Mrs. Dalloway book cover

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Summary

Mrs. Dalloway
Virginia Woolf
3.78 (345378 Reviews)
Psychology
Society
Philosophy
Overview
Key Takeaways
Author
FAQs

Overview of Mrs. Dalloway

Step into a single day with Clarissa Dalloway, where Woolf's revolutionary stream-of-consciousness technique changed literature forever. This 1925 masterpiece exploring mental illness, post-war trauma, and women's identity remains a cornerstone of feminist thought and modernist storytelling.

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Key takeaways

1

A Single Day, An Entire Life

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On a bright June morning in 1923, Clarissa Dalloway steps into the London streets to buy flowers for her party. This simple errand launches us into the intricate web of her consciousness, where present sensations constantly intertwine with memories of her youth at Bourton. As Big Ben strikes the hours throughout the day, its sound reverberates through the minds of characters moving through post-war London - a city vibrant yet haunted by recent trauma. The novel unfolds entirely on this single day, yet contains within it entire lifetimes of love, regret, joy, and suffering. Through Clarissa's party preparations, we experience her appreciation for life's sensory pleasures alongside her awareness of mortality: "In people's eyes, in the swing, tramp, and trudge... was what she loved; life; London; this moment of June." This intensity of perception isn't merely aesthetic but existential - having recently recovered from illness, Clarissa moves through her day with heightened awareness of life's preciousness and brevity.

2

The Mind's Hidden Currents

3

The Hostess and Her Double

4

The Wounds of War

5

The Past That Lives Within Us

6

The Performance of Self

7

The Party: Separate Lives Converging

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@Matt, YC alum
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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12
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108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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@Jaded_Falcon
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