracks and leave a nice even line of of chocolate at the base.) When the strawberry is
completely withdrawn from the chocolate, swirl it in a quick, clockwise motion to let the excess chocolate
drip off. Place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
Either place strawberries into refrigerator or set aside to allow the chocolate to harden, about 30
minutes. Transfer fruit onto a serving platter to serve.
NOTE: The chocolate dipped strawberries are best if eaten within 24 hours - refrigerate for longer
storage, but serve at room temperature for greatest flavor.
Mock Devonshire Cream
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in whipping cream. With
an electric mixer, beat mixture until stiff. Store in refrigerator.
Putting on the Ritz Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
8 hard-cooked eggs*
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
20 slices best-quality white bread
* Check out my web page on Boiling Eggs.
Peel eggs and place into a medium bowl. Slice eggs and then coarsely mash them with the
back of a fork. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and dill; stir until well blended. NOTE: This
mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days.
Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Spread the buttered side of 10 slices of
bread with 2 tablespoons egg mixture. Top with remaining slices of bread, buttered side
down.
Carefully cut the crusts from sandwich with a sharp knife. Cut in half diagonally, then cut in
half again.
Tea Sandwiches:
Allow 4 to 6 cut sandwich servings for each person.
Choose the best-quality white or wheat bread as possible. Never serve end slices. Freezing the bread
before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling.
Bread slices should be lightly buttered not matter what the filling. Unsalted butter should always be
used. Butter should be at room temperature before spreading. Sandwiches will not become limp and
soggy as readily if you spread the butter to the edge of the bread.
Cut the crusts off the bread with a long, sharp knife after the sandwiches are filled. This keeps everything
neater.
Since tea sandwiches should be delicate, cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal or into thirds or
fourths before serving. Decorative shapes can be made with cookie cutters.
Making Sandwiches Ahead of Time:
If you need to make tea sandwiches in advance and need to keep them from drying out, cover them
loosely with a sheet of wax paper and then place a damp kitchen towel over the wax paper (never place a
damp towel directly on top of the bread because the sandwiches will become soggy). Refrigerate. When
ready to serve, remove from refrigerator. Uncover sandwiches just before serving.
Orange Poppy Seed Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds, toasted*
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Orange Glaze (see recipe below)
* Toasting Poppy Seeds - Toast poppy seeds in a 350 degree oven or in a dry frying pan over
medium heat. Stir occasionally, toasting only until seeds begins to brown.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine flour,
sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, orange zest, vanilla
extract, and almond extract; stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center
comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on wire racks.
While still hot, using a long-tined fork, poke holes in the top of baked loaves. Pour Orange Glaze
over loaves. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing.
Yields 2 loaves.
ORANGE GLAZE:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract;
stir until well blended.
What is an English trifle? It is a cake well soaked with sherry and served with a boiled
custard poured over it. This cake is also known as "Tipsy Pudding." George Washington
is said to have preferred trifle over all other desserts.
If you don't have a true trifle bowl, use any straight-sided round glass bowl (the layers
look beautiful from the sides of a glass bowl. This wonderful English Trifle is served at
High Tea.
Check out Linda's Afternoon Tea & High Tea Recipes.
Don't forget to check out my American High Tea or Afternoon Tea Menu (with recipes)
which includes this delicious English Trifle.
English Trifle
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix *
1 cup raspberry jam, divided**
1 (29-ounce) can sliced peaches, drained (reserve juice)
1/2 cup sherry, or brandy, divided (optional)***
1 (6-serving size) vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
3 cups milk
2 cups sweetened whipping cream
Sliced toasted almonds
* A purchased sponge cake may be substituted.
** Your favorite jam can be substituted.
*** You can omit the liquor if you don't use alcohol in your cooking.
Prepare the yellow cake according to package directions using a 9-inch cake pan
(reserve one layer for another use). Slice one baked cake layer horizontally into two
equal layers.
Place one sliced layer into a trifle dish or a large glass bowl with straight sides; cover
with 1/2 cup jam and half of the sliced peaches. Pour approximately half of the reserved
peach juice over the cake or until it is moist but not sloppy. Pour 1/4 cup sherry or
brandy over the top, as evenly as possible. Place the second sliced cake layer on top and
cover with remaining jam and peaches; pour remaining peach juice and sherry or
brandy over the top.
Prepare the vanilla pudding according to package directions, using the 3 cups of milk.
Pour hot pudding over the top of the cake; let cool. When cool, spread with whipped
cream. Decorate with toasted sliced almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
overnight.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Lemon Bars Deluxe
Crust:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered or confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Extra softened butter for greasing pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Lightly butter a 13x 9-inch baking dish and line with parchment or wax paper allowing edges to come over
the sides.
Pulse flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor. Add butter and
blend, 8 to 10 seconds, and then pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle
mixture into prepared baking pan and press firmly into an even layer with slightly
raised sides to hold in the filling. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and then bake until
golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes; remove from oven and let cool slightly. After
crust is finished baking, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Lemon Filling:
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from two large lemons)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1/3 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
Extra powdered or confectioners' sugar to decorate finished bars
While crust is baking, make the Lemon Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar,
and flour; stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and salt to blend well. Pour mixture onto
the pan on top of the warm crust.
NOTE: You may set prepared Lemon Filling aside until crust is finished baking. When
ready to pour on warm crust, re-blend Lemon Filling mixture and pour into the warm
crust.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the filling feels firm when touched lightly. Transfer the
pan to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Grasp the parchment and carefully lift the
bars onto a cutting board. Cut into serving size squares or bars, wiping your knife clean
between cuts if necessary. Sieve powdered or confectioners' sugar over bars and serve.
NOTE: The powdered sugar will start to be absorbed into the Lemon Filling after
several hours, but it can be reapplied before serving.
Storage: 3 days at room temperature, 3 weeks refrigerated (individually wrapped in
plastic wrap to prevent drying), or 3 months frozen.
Yields about 2 dozen bars.
Mrs. Dalloway – Creating the Mood!!
Here are some ideas to set the mood and get the conversation started
to help you appreciate Woolf’s classic. Enjoy!
Introductory Game Ideas:
If your group was unable to read The Hours, consider watching the
movie version and comparing it to Mrs. Dalloway. Or, consider
watching the award-winning Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; while
this film is not directly related to Mrs. Dalloway, your group could
discuss why Albee chose to connect his play to Woolf.
The Hours:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274558/
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061184/
http://www.filmsite.org/whos3.html
Here is a site with quotes attributed to Virginia Woolf:
http://www.moralquotes.com/index.php/a?blog=2&paged=1&page=1
&cat=183
Consider discussing one of the following quotes before jumping into
your discussion of the novel. Or, print out enough quotes for each
member and warm up your meeting by asking each member to tell
how the quote is reflected in Mrs. Dalloway (or in the member’s life).
"Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends
can only read the title."
"Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of
others."
"It is fatal to be a man or woman pure and simple: one must be a woman manly, or a man
womanly."
"Methinks the human method of expression by sound of tongue is very elementary, and ought to
be substituted for some ingenious invention which should be able to give vent to at least six
coherent sentences at once."
"The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages."
"To enjoy freedom we have to control ourselves."
Mrs. Dalloway -- Literary Terms
Exposition – the introduction of the setting, characters, conflict(s) at the
beginning of a novel. Our first impressions are so influential to our enjoyment
and impressions of the novel, so after finishing a novel, skim the first chapter
again to see how the author shaped and influenced your first impressions. Notice
how Woolf changes the tense from the present to the past and then back to the
present in the third paragraph. She is alerting the reader that the narration will
parallel how human consciousness fluctuates.
Focus questions: 1, 2, 3
Diction – word choice. Notice how Woolf represents Edgar J. Watkiss’s
working-class status through his diction: “The Proime Minister’s kyar.”
Focus question: 19
Syntax – style of sentence structure. Notice how the author’s crafting of syntax
affects your engagement as a reader. Complexity of syntax does not determine
literary merit; the pairing of syntax to meaning does. Woolf recreates the
meanderings of the human mind and its thought process by using many clauses
within a sentence. Focus questions: 1, 2, 8
Tone – author’s attitude toward subject. Think “tone of voice.” Tone is created
through diction and can be very subtle, but is extremely important. If you
misinterpret the tone, you most likely misinterpret the meaning or theme of the
narrative. Focus questions: 1, 5
Mood – emotional atmosphere of novel. Mood is considered an aspect of the
setting (time, place, atmosphere). When we read a novel, we “read ourselves,” so
think about what type of mood your favorite novels tend to have and how
different moods may influence your enjoyment level. Focus question: 5
Theme – main idea that runs throughout and unifies novel. Theme should be
stated as a complete thought and not one word, which would instead be a topic of
the novel: instead of “love” or “death” consider what the author is saying about
the nature of love or how to live meaningfully with the knowledge of our
mortality. In classics, themes are frequently not “morals”; they may or may not
represent the ideal.
Focus questions: 5, 6, 7, 10, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21
Imagery – the use of words that engage the senses. Mrs. Dalloway is
resplendent with imagery. Her imagery describing Big Ben marking time (“the
leaden circles dissolved in the air”) is one of the most well-known images in
the novel.
Focus questions: 11, 12
Symbolism – when an element of the story (object, character, color, etc.) is both
literally present in the novel and has significance or represents something
beyond itself. Notice how Clarissa believes her bed symbolizes her marriage.
Focus questions: 12, 13
Foil – when two characters contrast each other. The characters do not need to
be enemies – or even be aware of one another. There are many foils throughout
the novel, from Richard and Peter to Clarissa and Miss Kilman.
Focus question: 14
Foreshadowing – when the author provides hints to future events. Early in the
novel, Septimus’s dread that “The world has raised its whip; where will it
descend?” foreshadows his eventual suicide.
Motif – recurring ideas, images, objects, places, words, etc. in a narrative that
have symbolic significance. While a symbol may occur only once in a novel, a
motif is repeated. Notice whether the motif functions to develop or emphasize a
theme. Mrs. Dalloway has a number of motifs: birds, the ocean, Peter playing
with his knife, the moon, etc. Focus question: 12
Stream of Consciousness – the attempt to recreate the free-flowing,
circuitous experience of human consciousness in language. Notice the length of
Woolf’s sentences when she is representing the impressions of the characters as
they move through the day, as well as her shifts in time. Focus questions: 2, 8
Mrs. Dalloway Discussion Questions
The following questions approach the novel from a number of
different angles, i.e., how the novel functions as a work of art, how it
reflects the time period, how it addresses fundamental questions of
humanity, and how it engages the reader. A good discussion tends to
start with our “heads” and end with our “hearts.” So, you may want
to save subjective opinions of taste until after you have discussed the
more objective elements of why this work is considered a classic. It is
tempting to begin with, “What did everyone think?” But if a number
of people really didn’t like the novel, their opinions may derail a
discussion of the novel’s merits. On the other hand, I recommend
starting with a few accessible questions and asking every member to
respond to ensure that all voices are present and heard from the
beginning. Just a few suggestions! Enjoy…
Warm up questions:
 Which character did you empathize with the most? Which characters did
you dislike the most and why?
 Which (whose) sections did you enjoy the most?
 Did any sections drag?
 What were your impressions of “stream of consciousness”?
1. The first sentence of the novel is famous: “Mrs. Dalloway said she would
buy the flowers herself.” What first impression does this sentence engender?
What seems to be the narrator’s tone of voice? What is the effect of the intensive
pronoun “herself”? Why does the first paragraph only include this one sentence?
2. In her foreword to the novel, Maureen Howard suggests that Woolf begins with
this sentence because “the clarity of diction, the very simplicity of the domestic
errand suggest[s] a world that we will comprehend.” Considering her use of
“stream of consciousness,” why is it important that Woolf begins with a
concrete, external, common errand? Howard goes on to suggest that “Placed like
stones at the rim of a billowing tent, these clear little sentences seem necessary
stakes in the shimmering flow of language and emotion that strains, in paragraph
after paragraph, to contain the intricacies of life.” Do you agree with her
observation?
3. What were your overall impressions of Clarissa? The novel includes many
observations and judgments of Clarissa from the narrator as well as from many of
the characters. Clarissa herself contemplates,
“But often now this body she wore…this body, with all its capacities,
seemed nothing – nothing at all. She had the oddest sense of being
herself invisible, unseen; unknown; there being no more marrying,
no more having of children now, but only this astonishing and rather
solemn progress with the rest of them, up Bond Street, this being Mrs.
Dalloway; not even Clarissa any more; this being Mrs. Richard
Dalloway.”
Which – or whose – impressions seemed most valid? What lingering opinion of
Clarissa remains?
4. According to an introduction Woolf wrote for her novel in 1928, Septimus is
meant to be a literary double for Clarissa. In fact, in one of her journals Woolf
wrote that she originally intended for Clarissa to commit suicide, but then
decided to include Septimus as a literary double instead, in order to examine “the
world seen by the sane and the insane side by side.” In what ways is Septimus a
“doppelganger” or shadow self for Clarissa?
5. Maureen Howard states “Mrs. Dalloway brims with tears, with women and
men who are out of control, who cry.” Woolf described her style: “In the vast
catastrophe of the European war our emotions had to be broken up for us, and
put at an angle from us, before we could allow ourselves to feel them in poetry
and fiction.” Which characters seem most in control? Why? Does she succeed in
allowing us to feel the broken, angled emotions of the characters?
6. One quality of modernism is a new definition of “hero.” After WWI, simply
enduring was considering heroic. In this sense, who seems the most heroic in
Mrs. Dalloway?
7. Clarissa observes
“She felt very young; at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced
like a knife through everything; at the same time was outside, looking
on. She had a perpetual sense… of being out, out, far out to sea and
alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to
live even one day…Did matter that she must inevitable cease
completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it
not become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely? …This
late age of the world’s experience had bred in them all, all men and
women, a well of tears. Tears and sorrows; courage and endurance; a
perfectly upright and stoical bearing.”
This passage reminds us of the backdrop of WWI, recently ended. Does this
novel feel like a product of its time or is she describing “the modern
condition”?
8. “Stream of consciousness” is marked by syntax. Notice this sentence on
page 5:
“And everywhere, though it was still so early, there was a beating, a
stirring of galloping ponies, tapping of cricket bats; Lords, Ascot,
Ranelagh and all the rest of it; wrapped in the soft mesh of the greyblue morning air, which, as the day wore on, would unwind them, and
set down on their lawns and pitches the bouncing ponies, whose
forefeet just struck the ground and up they sprung, the whirling
young men, and laughing girls in their transparent muslins who, even
now, after dancing all night, were talking their absurd woolly dogs for
a run; and even now, at this hour, discreet old dowagers were
shooting out in their motor cars on errands of mystery; and the
shopkeepers wee fidgeting in their windows with their paste and
diamonds, their lovely old sea-green brooches in eighteenth-century
settings to tempt Americans (but one must economise, not buy things
rashly for Elizabeth), and she, too, loving it as she did with an absurd
and faithful passion, being part of it, since her people were courtiers
once in the time of the Georges, she, too, was going that very night to
kindle and illuminate; to give her party.”
How does this single sentence echo the rambling, intricacies of human
consciousness? A few pages later, amidst further impressions of her day, Clarissa
ruminates, “…which perhaps was the reward of having cared for people; they
came back in the middle of St. James’s Park on a fine morning – indeed they
did.” Notice how Woolf includes bits of wisdom within the characters’
impressions of the day. Where else is she particularly adept at weaving the
profound into the seemingly trivial details of living?
9. What is the effect of the narrative occurring during one single day in June?
Why does she continually remind us of the time throughout the day? While
writing this novel, Woolf was particularly interested in Greek drama. The Greeks
wrote within the conventions of three unities: time, place, and action; i.e., a single
action occurring within one day in one central setting. Beyond the use of one day,
how do we see the influence of Greek drama in Mrs. Dalloway?
10. Throughout the novel, Clarissa contemplates her past with Peter Walsh and
her marriage with Richard. She observes,
“For in marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be
between people living together day in day out in the same house;
which Richard gave her, and she him… But with Peter everything had
to be shared; everything gone into. And it was intolerable, and when
it came to that scene in the little garden by the fountain, she had to
break with him or they would have been destroyed, both of them
ruined, she was convinced; though she had borne about with her for
years like an arrow sticking in her heart the grief, the anguish…”
Do you believe Clarissa chose the right man to marry? Why/not?
11. Imagery permeates the novel and colors the characters’ impressions of their
lives. One of the most famous images in the novel involves time and the sound of
Big Ben striking: “The leaden circles dissolved in the air.” Also, when Clarissa
first enters the flower shop:
“There were flowers: delphiniums, sweet peas, bunches of lilac; and
carnations, masses of carnations. There were roses; there were
irises…And then, opening her eyes, how fresh like frilled linen clean
from a laundry laid in wicker trays the roses looked; and dark and
prim the red carnations, holding their heads up; and all the sweet
peas spreading in their bowls, tinged violet, snow white, pale… and it
was the moment between six and seven when every flower – roses,
carnations, irises, lilac – glows; white, violet, red, deep orange; every
flower seems to burn by itself, softly, purely in the misty beds; and
how she loved the grey-white moths spinning in and out, over the
cherry pie, over the evening primroses!”
Why does her imagery resonate so strongly with readers?
12. Many images become motifs in the novel – birds, the moon, the ocean,
Peter’s knife. Which of these motifs were most effective and why?
13. Many characters and objects take on symbolic significance in the novel.
For example, why does Miss Kilman’s green mackintosh coat upset Clarissa so
much? What does it symbolize to Clarissa? What does the coat symbolize to
Miss Kilman? What does Dr. Holmes seem to symbolize to Septimus?
14. Clarissa and Miss Kilman are foils. At one point Clarissa thinks,
“Love and religion! …How detestable, how detestable they are! …The
cruelest things in the world, she thought, seeing them clumsy, hot,
domineering, hypocritical, eavesdropping, jealous, infinitely cruel
and unscrupulous, dressed in a mackintosh coat, on the landing; love
and religion…Love destroyed too.”
Which of these two women did you empathize with the most? Why? How are
Clarissa and Lady Bruton foils? Why do they dislike each other?
15. Clarissa contemplates her relationship with Sally and her feelings for women,
“she did undoubtedly then feel what men felt. Only for a moment; but
it was enough. It was a sudden revelation, a tinge like a blush which
one tried to check and then, as it spread, one yielded to its expansion,
and rushed to the farthest verge and there quivered and felt the world
come closer, swollen with some astonishing significance, some
pressure of rapture, which split its thin skin and gushed and poured
with an extraordinary alleviation over the cracks and sores! Then, for
that moment, she had seen an illumination; a match burning in a
crocus; an inner meaning almost expressed…But this question of
love…this falling in love with women.”
How did you react to Clarissa and Sally’s attraction for one another?
16. After returning from his lunch with Lady Bruton, Richard brings Clarissa
flowers but is unable to tell her he loves her:
“They were talking about him at lunch, said Richard. (But he could
not tell her he loved her. He held her hand. Happiness is this, he
thought)…He had not said “I love you”; but he held her hand.
Happiness is this, is this, he thought.”
Shortly thereafter, Clarissa thinks
“And there is a dignity in people; a solitude; even between husband
and wife a gulf; and that one must respect, thought Clarissa, watching
him open the door; for one would not part with it oneself, or take it,
against his will, from one’s husband, without losing one’s
independence, one’s self-respect—something, after all, priceless.”
Do you consider the Dalloways’ marriage successful? What is “happiness” to
Richard? Do you agree with Clarissa’s view of marriage?
17. At one point, Peter reflects, “…for women live much more in the past than we
do, he thought. They attach themselves to places; and their fathers – a woman’s
always proud of her father.” Is this a valid observation?
18. Peter’s view of growing old is thus:
“The compensation of growing old, Peter Walsh thought, coming out
of Regent’s Park, and holding his hat in hand, was simply this; that
the passions remain as strong as ever, but one has gained – at last! –
the power which adds the supreme flavour to existence, -- the power
of taking hold of experience, of turning it round, slowly, in the light.”
How do you respond to this?
19. Why does Peter criticize Clarissa for calling her daughter “My” Elizabeth?
What does he believe this indicates about her?
20. Peter and Clarissa each believe the other could’ve done more their lives.
Which character do you believe has the more “fulfilled” life?
21. “Time” has a presence in this novel. Clarissa is very aware of her mortality,
and even admires Septimus for his suicide:
“The young man had killed himself; but she did not pity him; with the
clock striking the hour, one, two, three, she did not pity him, with all
this going on…she felt somehow very like him—the young man who
had killed himself. She felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away.
The clock was striking. The leaden circles dissolved in the air. He
made her feel the beauty; made her feel the fun.”
This is the only “contact” or awareness Clarissa and Septimus have in the novel –
why does Woolf see parallels in these two characters?
22. Readers have criticized Woolf for being too narrowly focused on the upper
middle class intelligentsia of England. Is this a valid criticism?
23. What is the function of Hugh Whitbread in the novel? Why do Peter and
Richard despise him? Why doesn’t Clarissa despise him?
24. The novel ends at the end of Clarissa’s party with Peter, Sally and Clarissa
saying goodnight. The novel ends with Peter thinking, “What is this terror? what
is this ecstasy? he thought to himself. What is it that fills me with extraordinary
excitement? It is Clarissa, he said. For there she was.” How did you react to this
ending? Is it satisfying?
Wrap up Questions!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Would you recommend the book to others?
If you could change anything, what would it be?
Do you believe this should be considered a classic?
Do you believe this novel should be taught in high schools?
Mrs. Dalloway – The Film
Mrs. Dalloway has been represented through film in a number of ways. A recent
version that followed the novel closely was released in 1997 and starred Vanessa
Redgrave and Rupert Graves. Your group could watch this movie together and
discuss your impressions, or group members could watch it before the meeting
and then discuss impressions as a group. Time permitting, multiple versions
could be viewed and then compared. Here are a few possible movie questions:
 While viewing the movie, which characters were most unlike how you
pictured them while reading the novel?
 Which characters seemed “right on” in their portrayal?
 What plot elements were left out or changed in the movie?
 How was your enjoyment affected by what was left out/changed?
 If you were to remake this movie, who would you cast as Clarissa and
Septimus? Peter?
 How well did the filmmakers recreate Woolf’s unique stream of
consciousness style?
 The 1997 version connects Clarissa and Septimus more directly
throughout the narrative – how did you like this portrayal?
 In the 1997 version, which relationships seemed portrayed most true to
the novel?
More information on the film(s):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119723/
http://www.flp.com/films/mrs_dalloway/