Virginia Woolf creates an interesting contrast within the character of Clarissa Dalloway using stream of consciousness narration in her novel, Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa’s inner thoughts reveal a contrast between her lack of attraction to her husband due to her lesbian feelings and her fear of losing him as a social stepping stone.
These contrasts can be seen throughout the novel using the literary device of stream of consciousness narration. Clarissa’s character reveals to us early in the book her lack of attraction to her husband. This revelation is evident in the passage that states: . . . through some contraction of this cold spirit, she had failed him.”
She could see what she lacked.
It was something central which permeated. The cold spirit” that she talks about is her sexuality, being attracted to women, and her lack of understanding why she is this way.
This is the main reason for her lack of attraction. She feels that she has let him down because she cannot complete her duties as his wife. Clarissa had lost both a sexual relationship and sexual attraction with her husband since the birth of her teenage daughter Elizabeth.
Clarissa tells us about her true sexuality as she remembers her childhood friend Sally Seton. Sally is the only person that Clarissa has ever had any real passionate feelings for. But this question of love, falling in love with women. Take Sally Seton; her relationship in the old days with Sally Seton. Had that, after all, been love?” Although Sally held her heart, her homosexual feelings were not socially acceptable.
Clarissa is therefore obliged to enter into a marriage with Richard Dalloway for social purposes. A contrast to Clarissa’s lack of attraction to her husband is seen in her fear of losing him. Richard provides her with a stepping stone to becoming the socialite she strives to be. When Richard is invited to lunch with Lady Bruton, a twinge of fear is evident in Clarissa that she is losing her husband: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun; for the shock of Lady Bruton asking Richard to lunch without her made the moment which she had stood shiver.”
Without him, she would be nothing in society, so Clarissa is scared of losing him even though she has no attraction towards him.
A contrast in the deeper” self of Clarissa Dalloway can be seen in the stream of consciousness narration in Mrs. Dalloway. She reveals her lack of attraction for her husband and her fear of losing him through her inner thoughts. This provides us with the ability to see the weaknesses of Clarissa and many of the other characters.
