Themes, Motifs, Symbols

Mrs Dalloway

Themes

Communication vs Privacy Realization Fear of Death Oppression Sanity vs Insanity (Depression)

Themes – Communication vs Privacy

Especially Clarissa and Septimus Struggle to find the balance Parties vs Inner World of Clarissa Inner world : fragmented

Themes - Realization

WWI – The invincible British Empire? Falsified Those who still believe that : Aunt

Helena, Lady Bruton, Richard OLD!!!

Clarissa, Peter, Septimus traditions collapsed

Richard wants to write about British Military Family THE PAST!!!

Themes – Fear of Death

Clarissa, Septimus, Peter... Clarissa goes paranoid sometimes praises death through Shakespeare «Fear no more the heat o’ the sun /

Nor the furious winter’s rages.» (Cymbeline)

seen a lot of deaths, family members

thinks living is dangerous

Themes - Oppression

Clarissa and Septimus, social oppression

Religion, science, social traditions Miss Kilman – Religious oppression –

wants to convert everyone, kill Clarissa (for a moment)

Sir William – Scientific oppression – his conception of the world never to be challenged

Patriarchal English Society

Themes Sanity vs Insanity Clarissa vs Septimus

Motifs

Time Doubling Shakespeare

Motifs - Time

Very important motif Big Ben (symbol) – sounds – death

any moment Aging – change The woman in Regent’s Park

Humans know no boundaries of time Singls like eternally

Time is circular

Motifs - Shakespeare

Hopeful way of addressing death

Symbols

The Prime Minister – old ways Peter’s pocket knife - indecisiveness Old Woman in the Window – privacy,

loneliness, independence