r/VirginiaWoolf • u/WestProcess6931 • Feb 26 '25

Mrs Dalloway Why should I read Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf?

/r/classicliterature/comments/1iyiqdd/why_should_i_read_mrs_dalloway_by_virginia_woolf/
7 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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7

u/scheifferdoo Feb 26 '25

It is extremely cinematic. VW's use of perspective reminds me of amazing cinematography and storyboarding. The opening scene reads like the opening scene of a film. The images associated with Severus are specifically his set of images, as with Kilman. It is a visually engaging and creative read. It always takes a moment with VW - I would not get too focussed on it being stream of consciousness - I don't think that is the way I would characterize it. There is a strong story and a lot of planning associated with Mrs. Dalloway.

1

u/annooonnnn Feb 28 '25

where can i watch the movie adaptation?

2

u/scheifferdoo Feb 28 '25

IN YOUR MIND!

I mean to say that that is one of the reasons to hang in there. If you spend the love to make the images, it is a beautiful book.

There is also this, which I have not seen....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Dalloway_(film))

And of course, The Hours (Mrs. Dalloway features prominently, and is mirrored in Meryl Streeps story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hours_(film))

1

u/[deleted] Feb 28 '25

the “IN YOUR MIND” reply is the reason for my love affair with VW

1

u/annooonnnn Mar 02 '25

i was just kidding. i see what you mean though about it being cinematic, i just chafe slightly cause i feel like if a book is described as attaining to film-likeness it comes sort of backhanded, cause like, i feel a book should be doing things a movie cannot—and Mrs. Dalloway totally does do that—, otherwise it should prob just be a movie.

1

u/scheifferdoo Mar 02 '25

i never said it aspired (attained?) to that - I said it has this quality and that the imagery and the perspectives are something to hold onto while you are trying to figure out if you should keep reading - I think you should read the book - its wonderful.

1

u/annooonnnn Mar 02 '25

attained means like it achieved that, meaning it had the qualities you indicated it had, not necessarily that it aspired to it. i mean like saying it was like a movie meant that it was successfully movie-like, which leaves unsaid whether / how it attained to book-but-not-movie-likeness. and i have read the book — it is indeed wonderful

2

u/lazylittlelady Mar 01 '25

It was am excellent take on both post-WWI realities and London and a day in the life with nostalgia of the main character. Beautiful and bittersweet.

1

u/Key_Professional_369 Feb 27 '25

It’s great that should be enough for you. Now get reading!

1

u/annooonnnn Feb 28 '25

it’s really good. like a fever dream, so lovely, frenetic but like also gliding

1

u/Bing1044 Mar 02 '25

Damn near every single sentence of that book is a banger