Table of Contents
Introduction
Clarissa Dalloway is the protagonist of the novel. She is 52 years old lady, having dark and exotic looks, belongs to high society, as her husband Richard Dalloway is the member of the conservative government.
Novel precedes with a party as Clarissa Dalloway plans a party. Clarissa Dalloway feels that her parties are gifts to the people of the world and she pleased to share herself with others.
Class for Mrs Dalloway
British people are always conscious of class and always admire upper class. Clarissa Dalloway belongs to an upper class so her all friends are of upper social status.
Even prime minister, of course, an aristocratic character comes to Clarissa Dalloway’s party. Not only Clarissa Dalloway but other characters also concerned with the social status of people.
We see Clarissa Dalloway’s Cousin Ellie Henderson is presented and described as a poor character in the novel. She was invited to Clarissa Dalloway’s party and when she came she brings cheap pink flowers. No one focuses on her because of her lower class.
Clarissa Dalloway herself does not like her presence in her splendid party. Carissa Dalloway shows hatred to another character Mrs Kilman because of her poor social status in spite of Mrs Kilman was the teacher of her daughter Elizabeth. Clarissa Dalloway always judges people because of their class.
“Clarissa Dalloway was hard on people”
Relationships of Clarissa Dalloway With Other Characters
Clarissa Dalloway is the wife of Richard Dalloway. After marrying with Richard Dalloway she is known as Mrs. Dalloway, without the name of Richard Dalloway she is just Clarissa.
“She has the oddest sense of being herself invisible, unseen, unknown, there being no more marrying, no more having of children now, but only this astonishing and rather solemn progress with the rest of them, up Bond Street, this being Mrs Dalloway, not even Clarissa any more, this Being Mrs. Richard Dalloway”
Richard Dalloway loves her wife Clarissa Dalloway and takes his relation with Clarissa as a normal happy couple but dedicated to social reforms. He gave the identity to Clarissa Dalloway, although he is always hesitant to reveal his affection to Clarissa.
Clarissa Dalloway is the mother of Elizabeth Dalloway, her only child and somewhat passive character just opposite to Clarissa Dalloway her mother. Clarissa Dalloway is a complex figure in having relationships. Sally Saton was a deep female friend of Clarissa Dalloway as they get into some sexual interaction while living together in their teenage.
Peter Walsh was a close friend of Clarissa Dalloway, was having passionate love with Clarissa and proposed her when she was eighteen but Clarissa rejected his proposal.
An Isolated Character
Like almost all other characters Clarissa Dalloway is also a victim of loneliness. Although her parties are the way to make the isolated individuals together we see what kind of people and what sort of thoughts people brought and share with each other. There is a heyday of hypocrisy in the atmosphere of Clarissa Dalloway’s party.
Party works as a cover on Clarissa’s isolation. She seems to enjoy the party but actually, she does not have a great time at her own party. Until the end of the novel, there is more loneliness and more isolation seen in the character of Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway.
Conclusion
To sum up, through the character of Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf explores the human psyche. Mrs Clarissa Dalloway during her discussion with another character James Park came to know that there is a mist among the people even among those who are very close to each other. She dares to judge other people but very soon she realizes that she is unable to judge even herself.
