In a book filled with complex characters, memorable sequences, and elaborate relationships, one of my favorite aspects of Mrs. Dalloway is Virginia Woolf’s subtle and ironic criticisms of English society following World War I. All the discussions we had about Woolf satirizing the ineffective therapy during this period and expectations of masculinity stuck with me, but one of the more underrated symbols in the novel to me is the Prime Minister.
In Mrs. Dalloway, all the hype surrounding the Prime Minister contrasted with his ultimately disappointing presence seems to be a broader metaphor for a lack of hope for the English government and nation following World War I.
Throughout the book, the ordinary citizens of London assign an almost godlike status to the Prime Minister. When a car in the street first backfires while Clarissa is buying flowers, onlookers excitedly speculate that the person in the vehicle is the “Queen, Prince, or Prime Minister” (Woolf 10). The fact that even being in proximity with the Prime Minister is exhilarating for so many regular people is a commentary on how much hope such a large political figure instills in the English people, still recovering from the atrocities of the first World War. The most prominent example of this is Septimus Smith. Smith, irreversibly damaged by his experiences in the war and his PTSD, holds speaking to the Prime Minister as his ultimate goal. Septimus, a man who feels alienated and misunderstood everyday thinks that espousing his personal philosophy to the Prime Minister will salvage his life: “‘To the Prime Minister,’ the voices which rustled above his head replied. The supreme secret must be told to the Cabinet; first that trees are alive; next there is no crime; next love, universal love” (Woolf 48).
The novel’s portions about Septimus’s goal of speaking to the prime minister serve as cruel irony in critique of how ineffective politicians truly are. When we finally meet the Prime Minister at Clarissa’s party near the end of the novel, he is nothing close to the grandiose figure that the English people hope that he is: “He looked so ordinary. You might have stood him behind a counter and bought biscuits—poor chap, all rigged up in gold lace” (Woolf 123). Furthermore, the servants in Clarissa’s house are neither optimistic nor mesmerized by the Prime Minister in the way we see other residents of London. This could perhaps be due to their experience with politicians, such as Richard Dalloway and Hugh Whitbread, and a decisive understanding of how ineffectual these men really are. There is an extremely sad contrast between Septimus’s views of the Prime Minister, and how the Prime Minister truly is. This juxtaposition is a way in which Virginia Woolf criticizes multiple aspects of the world around her: blind faith that the English people placed in politicians following the war, and the ineffective conservatism that failed to provide solutions for veterans like Septimus Smith. Further, the timid appearance and demeanor of the Prime Minister could serve as a metaphor for England’s wounded national identity following the brutality of the first World War. Through shedding light on the reality of English life, Virginia Woolf could be insisting that the only path of recovery for England after the war would come not from politicians, but the people themselves.
Great job! When I was reading Mrs. Dalloway, I focused on the main characters and did not pick up on the symbolism with the Prime Minister, so I really enjoyed reading this unique analysis. I definitely agree that Woolf was trying to symbolize that the people of England would bring about change, not the politicians. Clarissa, Sally, and Peter are all seen as revolutionaries in their youth, fighting against societal norms to change their world for the better. In stark contrast, actual politicians like Richard are not shown doing much in the book and living a comfortable upper-class life. It is fitting that the Prime Minister is an unremarkable man, someone who submits to the conformity of England instead of the revolutionaries that truly fight for their rights.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I think Woolf's criticism could also very much apply to modern "celebrity culture". People are so bent on worshipping celebrities or politicians or whoever but they're really just normal people like anybody else. I also agree with you that it seems like Woolf is saying that those who will make change will be the people, not the politicians. The other characters in the story all end up being more remarkable than the Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteThis is an insightful commentary that could be the basis for a whole essay. I would add to the diminishment of the PM's aura at the party the passage near the start, where "one Prime Minister more or less meant not a scrap of difference to Mrs. Walker"--he's just another mouth to feed, to the cook.
ReplyDeleteThere's also an ironic mirror-image in the prime minister awkwardly strolling through the party while everyone pretends NOT to be star-struck, so they basically look like they're ignoring them (if you've ever been in the room with a famous person, you'll recognize this move!). Contrast this to the earlier scene, where a car that may or may not be his has the whole city staring at it, looking for "greatness within." Once we see him, he's not "greatness" but just a guy awkwardly walking around a party in a slightly silly get-up.
I think you did a really good job following the story and comparing the hype surrounding the prime minister from the very start of the book, to Septimus's hope and trust, to the final disappointment of his reveal. Your post definitely highlighted one of the underlying messages Woolf was trying to convey to her readers. The lackluster prime minister in the book could very much be a symbol of lost hope and weakness in the UK at the time. Nice job with this post.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so interesting how you caught on to such a small aspect of the story. Sometimes we forget that these people in such high positions of power are people too, especially when they are put up on a pedestal. In fact, they might not even be too remarkable a person either. Nice job.
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