Analysis Of The Novel Mrs. Dalloway - 2371 Words

Mrs. Dalloway is a novel that examines the world of sexuality and gender amongst the repressive social structure of post-war London through Clarissa and Septimus, two individuals who struggle with queer desires and socially constructed categories of gender. The novel’s title suggests the inescapable structure that Clarissa in particular is bound to regarding the status and assumptions of what it means to be a woman. The particular sets of choices both Clarissa and Septimus make reveal a tumultuous outcome that speaks volumes about socially constructed ideologies and expectations and the negative effects it bears on individuals. The subject of sexual fluidity and gender roles is a contentious point of debate that Woolf bravely addresses primarily through Clarissa and Septimus. These two individuals undergo very different experiences, yet both must ultimately deal with psychological turmoil as a result of society’s outlook on queer desires and the demands to adhere to con structed identities of masculinity and femininity. Clarissa’s character is already subjected to the patriarchal expectations of women before the novel even begins. The title, Mrs. Dalloway, does not provide her first name, but the surname of a man she has married and implies that Clarissa has no autonomy outside of her duty as a wife and that her existence is dependent on her position in marriage. In choosing this particular title, Woolf is drawing attention to the problems of gender and asking the reader toShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Novel Mrs. Dalloway Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesBritish Literature October 2, 2016 Signature Assignment: Mrs. Dalloway In Virginia Woolf’s book Mrs. Dalloway, she describes the different social class rankings in the 1920s and her characters are compared and contrast during this time. In this time period, class was based on your social upbringing and how you made a living. Clarissa is described as an upper class woman, who is high in society and is married to a wealthy man, Richard Dalloway. She is seen in society, as a woman who has a sense of expensiveRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel Mrs. Richard Dalloway 1446 Words   |  6 Pagesend of the novel, it is evident that Woolf uses the Septimus subplot in order to establish Clarissa and Septimus’ unified vision of an oppressive society, despite their opposing backgrounds and mental conditions. 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The book begins in the morning with the arrangements for a party Clarissa Dalloway will give and it ends late in the evening when the guests are all leaving. There are many flashbacks to tell us the past of each character, but it does not leave the range of thoseRead More Society, Class, and Conflict the Social Criticism of Virginia Woolf1936 Words   |  8 PagesVirginia Woolf offers interesting analysis of social pressure and social class in Mrs. Dalloway and The Years. Understanding Woolf’s message about society demands a certain amount of sensitivity and decoding on behalf of her reader. Her social criticism in both texts can be easily overlooked because she keeps it subtle and implicit, hidden in the patterns and courses of her characters’ trains of thoughts. Yet upon such close reading, the essential importance of conflict between the individual and