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Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway: Complete Summary & Study Guide

Virginia Woolf’s 1925 modernist classic Mrs. Dalloway unfolds over a single June day in 1923 London, following two seemingly unconnected lives that intersect in quiet, profound ways. This guide breaks down the core plot, key characters, and critical context to help you parse Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness style for class discussions, quizzes, and essays.

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Core Plot Summary

The novel centers on Clarissa Dalloway, a wealthy London socialite, as she prepares to host a formal evening party. Interwoven with her day is the story of Septimus Warren Smith, a World War I veteran suffering from severe shell shock, and his wife, Rezia. As Clarissa reflects on her past choices, lost loves, and the weight of social expectations, Septimus grapples with trauma that alienates him from the world around him. The two narratives collide indirectly at Clarissa’s party, when news of Septimus’s death reaches her, prompting a quiet reckoning with her own mortality and the meaning of her life’s small, intentional acts.

Key Characters to Focus On

Clarissa Dalloway: A middle-class woman navigating the constraints of 1920s upper-middle-class society, whose internal monologue reveals her longing for authenticity and regret over unchosen paths. Septimus Warren Smith: A traumatized war hero whose declining mental health symbolizes the collective unhealed trauma of post-WWI Britain. Peter Walsh: Clarissa’s former suitor, who returns from India, representing the unfulfilled possibilities of Clarissa’s youth. Rezia Smith: Septimus’s caring, isolated wife, struggling to support her husband in a society that dismisses his mental illness.

Critical Themes for Essays & Discussions

Mortality and the passage of time: Woolf uses the single-day structure to highlight how every mundane act is framed by the inevitability of death. Trauma and post-war disillusionment: Septimus’s struggle reflects the silent suffering of millions of veterans ignored by interwar Britain. Gender and social expectation: Clarissa’s role as a hostess and wife exposes the limited options available to women of her class, while her internal desire for independence challenges those norms. The tension between public and private self: Woolf contrasts the polished public personas of her characters with their raw, unfiltered inner thoughts.

Practical Study Structure for Assessments

For quizzes: Focus on the novel’s non-linear timeline, key character relationships, and the connection between Clarissa and Septimus. For class discussions: Prepare talking points on how Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness style mirrors her characters’ internal states. For essays: Pick one theme, then pair it with two contrasting character perspectives (e.g., Clarissa’s quiet existential crisis vs. Septimus’s overt trauma) to build a focused, evidence-based argument. Always tie your points back to Woolf’s modernist focus on subjective experience.

What is the main message of Mrs. Dalloway?

Woolf’s core message centers on the quiet, interconnected significance of ordinary lives, the weight of unspoken trauma, and the tension between societal expectations and personal authenticity.

Why is Mrs. Dalloway a modernist novel?

It uses stream-of-consciousness narration, a non-linear single-day timeline, and focuses on subjective inner experiences rather than a traditional plot, all hallmarks of early 20th-century modernist literature.

How do Clarissa and Septimus connect in the novel?

Though they never meet, Septimus’s death is reported at Clarissa’s party. His prompt, intentional choice to end his suffering forces Clarissa to confront her own safe, small existence and reevaluate what it means to live fully.

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