Woolf by Virginia Woolf is recognized as a prominent writer in modernist literature as well as a leading figure in 20th-century literary feminism. Indeed, critic Elaine Showalter writes that Woolf was one of the first female authors to capture the "hectic, restless rhythm of women's daily lives" (Showalter, 1977, pp. 198), beautifully presented in Mrs. Dalloway. I propose that through the theme of gender in Mrs. Dalloway, in relation to the female role in a post-war society and attitudes towards mental health in a relative context, Virginia Woolf presents the reader with a feminist text that seeks equality and explores the damage caused by a patriarchal society. To argue this, I will refer to feminist critics such as Linda Ruhemann, Carol Ann Duffy, and Woolf's own diaries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'?Get an original essay I believe gender is at the heart of Woolf's writing and Mrs. Dalloway is a fascinating example of women's writing. His modernist approach and stream-of-consciousness style makes the text more fluid, rhythmic and gives a certain sense of freedom compared to the traditional, patriarchal novel style, such as the works of Charles Dickens, which seem much more serious, controlled with a clear structure. Woolf threw all rules of structure and punctuation out the window, reflecting the new possibilities and freedom of women during wartime society. Some sentences last half a page, for example when Clarissa describes how “cool, how calm…the air was in the early morning like the beating of a wave; the kiss of a wave' using only semicolons to divide the sentence. The fluidity of the line gives a stunning natural rhythm, linked to the sounds of nature and allowing the reader to feel fully immersed in the environment. Critic and poet Carol Ann Duffy highlights how Woolf's "lyrical intensity allows her, and us as readers, to situate ourselves within the lived moment." In my opinion, this is exactly what embodies Mrs. Dalloway as a representation of women's writing that goes against conceptions of women's writing. patriarchal and traditionalist style of novel. Linda Ruhemann argues that we understand Woolf's "femininity" through her ability to "create shapes and designs from seemingly random details", a quote which confirms that Woolf's unique structure and style confer a certain sense of femininity at her work. already addresses the subject of the female role in a patriarchal society in the eponymous title of “Mrs. Dalloway”. The title itself, through the absence of her first name, suggests that she is defined by her marriage and that she has lost her own identity. Clarissa’s sense of loss is summed up perfectly when she describes herself as “this being Mrs. Dalloway; » not even Clarissa, it is Mrs. Richard Dalloway, the slow pace and the commas used in this sentence create a feeling of resignation and loss. Clarissa has reached menopause, and in this age of patriarchy, where a woman's main job was to marry and have children, there is a sense that she has lost the meaning of her life as well as her identity . The loss of sexual identity is evident as Clarissa says she "felt like a nun", this feeling of being removed from life and no longer being a sensual woman affects her greatly. We are told that "her bed would get narrower and narrower", the repetition creates an effect of spiraling and increasing lack of intimacy with her husband as she ages. The fascinating aspect of this character is thatwe see her from different angles, on the one hand her mind expresses these wonderful moments of being, but we also have a vision of her external personality in which she plays the hostess and trivially worries about the flowers. his party, exclaiming “What a lark! ", a phrase which, according to Elaine Showalter, perhaps makes it "easy to see her as superficial and light" (1977). Even Woolf herself expressed her concern and doubts in her own 1923 diary, fearing that Clarissa is “too stiff, too sparkly and flashy” and therefore not accessible enough. However, I would argue that Clarissa's external "rigidity" only accentuates society's negative effect on women; how patriarchy acts like a metaphorical corset and prevents the female voice from being heard. The character of Sally Seton must be discussed in relation to gender as she struggles against the constraints of patriarchy and represents a new possibility for women: mental, physical, and crucial freedom. , sexually. She is introduced as “the wild, bold and romantic Sally!” ", a bold young woman from the "Roaring Twenties" who is perhaps representative of women's disquiet after the war changed ideas about the female role. More importantly, Sally seems to be Clarissa's one true love. We are drawn to the astonishing moment of being in which Clarissa describes her passion as “enlightenment; a match burning in a crocus,” an incredibly insightful, unique and powerful view of female sexuality. Critic Suzan Harrison cites that this attraction between women "and the connection of this attraction to artistic imagination not only suggests a critique of compulsory heterosexuality and the sacrifices it demands of women, but also calls into question the construction dominant modernist of creative inspiration as requiring a male artist and female muse'. Patriarchal regulations on sexuality prevent their pure and passionate relationship from developing, ultimately causing Clarissa to feel a sense of loss and a lack of identity. Sally is Clarissa's inspiration; the quintessence of sexuality, pure love and freedom. In Woolf's essay, "Professions for Women" (1931), she speaks of killing "the angel in the house", a concept "borrowed from the Coventry Patmore poem celebrating domestic happiness" and I believe Sally Seton is a step towards the destruction of this image of women. sacrificial wife perfect in her worldliness and bold attitude towards sexuality. However, the contrast of female characters: Clarissa representing the negative effect of patriarchy on women and Sally representing the possibilities of future women, in my opinion, is what makes Woolf such an intelligent and relevant author. Her ability to create these powerful, contrasting female characters simultaneously makes Mrs. Dalloway a product of its times as well as a work that critiques society and sparks a change in the societal role of women. Ms. Dalloway also addresses the theme of gender in relation to treatment. and attitude towards mental health in a patriarchal society. Woolf herself suffered from mental health issues and her own voice seems to rise very close to the surface of the book through the character of Septimus, a soldier suffering from PTSD. She explores how patriarchy also affected men, as mental illness was most often associated with women, seen as delicate and prone to hysteria. In turn, men who suffered from disorders such as PTSD were ignored and assumed that they would recover. of their “funk” on their own, as presented by the doctors in the novel. Dr. Bradshaw says that “we all have our moments of. 66-76.