I have seen many interpretations of this book concerning the dynamics between characters and this is another great one I hadn't considered.

@@Joy-boy-joy I don't know: Perhaps it's improper to compare a Woolf plot to Helen of Troy because isn't that one of the criticisms of patriarchal tendencies in Western Civilization, i.e., that women are at the root of all problems? A lot of it depends on how serious Clarissa is about running off with Peter, who claims to be in love with a much younger women (thereby exciting her jealousy), so likely I'm over-reaching in the comparison to Daisy, who seems ready and willing to enter into an affair with her old flame, Jay. So much of Woolf involves reading into what isn't spoken about in polite company, like the possibility Peter is using jealousy to prod her into an impulsive decision.

@@jamesduggan7200 Interesting! I do not think it is improper. Your perspective makes me think. Especially the Gatsby comparison. That is creeping further into my mind. It felt to me that Peter's mentioning his newfound love was more of him being cathartic and impulsive rather than anything devious. Him preparing to leave his wife for a young love who was already married; his nomadic lifestyle; these all fall into his character. His love comes across as spry and progressive for their times as opposed to Clarissa's (she married for status/social appeal). It is apparent that they love each other, but their ideals separate the entire purpose of love. Interesting enough, I do believe Woolf was reflecting on her own life and the circle of friends around her with the love triangle + 1 (I am including Sally Seton) in Mrs. Dalloway. I read her diaries and I remember bits and pieces that make these characters come to life even more.

@@Joy-boy-joy I like to think that Woolf wrote an actual story, with conflicts, plotlines, and characters. If she was merely recreating her social set then the story suffers, IMHO. If, OTOH, Woolf makes a statement that not only duels are fought over women but even wars, and who knows? maybe the whole reason for WW1 was an argument between two jealous men with more power than was wise to allow them to have? I think that for Mrs. Dalloway to be a novel it's necessary to make Clarissa's dilemma a serious one. It was necessary to have her consider the possibility of leaving Richard for Peter, and then allow the audience to ruminate on what Richard might do in that situation. The point of the story - the moral - becomes that WW1 was the kind of disaster that changes fundamentally the way people think and act. However, possibly it's merely a slice of life with about as much substance as the woman who frets that the mention of a sad suicide might dampen the festive mood of her party (and after she worked so hard at it, even going herself for the flowers!).

@@jamesduggan7200 oh no, I only meant that she was able to draw from some personal experiences to give her characters more life. There are many layers to the novel: the concept of time; the concept of love; interpretations/perception of lives...

Thank you! Happy Easter!

Yep - shell shock. What I meant it what you said about how it definitely wasn’t something that was not well understood and definitely not talked about the way we do now. Omg yes. That drives me crazy.

Ooooh I could see the audiobook being perfect for this!!

Good to know!

Yes! Sync is the perfect way to describe it!

Her prose is beautiful! I can see though how for some it may be hard to follow at times. She does make you focus haha

Hahah 50s definitely ain’t old! Plenty of life left to live! 🙌🏼

Thank you! Haha yes! Try it again! You never know.

Thank you! Oooooh this is good to know. I have The Dutch House in my shelf and I haven’t read it yet.

Perhaps the impact of Dante's Divine Comedy is diluted since 1850 or so, or maybe 1950? Possibly there was a time when to some extent there was a literal interpretation of it, I don't really know. Nonetheless, I think that this political climate is chilly to it, tho I can't pretend to be someone whose thesis proposal was shot down for no good reason. I did watch a series of lectures delivered at Yale a few years ago where the professor (visiting from Italy) stressed its structure and its place as a great love poem. It was an excellent presentation, tho I believe the subject matter - particularly for The Inferno - will continue to determine its place.

@@jamesduggan7200 Inferno, Purgatorio then Paradiso... the guide to heaven is Beatrice, who is Dante's dream girl as you know. Getting to the end of the book, in heaven, with your dream girl ... yeah, sounds like a love story made in Hollywood. People still talk about the demons in hell, and levels of hell, and video games are made of such horrors; it all started with Dante. I even saw one with an NPC called Beatrice helping Dante. Many movies where they reference the seventh level of hell reserved for traitors. You would be hard-pressed to find a Western-based movie, or book that talks about demons or Hell (or most things in the horror genre) without directly quoting Dante, or a work which was directly or indirectly linked to Dante. You'd pretty much have to reach into Eastern cultures or indigenous lore to find something not based on Dante.

@@kurtfox4944 funny you should say that today because last night on youtube I watched Denzel Washington in Fallen

Nope, Jane Eyre is number one! 🙌🏼

@@alanaestelle2076 I hope you'll travel like Jane. Maybe not far from where your family is, but far enough to meet your Mr. Rochester (as far as I know you've not met him/her etc).

@@martasoltys9091 this is so sweet, thank you! ❤️

@@alanaestelle2076 love is important. I underestimated it. I remained in a horrible relationship. Please don't make my mistake.

❤️❤️❤️