Clarissa and the First World War

Clarissa Dalloway is an upper class older woman who has easily moved past the events that shook Europe in the early 20th century. She is oblivious to those around her who continue to suffer as a result of it. She is wealthy, older than the generation involved in the fighting, and has no sons that were sent off to fight. She is altogether disconnected from the events except through her husband Richard who is a part of the British Parliament and would therefore likely have played some part in the government’s actions during the war. Despite this, she displays a lack of understanding of how much damage this war has done to the rest of her community. Mrs. Dalloway is out of touch with the rest of the city. 

Just in this short morning walk, she has been in the company of two deeply hurt beneath the surface by this war. A wealthy woman she encounters in the upper class part of town was grieved over a telegram she just received saying that she had lost her only son John and the family manor would no longer pass through the family. The wealthy are not out of touch with the war, just Clarissa. 

The other she passed was someone more directly hurt by the war. A veteran, Septimus Smith is suffering what is evidently post traumatic stress disorder, the antiquated diagnosis he would have received at the time would be shell shock. Septimus is hurt so much by the war that he is suicidal, telling his wife that he is going to kill himself. Septimus is a testament to the psychological problems that soldiers are often left with after the war has been finished and the physical damage repaired. In the park he sits, unnoticed by Mrs. Dalloway, believing that we will see his dead friends if he looks in certain places and when a plane advertises above, he believes he is receiving a coded message. The community is still healing through this trauma but not Clarissa, for her the war has long been over and days like these are ones that make her love living life. This is a direct contrast with Septimus reliving horrors even sitting there in the park, experiencing the same things Clarissa is. 

Rezia, Septimus’ wife, is hurt by the war though she did not serve in it. Her husband’s problems have an impact on her, she feels alone with her husband whose mind did not return from the war. The pain is felt by surrounding people who care about their loved ones and their internal wounds. Although Clarissa’s husband Richard did not serve, as he is in the British government, he certainly would have played a role in the war. The war would have been on the forefront of his mind day in and day out but this does not seem to leave any lasting considerations from Clarissa. Clarissa does not even appear to be indirectly hurt by the war. 

War is devastating and leaves an impact long after it is over, not everyone can simply move on like Clarissa. Although the war ended years ago, the community is still sitting with this heavy weight. This does not seem like it should be something that one can glance at and move past. While she does not have any direct ties to the fighting, the country on the whole is still caring to their national grief and it would not be difficult to see the effects if one looked.