Shakespeare Concordance
Mrs. Dalloway Blog pt.1
Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
Nor the furious winter’s rages.
(p.10, Mrs. Dalloway)
The above quote from the novel Mrs. Dalloway is taken from Cymbeline, a Shakespearean play. In context, the quote is from a funeral song sung by two boys (Arviragus and Guiderius), who are lamenting the death of another boy. The dead boy is actually the King of Britain’s daughter, named Imogen. Imogen has dressed incognito and after taking a potion from her evil stepmother, she has fallen into a deep sleep but is not actually dead. Imogen wakes up next to her step-brother who she mistakes as her husband.
This intertextuality in Mrs. Dalloway illuminates the theme of life and death. Clarissa is relinquishing the thought that life goes on without her. She wonders, “Did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely, all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely?” (p. 9). Through her admiration for her friends, for the market, and the park, even for the fat lady exiting a cab, it is clear that Mrs. Dalloway is quite in love with her life. Clarissa’s love for life is juxtaposed with the quote, as it signifies that with death, we lose everything, the bad, and also the good. Although Clarissa ponders about the relief death seems to bring, as an absolute, she does not want to just pass life up. Perhaps this is a theme of ‘living in the moment, and having no regrets’ (such as Clarissa not marrying Peter), and could also reflect how time is spent/valued while we are alive.
Blog pt. 2
Upon reading Rebecca Mason’s blog, I have gained valuable insight into Clarissa’s query of life and death. I especially enjoyed her analogy of becoming mist once one dies….of never really fading away. However, I disagree with Rebecca in regards to Clarissa’s contentedness with death. I feel that although Clarissa understands death comes to everyone, she no more welcomes it than before. Perhaps death is not to be feared, -but that doesn’t make the thought of it anymore delightful or fun.
Blog pt. 3
4. In the novel, Mrs. Dalloway, psychoanalysis is most obviously displayed by the characters: Septimus and Rezia. The internalized comments made by Rezia with regard to Septimus’ peculiar behaviour are littered with societal attitudes and cricitisms pertaining to what is considered ‘normal’. Beginning with the way Septimus looks about with an “apprehensive look that makes others apprehensive too” (p. 20) signifies him as socially awkward. It becomes apparent that Rezia is embarrassed by Septimus’ behaviour as she thinks “People must notice, people see. Suppose they heard him? But failure one conceals,” (p.22). Rezia notably feels the need to conceal Septimus’ mental state. “She could tell no one” (p. 34).
Rezia’s attitudes could be seen to reflect societal views on mental stability during the Victorian age. Her interaction with the homeless lady in the park reflects a strong societal attitude of ignorance. “Poor old women –poor old wretch!” (p. 125). “Suppose one’s father, or somebody who had known one in better days had happened to pass and saw one standing there in the gutter.” (p. 125). The importance of class and reputuation during this era is striking as the poor lady is very much a black sheep on the pavement crowded with bustling middle class people. Finally, it is interesting that Rezia actually takes relief in the poor lady’s situation, as she sings in the street “if someone should see, what matter they?” After Rezia hears the lady sing this she is “suddenly quite sure that everything was going to be alright,” (p.125). Perhaps this is a comment on humanity, pushing past societal ignorance and finding connection with people through understanding.
