While reading the beginning of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, I often found myself wondering if Clarissa Dalloway is satisfied with her life and the choices she's made. Clarissa continually ruminates on her time at Brenton, when she had four potential love interests (Richard Dalloway, Peter Walsh, Hugh Whitbread, and Sally Seton) and many difficult decisions to make. Even though she eventually decided to marry Richard, becoming a "typical" mom and housewife, Clarissa keeps asking herself what life would have been like if she'd married Peter instead. Clarissa continually reminds herself that her rejection of Peter was the right option: "...she would still find herself arguing in St. James's Park, still making out that she had been right -- and she had too -- not to marry him." However, these continued reminders show that maybe Clarissa isn't completely certain about her decision.
Even though Clarissa might not be totally satisfied with her choice of husband, she admits that her marriage to Richard allows her independence that she probably wouldn't have with Peter. Clarissa believes that "in marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in and day out in the same house, which Richard gave her, and she him." While Peter is off doing some kind of government work, Clarissa is free to roam the streets of London. However, her gendered role in society denies her any real independence: for her entire life, Clarissa has been expected to marry a successful man, have children, and run a household, all while playing the role of the "perfect hostess" that she so despises. I don't think Clarissa realizes the magnitude of the societal injustices that have made her life so constraining, but she certainly feels the impact of these constraints on a daily basis.
In addition to the constraining sexist social norms that Clarissa must follow, she is also expected to fit in with a heterosexual society that leaves no room for homosexual feelings or relationships. Even though 18-year old Clarissa felt an intense emotional and romantic bond with Sally Seton, she couldn't even consider Sally as a contender for marriage or partnership because homosexuality was practically unheard of in post-Victorian England. Additionally, as a woman with little formal education, Clarissa has no options to work independently and is forced to rely on her husband's job in Parliament.
All of these social constraints have left Clarissa Dalloway few options for how to live her life, which is why she can't stop thinking about her time at Breton. While at Breton, she could at least choose which man she would prefer to marry, even if she couldn't choose any other major aspects of her life. Clarissa focuses on decisions that she can make: Should I buy the flowers? Which dress to wear? Which man to marry? But no matter her final decisions at Breton, Clarissa Dalloway would have ended up as a middle aged housewife in a sexist, homophobic society. I believe that this is Virginia Woolf's point: women of the early 20th century had virtually no choices of their own that were not predetermined by their misogynistic world.
Even though Clarissa might not be totally satisfied with her choice of husband, she admits that her marriage to Richard allows her independence that she probably wouldn't have with Peter. Clarissa believes that "in marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in and day out in the same house, which Richard gave her, and she him." While Peter is off doing some kind of government work, Clarissa is free to roam the streets of London. However, her gendered role in society denies her any real independence: for her entire life, Clarissa has been expected to marry a successful man, have children, and run a household, all while playing the role of the "perfect hostess" that she so despises. I don't think Clarissa realizes the magnitude of the societal injustices that have made her life so constraining, but she certainly feels the impact of these constraints on a daily basis.
In addition to the constraining sexist social norms that Clarissa must follow, she is also expected to fit in with a heterosexual society that leaves no room for homosexual feelings or relationships. Even though 18-year old Clarissa felt an intense emotional and romantic bond with Sally Seton, she couldn't even consider Sally as a contender for marriage or partnership because homosexuality was practically unheard of in post-Victorian England. Additionally, as a woman with little formal education, Clarissa has no options to work independently and is forced to rely on her husband's job in Parliament.
All of these social constraints have left Clarissa Dalloway few options for how to live her life, which is why she can't stop thinking about her time at Breton. While at Breton, she could at least choose which man she would prefer to marry, even if she couldn't choose any other major aspects of her life. Clarissa focuses on decisions that she can make: Should I buy the flowers? Which dress to wear? Which man to marry? But no matter her final decisions at Breton, Clarissa Dalloway would have ended up as a middle aged housewife in a sexist, homophobic society. I believe that this is Virginia Woolf's point: women of the early 20th century had virtually no choices of their own that were not predetermined by their misogynistic world.
I 100% agree with your idea that Woolf's point is that the women of the early 20th century had virtually no freedom to choose what to do with their lives. I think that Clarissa continually ruminating on her choice in husband emphasizes the point of how many significant life choices she has been allowed to make. People tend to look back at major milestones in their life and wonder at what could have been and I think Clarissa is doing just that with her choice in husband. By adhering to society's expectations Clarissa's only major choice in life was the choice in husband.
ReplyDeleteBut just a question: is there any significance in a novel like Ms.Dalloway being published during the suffrage movement in England?
The British Suffrage movement was active throughout the early 1900s, and women over 21 first voted in the general elections in 1929, so the movement was certainly relevant when Ms. Dalloway was written. It's strange that Clarissa hasn't yet mentioned women's suffrage, though it seems like she might be thinking more about her constrained role in society because of the movement. It would be interesting to know Richard Dalloway's opinion of women's suffrage, given that he is in Parliament. Apparently Richard is a more conservative member, so he might be opposed to the suffrage movement.
DeleteI really like how you mentioned that Woolf may be making a point about women and gender roles in the early 20th century. I certainly don't think that Clarissa feeling trapped or unfulfilled with the life she has is a unique case. Take Sally for example, who was full of radical ideas and still ended up following a more traditional path. Clarissa may not necessarily feel that she made the wrong choice in becoming Richard's wife, but she doesn't enjoy being known only as the wife of Richard. Like many other women in the early 20th century, Clarissa struggles with wanting more than the sheltered life that gender roles force her into, which I think is Woolf's point in Mrs. Dalloway.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I also sensed that from Clarissa. It seems like she's just reached a point in her life where everything just feels so melancholy and she's gets a little bored with her day to day life. Even her marriage with Richard does seem a bit empty, like they're more of friends than husband and wife. Clarissa repeatedly reminisces on the old days when she was actually happy with her life and was at the peak of her youth, living a life where she was more content and didn't feel the need to question everything she did.
ReplyDeleteI also got this sense about Clarissa! She seems unsettled with the way her life has turned out -- she's constantly switching between thinking about what could have been and reminding herself that her life is good and she's happy. But she truly does enjoy the bit of independence she gets in her marriage with Richard. Like you said, she doesn't get a whole lot of it -- she's still expected to be the "perfect hostess". But does she really despise being the perfect hostess? Or does she despise it because Peter ridicules her for it? I think a lot of that hatred comes from Peter and his mockery.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. Being a woman who had internalized society's definition of what a woman should be, how a woman should act, Clarissa is experiencing the boredom that many upper-class women of the time felt. Clarissa revels in the power she gets from any decisions, even so minor as being able to choose flowers. The most major choice she'd been given the ability to make in her life was her choice in partner, and she wonders now if she chose wrong, and I think you're right about the stem of this questioning- she wonders if the other choices would've given her more freedom in her life.
ReplyDeleteYou took the words right out of my mouth. I really like your thought on the reason Clarissa diverts her attention to these seemingly mundane things, such as dresses and parties. The lack of space Clarissa has to function in this stifled world forces her to turn to decisions she can make. The fact she reminisces on her past life is also evidence that she is unsatisfied with the way her life has turned out. Clarissa constantly thinks back to the choices she made in the past, especially in regards to Peter Walsh. This also shows that a woman's decision in marrying a man defined a huge part of her life, which is absolutely tragic.
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