Two two-track narrations: Richard and Peter with Clarissa
Mrs. Dalloway is a book about a single day in the lives of people in 1923 London, but the simplicity of the setting is misleading. The book is both subtle and complex. Virginia Woolf crafts her novel by giving readers tools to understand multiple layers of meanings in interactions between characters, such as intersubjectivity and two-track narrations, and the continuous use of a stream-of-consciousness writing style. Two parallel scenes stick out as examples of this technique; the interactions Peter and Richard have individually with Clarissa, where they each surprise her by meeting her in her home. In these scenes, the reader is understanding between the lines, piecing together what they understand of the scene with context from outside of it. We jump from the perspectives of one character to another smoothly, seeing the disparities between what they say and what they feel. This leads to a deeper understanding of the interactions and relationships between characters.
Peter Walsh visits around lunch. Mrs. Dalloway is mending a dress for her party when she is interrupted unexpectedly. She has been thinking about Peter and her past at Bourton all morning, and seeing him intensifies her emotions. Peter visits to convey the news that he is in love with a married woman and seeking a divorce. By telling Mrs. Dalloway he is also seeking a sense of resolution, a proof that he is past what happened between them, but instead we find that he is not fully over her rejection. In their interaction the reader compares what is being shared through dialogue to what is being shared to the reader through their thoughts. I consider this a scene of disconnection rather than connection because of how big that difference is. Both characters have vastly different views on the past and present, but it barely comes through in their dialogue. Their conversation has an abrupt ending. Peter bursts into tears uncontrollably and then asks Mrs. Dalloway if she is happy with her life. Elizabeth walks through the door before she can answer.
The scene with Richard is more valuable for understanding him as a character, because it is one of the few times Woolf puts us inside his mind. Richard is out to lunch with Lady Bruton and Hugh Whitbread, which made Mrs. Dalloway feel pushed aside and insignificant. Woolf uses varying levels of intersubjectivity to define each character, and Richard is one of the most important characters who is most defined by others. By spending so much time in Peter or Clarissa's minds, the reader has an image of Richard that is challenged when we see his perspective. Peter Walsh is brought up at lunch, and Richard feels a rush of gratitude of his life with Clarissa and the choice she made to marry him: "He repeated that it was a miracle that he should have married Clarissa; a miracle - his life had been a miracle" (Woolf 113). He is compelled to buy her flowers and tell her he loves her, but he is unable to express his affection and only gives her the flowers. But Clarissa still feels appreciated: "How lovely, she said, taking his flowers. She understood; she understood without his speaking; his Clarissa." (Woolf 115). This is a scene of connection, because the characters understand each other despite what isn't said between them.
In both scenes we gain insight into the individual characters and their relationships to each other. The scenes are similar in their content. Clarissa is at home, preparing to host her party when Peter and Richard walk in unexpectedly. They both are there to convey some news or emotion, and succeed to various degrees. Peter and Richard represent the life paths Clarissa could have taken and the life she currently has. We see a balance between regrets and choices, and the scenes where they interact with Clarissa reveal the thoughts and emotions associated with those decisions. It is through their dialogue and inner thoughts that we can asses their level of connection and disconnection. We understand how much is or isn't being said, what feelings are being held back, what is being understood by the characters and how they are choosing to express themselves. It is scenes like this, where interactions between characters are given multiple layers of meaning and complexity, that demonstrate Virginia Woolf's distinct and powerful writing style.
Great topic!! I too found it interesting how Virginia Woolf really utilized this experimental writing style to make the most of every interaction. I honestly found it a bit confusing to follow, especially when the perspective initially shifts, but especially once it's unpacked in discussion, it becomes apparent how effective Woolf's method was. The scene with Richard was significant to me too, and I wish we were able to dive more into who he was as a person before the book ended. I felt as if I didn't get to know him very clearly, and especially considering Clarissa's connection with him (She at times felt more like an extension of Richard than her own person), it would've been really interesting to get to know him on a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you wrote your blog about this, because this is one of the most compelling things about Mrs. Dalloway in my opinion. I agree that these scenes were pivotal in deepening our understanding of Peter and Richard, especially Richard. I found it interesting that in Peter's conversation with Clarissa, he is saying things that are nicer than what he's thinking, and being kind of fake towards Clarissa. Contrasting this, Richards thoughts about Clarissa are even nicer than the things he is saying to her, which makes him seem like a much more sympathetic and agreeable character than Peter. I think this was brilliant on Woolf's part, because it so subtly affects the reader's opinion of each character. One quick side note– I also love the ambiguity of how "good" or "bad" each character is in this novel, I hate it when they shove the pro- and antagonists down the reader's throat. Great blog!!
ReplyDeleteI do wish we'd had time to slow-walk through the scene with Peter and Clarissa in class--it's such a great example of what you call the "two-track narration," and you can almost literally go line by line and show them both "getting" each other quite accurately AND completely misconstruing each other at the same time. It is a perfect balance of connection and disconnection, which falls apart as Peter loses his emotional grip and seems poised to ask Clarissa a very serious question about Richard which he doesn't *quite* finish framing when Elizabeth walks in. We get some version of the surface-depth disparity--they say things politely that don't quite convey what they're really feeling--but Woolf goes deeper than to show that people don't always say exactly what they're thinking.
ReplyDeleteBut I do also love the fact that Richard is generally so cool about Peter--so genuinely glad to hear that his old buddy is back in town, not the least bit bothered by the fact that he's already burst in to see his wife, not jealous or insecure in the least. He is *reminded* of the "miracle" of his life--that Clarissa chose him!--when Peter comes up, but there's no sense in which he brings her flowers in a "territorial" way, or to signal any jealousy or possessiveness. One simply has the urge to share one's feelings with one's beloved from time to time--one really doesn't do so enough!--so one purchases some flowers (for the woman who has just bought herself flowers!) and walks to one's home at lunch and, even if one can't bring oneself to say it "in so many words," if one is lucky, one's beloved will get the message.
And in this scene with Richard and Clarissa, I'm confident she gets the message. Richard Dalloway is far and away the coolest character in this novel--I could go on about him at length. The fact that he'd really rather be hanging with his dog and his daughter in the country, avoiding all this pomp and circumstance around Parliament, just makes me like him more!
I never thought to draw comparison between these two scenes, but they are incredibly similar. I agree that in this scene (and throughout the novel) the reader compares what they know about how the characters feel to what they actually say to each other, and that makes the disconnection super apparent. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI really love that you placed these two scenes alongside each other, I had not noticed the similarities while reading. Virginia Woolf seemed to experiment with the many outcomes that could have been Clarissa's life. Clarissa's narration centers itself on the past, often in ways that encourage us to imagine what would have been if she had done the alternate thing. I think that this is a great example of Woolf creating an experimental situation for an outcome that did not happen, such as Clarissa ending with Peter. As people, we might decide what we wish to have happened to Clarissa and decide who she should have married, and we are found questioning the past much like her. Great blog post, and interesting passages!
ReplyDeleteI really love your analysis, Amelie! The exploration of communication and the contrast between Peter's and Richard's interactions with Clarissa is extremely insightful. I agree that the two scenes are powerful examples of Woolf's stream-of-consciousness and intersubjectivity. While Peter's encounter shows more of a disconnect, Richard's moment ultimately conveys a sense of understanding and connection, which is beautiful.(although I would like to argue that I don't believe the entirety of Richard's sentiment was received by Clarissa). Both are extremely valuable in revealing the different aspects of Clarissa's life and the impact of her choices, especially the intricate relationships that formed and define her existence.
ReplyDelete