Clarissa's Role In Women, By Peter Woolf

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passage, Clarissa makes a statement that her husband is “better” than she is, saying, “you see round, where I only see there”(Woolf, 51). It is understood that Clarissa is very dependable on her husband and views him as a superior figure. Earlier in this scene, the couple made jokes at at the other guest’s expense, and readers saw Clarissa act as if she was nobody’s fool. However, the stated quote shows Clarissa preferring to act as foolish when she talks with Richard. Their depiction as a conventional duo continues when Richard kisses his wife and “reduces her to a pretty little creature. Her half written letter slid to the ground and he reads it without asking leave” (Woolf, 53). Clarissa’s worshiping of her husband and deliberate submission is confirmed during this act, and we see her fall under his spell. After realizing his wife’s letter fell, Richard picked it up and “added words in his little masculine hand” (Woolf, 53). This was considered normal in a relationship; yet, Richard subconsciously practiced and established control over Clarissa by finishing her letter. His so-called “masculine hand” adds an ironic touch to portrayal of the couples dynamic. Unlike her husband, the relationship between Peter Walsh and Clarissa takes on a unique and different …show more content…

Dalloway. Clarissa conveys a somewhat submissive yet independent mindset due to living in a male-dominated society, and does so by attempting to improve her social situation. The author parallels the character of Clarissa Dalloway of a feminist who defies the laws that subject women socially and politically. Clarissa is social entertainer, which leads the reader to imply that women were able to show their character within the patriarchal system even if they were offered few opportunities. Her marriage in a sense offered her the chance to create her own life despite being confined to the expectations of a

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