An Analysis Based on a Feministic View, Essay Example

Apart from being a novel about life-perceptions and self-identity, the story plot of Mrs. Dalloway’s life deals a lot in common with the idealisms of modern feminism. Taking into account the emergence of such idealisms in relation to how the plot of the story is arranged to create relative connection to feministic views shall be given attention to in the analysis that follows. First to take note of is the emergence of self-identity in relation to how one recognizes the worth she has in the society and as a person to herself. Mrs. Dalloway is a woman noted for her capacity to adjust to situations; having a distinct connection to her dream, her decisions have become directed towards accomplishing a particular goal, and that is to increase her social value. To do this, she made sure of her social positioning through marrying a prominent man in the society. Being so, she was able to adjust into a more prominent position that marked her identity. This section of the story puts into account the need of a woman to take on another step in life [not necessarily what she wants] that would put her in a status that she thinks she deserves. Being that the setting of the story is within the 1920s era, it could be recognized how women were set aside, considered as mere companions for the men. Back then, feminism, although has already been given birth, is not as well defined as it is at present.

The fact is, women in the 1920s are accustomed to follow within the status of their partners, their husbands. They are required to live under the male’s status quo and remain with such controlled identity. Relatively, the women are often left without any choice. Their identity, could either be questioned or fully accepted based on the identity that their husbands carry. Given no choice and no chance to prove their real worth, the women are expected to follow along and not tread apart from their husbands. This is what was seemingly obvious on the attitude of Mrs. Dalloway. Setting up a party at her home, she made sure that everything was well-cared for to avoid putting any shame into her husband’s name, along with such desire is the considerable understanding she has over the need to prove her position among the friends of her husband and the social circle he is enjoined with.  The truth behind the emergence of joined status wherein the women are often left out with no choice especially when it comes to finding ways to define themselves and the way they want to be recognized in the society, women are left out with no choice; rather they are accustomed to live within the constraints of their mate’s identity. This is the reason why Carissa [Mrs. Dalloway] was considered to have a distinct reservation on showing who she really was or what she really wanted to be; she refers to such matter as a distinct manner by which she hides that person and hope that somehow, the hidden person survives time. This could be noted through the lines:

Clarissa had a theory in those days . . . that since our apparitions, the part of us which appears, are so momentary compared with the other, the unseen part of us, which spreads wide, the unseen might survive, be recovered somehow attached to this person or that, or even haunting certain places after death . . . perhaps—perhaps.

As a woman, she feels the need to become accustomed to such way of living. Not only was her being female keep her off from the possible chances of realizing who she really was, it also puts her in a situation where she needs to control her desires and her other skills or talents to make sure she does not put enmity against her mate, her superior. To keep herself from pushing such an identity which could immediately put an end to her relationship, she needed to keep her real self off from what was seemingly obvious to the society she needed to deal with.

Courage was an elemental factor that ought to define each individual. In the case of Mrs. Dalloway, such a character could only be regarded through her willingness to live a life that she could simply settle with because it is what was comfortable for her and not necessarily the right one for her. In her case, such courage could be recognized accordingly through the distinct indication of how she tries to survive the sadness brought about by the need to live a life that she does not want, to accept all the consequences of her decision and to not be with the person she really hopes to love. The story depicts of the many compromises a person must make to be able to accomplish the ideal process of being fully accepted. Relatively, In the story plot of the novel, it could be understood how determined Mrs. Dalloway was in surviving a life that was directive of what she hopes to be recognized with, even when it meant living her real being behind and making up a new one.

Feminists believe that there is nothing more irritating or degrading for a woman than having to live a life or an identity that is not actually hers. Being able to live a free and satisfying life is everyone’s right. Mrs. Dalloway also had the right. However, the 1920 era did not put much attention to such matter, especially if it involved women. Due to the emergence of such idealism, it became hard for the women to make a name for themselves, a name that they want, a name that they deserved. Clinging unto the recognition that their mates have was such a distinct indication of the lesser level of social value that women have against the males. This is why at present, the age of liberalization has provided women the chance to embrace a relative identity that they deserve, something that they could get from actually putting immense effort in determining their ways towards making a distinct name for themselves.

For many reasons, women at the time could be seen to have the same attitude as that of Mrs. Dalloway. The novel further reads: “for Heaven only knows why one loves it so, how one sees it so, making it up, building it round one, tumbling it, creating it every moment afresh; but the veriest frumps, the most dejected of miseries sitting on doorsteps (drink their downfall) do the same; can’t be dealt with, she felt positive, by Acts of Parliament for that very reason: they love life.” This line further points out the fact that the women then believed that there are things they simply need to accept, matters that they cannot change because they are the basic elements of life. However, as the years pass and ages develop towards determining the real worth of human identity and human right towards having a good life, the need to attest one’s being with one’s capacity to be satisfied with his life becomes the primary basis of one’s being, no matter if that person is a man or a woman.

In this reading, the utilization of feminism as a relative source of analysis for the character creation that Mrs. Dalloway is noted for provides a distinct impact on redefining how the society used to see womanhood and its personal worth to individuals as well as how such recognition on womanhood has changed through the years. To note, it could be understood that the utilization of the reflection on the changes of social perception on individual worth among men and women makes the reading on Mrs. Dalloway more relatively connected to the real value of gender roles that has been redefined through time.

Through this analysis, it is shown how particular readings on classical ways of living provides a distinct indication on how social changes had made it possible for modern understanding of the value of feminism to be developed in recognition of the need of women to be given the chance to live their lives according to their own desires and become more capable of living an identity that is basically identifies their real being and not a being that they need to pretend along with. The effective presentation of how women were treated in the past provides a good contrast on how modern living has changed the way women are seen and given better chances of realizing the real values of their life and their character.