The Meaning of Life in Virginia Woolfs Mrs. Dalloway - Book Report/Review Example

The Meaning of Life The stories in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway talk of human situations during the First and Second World War. The book gives an account of people’s lives and their historical encounter of losing young people, broken families and destroying human consciousness and the soul. The novel presents the disenchantment in a society that otherwise embraced optimism civilization. However, what people experienced after they were lured into war is heartbreaking. According to the Woolf, people suffered from desperation, forlornness and deprivation. Mrs. Dalloway outlines an irreducible phenomenon under which men and women are emotionally wounded during their time. The war makes people disillusioned that are likened to a death sentence. This made people wish to move from the ‘sickness’ and unto death. Life has meaning, but life ultimately loses meaning when we stick to the traditional redemption way as Mrs. Dalloway depicts characters through imaginative fictional work of social history. Virginia Woolf’s fictional novel talks of disenchantment even in the modern age. The suffering and disillusionment spread like cancer to modern social life long after the end of the Great War. There is an enemy that permanently affects people throughout history. People learn through history, and this ensures that false beliefs are passed on from one generation to another. Disenchantment is as a result of a broken belief that defines postmodern situations. The modern world is characterized by anarchy, nihilism and makes it impossible for realization of the Enlightenment. Mrs. Dalloway argues death is important because it help people value life. In the novel Mrs. Dalloway has to let Smith die instead of Clarissa who is so engulfed with suicidal thoughts and a longing to defy her existence. According to him death is defiance. Reading the novel makes a person experience the effect of violence on the soul, body and mind and comprehend the cruelty of history and the state of unraveling tragedies that destroyed human personality. The novel seeks to unfold a troubled past and the modern world, thus making the reader judge the aim of the author. The Woolf discusses a human experience of moral realist of ‘the fate of man in the modern world unto the end of our time’ (Panichas 236). Mrs. Dalloway inevitably shows that life of young people in the early 20th century had been destroyed by war in the guise of protecting the world from tyranny and dictatorship. Though the people wished to life in a better world they ended finding out that it was an illusion and some wished to die. Virginia Woolf shows the telepathic and physical consequences of resentment in the post 1918 period. It vividly narrates of the life at the battlefield and the survival of the holocaust. The soldier who survived had a hard time coping in a post war civilian and realities and the demands of civil society (Panichas 237). Though the world was past war, those who survived the war had painful memories while going about their daily activities in a peaceful world. The experiences of the soldiers who endured the battle in the Western Front tell of a worthless life. People would have wished a free world from war and suffering, but this is not the case for people in post war times. They are troubled of life and death. Smith Warren is a survivor who struggled to understand why so many people died while he survived. He is bitter and mad though he sometimes overcomes disillusionment. However, the state of soberness is short lived, and disenchantment takes over his life. The Woolf says that the late war experience had bred all survivors as written in the novel ‘This late age of the world’s experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears’ (Panichas 237). Therefore, whatever tones in the novel resonate the memories of war cannot be erased, and they keep haunting human consciousness and social life. Henri Massis says that the battlefield was ‘the home of our youth’ and ‘would never cease to mark our work and our days’ (Panichas 237). This shows that no matter the horrifying event of the war some people cherish and remember the gain of their youth. Life in the battlefield defined what is worth living for, that life has a meaning and which should be defended at whatever cost. Henri knows too well the beauty of life because he had seen so many solders lose their life. In life he says is the ultimate happiness. Woolf talks of the dynamic of the real time and says that the past complicates the situations of the moment. This makes life worthless of living because when the past has been dark, the present and the future is presumed to be complex for those who life the present and the future (Falcetta 128). Woolf having learned of the division that the world War one had on the British citizen creates a literal architecture to heal the broken-hearted. The work of Woolf in unifying the country is demonstrated by what is written in his novel that forced happiness from ‘stirring of galloping ponies, tapping of cricket bats; Lords, Ascot, Ranelagh and all the rest of it’ (Woolf 6) is an effort by the national authority to heal a divided country and integrate the 1923 England culture with that of the before the war. Woolf dedicated his work in restoring in glory in a post war era. Woolf’s novel is captivating, and she envisioned that human beings are interested in small details and experiences of every day. Woolf narrates the lives of her characters Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren in London city. Through them, we are informed of optimism and their ideal of modern society. Clarissa life would be that of a tourist watching over nature or going around the shopping mall doing window shopping. He loved small things and Woolf says that these are the things that make life worth living. Clarissa is displayed as having fun, loving and hopeful of bright evening when partying. Septimus, on the other hand, is a World War I veteran who witnessed his entire friend, Evans and others officer killed in the battle. Through these two characters, Woolf depicts a scenario of two worlds, one full of happiness, while the other full of despair and lacking redemption. Septimus aspired to become a poet and used to read Shakespeare literature. Moreover, he loved the work of Isabel Pole. Septimus is so affect by the war he is left emotionally numb. He suffers from mental illness and serious hallucinations. His wife, Lucrezia, is so miserable, homesick and tired of moving her husband from one doctor to another. The life of Septimus is so miserable that he lacks meaning in life. The tradition redemption of a career leaves Septimus with lifetime mental disability. Mrs. Dalloway uses his character to expound on the meaning of life and death. He himself has been torn between living and ending on his life. Clarissa Dalloway is a socialite woman who is married to Richard a wealthy and businessman. Clarissa reality enjoys life and would want to live forever. However, she is undergoing difficult time experience likened to ‘a mid-life crisis.’ She is afraid of death which she keeps thinking is approaching to fast, but at the same time wishing to die altogether. She like Mrs. Dalloway is plunged into the important of life no matter the troubles that flecked Europe at the time. Woolf demonstrates that small thing matters and not idealism. Though Clarissa knows that death will be ultimate she secretly wishes to live forever. However, Clarissa regrets that when she is gone no one will ever know how desperately she wanted to live. This demonstrates the meaning of life. People want to stay on even when the gains are less and bitter. On the other hand, Septimus has strong desire for his demise. He just like Virginia experiences a horrible life. He is like a mad madman because the illusion of the World War I destroyed his mind. He is not contented with living and questions doctors why would one want to life while life was meaningless. Nevertheless, the doctors tell him that life is worth living because it is good. Septimus had narrowly escaped death too many time and witnessed the horrible of the war. His analysis of life leads to him ending his life as he finds nothing worth to live for in his life. To him life is meaningless. However, Dalloway shows Septimus and Lucrezia having a joyous moment while waiting for Bradshaw to come on his routine checkup and it is when Septimus sees Bradshaw entering the apartment that he jumps out of the window and get stuck on the fence. He says that he would better die rather than the doctor let take away his soul. The joyous moment that people have makes life meaningful. According to Dalloway Septimus end his life on the eve of the party and he does not care of it worth. However, Clarissa is looking toward a successful event and is annoyed when Bradshaw’s wife interference of the shindig with information of the demise of Septimus. She is envious of Septimus taking moment of her guest, but she later manages to take over the attention from the guests. Woolf through this shows that people value little thing as they dwell in the opulence. Clarissa guests include prominent businessmen and the British prime minister. They are people with good careers but are resentful of the demise of Septimus. Life can be meaningful if people appreciate the little thing that they cherish. Throughout the novel, Woolf displays the moment through his characters and the event throughout the history of humankind. Woolf does display optimism that life can be redemptive even after devastating tragedies such as Septimus had from the effect of war. Work Cited Falcetta, Jennie-Rebecca . Geometries of Space and Time: The Cubist London of Mrs. Dalloway. Woolf Studies Annual. Vol 13, 2007 Panichas, George. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway: “A Well of Tears.” Three Literary Studies: No. 2 Woolf, Virginia. Mrs Dalloway. 1925. London: Grafton Book, 1976. Read More

Virginia Woolf shows the telepathic and physical consequences of resentment in the post 1918 period. It vividly narrates of the life at the battlefield and the survival of the holocaust. The soldier who survived had a hard time coping in a post war civilian and realities and the demands of civil society (Panichas 237). Though the world was past war, those who survived the war had painful memories while going about their daily activities in a peaceful world. The experiences of the soldiers who endured the battle in the Western Front tell of a worthless life.

People would have wished a free world from war and suffering, but this is not the case for people in post war times. They are troubled of life and death. Smith Warren is a survivor who struggled to understand why so many people died while he survived. He is bitter and mad though he sometimes overcomes disillusionment. However, the state of soberness is short lived, and disenchantment takes over his life. The Woolf says that the late war experience had bred all survivors as written in the novel ‘This late age of the world’s experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears’ (Panichas 237).

Therefore, whatever tones in the novel resonate the memories of war cannot be erased, and they keep haunting human consciousness and social life. Henri Massis says that the battlefield was ‘the home of our youth’ and ‘would never cease to mark our work and our days’ (Panichas 237). This shows that no matter the horrifying event of the war some people cherish and remember the gain of their youth. Life in the battlefield defined what is worth living for, that life has a meaning and which should be defended at whatever cost.

Henri knows too well the beauty of life because he had seen so many solders lose their life. In life he says is the ultimate happiness. Woolf talks of the dynamic of the real time and says that the past complicates the situations of the moment. This makes life worthless of living because when the past has been dark, the present and the future is presumed to be complex for those who life the present and the future (Falcetta 128). Woolf having learned of the division that the world War one had on the British citizen creates a literal architecture to heal the broken-hearted.

The work of Woolf in unifying the country is demonstrated by what is written in his novel that forced happiness from ‘stirring of galloping ponies, tapping of cricket bats; Lords, Ascot, Ranelagh and all the rest of it’ (Woolf 6) is an effort by the national authority to heal a divided country and integrate the 1923 England culture with that of the before the war. Woolf dedicated his work in restoring in glory in a post war era. Woolf’s novel is captivating, and she envisioned that human beings are interested in small details and experiences of every day.

Woolf narrates the lives of her characters Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren in London city. Through them, we are informed of optimism and their ideal of modern society. Clarissa life would be that of a tourist watching over nature or going around the shopping mall doing window shopping. He loved small things and Woolf says that these are the things that make life worth living. Clarissa is displayed as having fun, loving and hopeful of bright evening when partying. Septimus, on the other hand, is a World War I veteran who witnessed his entire friend, Evans and others officer killed in the battle.

Through these two characters, Woolf depicts a scenario of two worlds, one full of happiness, while the other full of despair and lacking redemption. Septimus aspired to become a poet and used to read Shakespeare literature. Moreover, he loved the work of Isabel Pole. Septimus is so affect by the war he is left emotionally numb. He suffers from mental illness and serious hallucinations. His wife, Lucrezia, is so miserable, homesick and tired of moving her husband from one doctor to another. The life of Septimus is so miserable that he lacks meaning in life.

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