Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf – Kitab Mahal

Mrs. Dalloway is a novel by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1925. Set in a single day in post-World War I London, the novel follows Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares for a party that evening. Through her experiences and interactions with others, the narrative explores themes of mental illness, time, memory, identity, and the social expectations placed on women in society. Woolf employs a stream-of-consciousness technique to delve deeply into the minds of her characters, revealing their inner thoughts, regrets, and desires. The novel is considered a pioneering work of modernism.

Key Points

1. Stream-of-Consciousness Narrative
   Woolf uses the stream-of-consciousness technique to reveal the characters' inner thoughts, allowing the reader to experience their memories, emotions, and struggles in a fragmented, nonlinear way.

2. Themes of Time and Memory
   The novel explores the passage of time, with characters reflecting on their past lives and the effects of their choices, particularly how the experiences of World War I continue to haunt them.

3. Clarissa Dalloway's Inner Life
   Clarissa's thoughts and reflections form the core of the narrative. Her seemingly simple preparation for a party reveals her deep existential questions about identity, purpose, and the meaning of life.

4. Mental Illness and Trauma
   The novel also follows Septimus Warren Smith, a shell-shocked war veteran, whose experiences highlight the psychological toll of war, mental illness, and the inability of society to understand and treat such trauma.

5. Social Expectations and Gender Roles
   The novel critiques the social expectations of women in post-war society, with Clarissa reflecting on her choices in marriage and the roles she has played as a wife and mother, questioning the sacrifices and compromises she has made.