n smith. These citizens grow up under the same social institutions andalthough classes are drawn up on wealth; it can be conceived thattwo people may have very similar opinions of the society thatcreated them. The English society which Virginia Woolf presentsindividuals that are uncannily similar.
These two individualscarry the names of Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren Smith. Clarissa and Septimus, share the quality of communicating throughactions, not words, and perceiving death as “defiance. ” Throughthese basic beliefs and mannerisms, Clarissa and Septimus,although never meeting, portray each other in their thoughts andactions. feels death and sorrow all around her. She consistently seesroutine and habit around her but seems discontented Clarissa, she was now, “. .
. Mrs. Dalloway; not even Clarissa anyinside Mrs. Dalloway’s soul, lies her belief character, the side that she never reveals. Clarissa expressesher belief in reincarnation.
That her inner-communicating self,if not revealed in this body, may be revealed in the next. Thebelief that her that everything will work out, eventually. Mrs. Dalloway beforethe party remarks that, ‘If it were now to die, ’twere now bemost happy. ‘”(p.
184) Clarissa portrays her sense of happiness assomething not monstrumental or grandiose, but rather quitesimple. She can be happy in throwing a party. Clarissa has friends. Her parties are to unite the people, who wouldotherwise never speak to each other. Clarissa communicatesycan, “say things you couldn’t say anyhow else. ” She canher.
. . ” Clarissa Dalloway has a sense of optimism mixed withdespair, in this she defines her character. sorrow in living within his society.
Septimus sees beauty insmall inanimate things that surround him. Beauty can be seen asa plane that writes in the sky,deciphered but which signifies beauty. Subconsciously, Septimusreveals his need to be nurtured, “. . signalling their intention toFrankenstein, Septimus pulls away from society when he falls illand has trouble dealing with reality. Septimus and Clarissa inthis manner are very similar.
Septimus feels frightened fromthe reality around him, “He began to open his eyes, to seewhether a gramophone was really there. But real thingswere too exciting. He must be cautious. He would not gomad. “(p.
142) Clarissa pulls away from individuality when shemarries Richard and becomesHe knew everything!”(p. 140) Septimus’ truth was that,goodness of humanity under the cold, hard shell that society,portrays. Septimus believes in nature, love and goodness; butthese are not the qualities of reality, they are the antithesis. For Septimus knows of war, death and destruction; he knows thatsociety will not change and that he cannot live in a world thatcan be so constricting. Septimus takes a leap of faith and endsall his suffering in this unforgiving world;individuality, Septimus and Clarissa recede into the depths ofnormality.
Clarissa accepts this recession, from having a dreamto being merely Mrs. Dalloway. However, Septimus does not, thisconstriction and uniformity propels Septimus out of his bedroomwindow. Althought they differ in their response to thisuniformity, the truth remains that they are both dissatisfied. Their dissatisfaction emanates from society closing the doors to
