“The earth thrilled beneath him. Red flowers grew through his flesh; their stiff leaves rustled by his head” (68).
Woolf uses imagery to foreshadow Septimus’ death. Just as a corpse would be buried in the earth, Septimus is becoming part of the earth as flowers grow around him. Woolf is referring to roses, as roses are mentioned just sentences later when Septimus says “...the thick red roses which grow on my bedroom wall.” This statement also furthers the idea that Septimus will die and become part of the earth since the terms “sleeping” and “death” are often interchangeable. Woolf uses the symbol of red roses to give death a more pleasant view since red roses are often the symbol of love and warmth. Woolf intertwines these two seemingly different ideas (death and love) to present an unconventional view of death. This corresponds with her own choice of death over life. The references to death throughout Mrs. Dalloway add to the theme of passing time. Whether humans control the amount of time they spend on earth or not, there is only so much time available to humans. This limit is the principle reason time is such a precious thing.
Work Cited:
Photo Credit:
"TLC Home "Caring for Roses"" TLC "Guides" Web. 25 Oct. 2010 <http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-care-for-roses.htm>.
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