Virginia Woolf: Mrs Dalloway: Practice Questions

What is Clarissa Dalloway's primary activity at the beginning of the novel when she decides she will 'buy the flowers herself'?

How does Clarissa Dalloway react when she first hears of Septimus's suicide during her party?

During their youth at Bourton, what radical act did Sally Seton perform that remained a vivid memory for Clarissa?

What does Peter Walsh constantly fiddle with throughout the novel, serving as a nervous habit and a symbol of his masculine, adventurous persona?

In Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, what event at the beginning of the novel causes a temporary stir and unites the diverse crowd on Bond Street in a shared moment of speculation?

Briefly explain the significance of the phrase 'fear no more the heat o' the sun' which Clarissa recalls from Shakespeare's Cymbeline.

In what way does Septimus Smith's experience of 'shell shock' serve as a critique of post-war British society?

Identify the specific motif that Virginia Woolf uses to represent the intrusive and rigid nature of British medical authority, particularly through the character of Sir William Bradshaw.

Virginia Woolf uses the character of Septimus Smith to explore the psychological aftermath of the First World War in Mrs Dalloway.

(a) Identify two symptoms of shell-shock displayed by Septimus.
(b) Briefly explain how his experiences provide a contrast to the social world inhabited by Clarissa Dalloway.

Analyze the presentation of gender roles and social expectations in Mrs Dalloway and Sense and Sensibility.

(a) How do both Woolf and Austen depict the limitations placed on women’s movements and choices in their respective time periods?
(b) Compare how Elinor Dashwood and Clarissa Dalloway utilize self-restraint to navigate their social environments.
(c) Discuss the significance of the domestic sphere (the home) as a site of both power and restriction for these women.