“Now for his writings; how the dead sing behind rhododendron bushes; odes to Time; conversations with Shakespeare; Evans, Evans, Evans - his messages from the dead; do not cut down trees; tell the Prime Minister. Universal love; the meaning of the world” (147-148).
Woolf emphasizes the importance of words - they sometimes tell more about a person than the actual person. Septimus especially had a connection with words since he felt that they would live on even after he killed himself. His writings represented many of the themes present in Mrs. Dalloway. The rhododendron bushes symbolize the death Septimus is speaking of since rhododendron bushes are poisonous. However, plants often symbolize life so Woolf uses this symbolical paradox to show how life and death can exist at once, just like how the past and present are intertwined throughout Mrs. Dalloway. Septimus’ “odes to Time” re-emphasize the theme of time. In this novel, which is structured by the tolling of Big Ben, Woolf shows how so much can happen in just one single day, demonstrating how precious time is. The capitalization of the word “Time” gives it even more importance as time then becomes a figure - instead of an idea -that can be worshipped similarly to a God.
Just as Septimus included Shakespeare in his writings, Woolf was greatly influenced by Shakespeare as she used some of his exact lines in her writing, such as the line “Fear no more the heat o’ the sun” (9). Woolf even wrote the fictional story A Room of One’s Own in which Shakespeare had a sister.
Septimus tells of Evans’ “message from the dead” in which Evans says “not to cut down the trees.” Trees are often a symbol of life. Through this symbol, Woolf puts an emphasis on the importance of life. Earlier in the novel on page 57, Woolf compared trees to women. Through this passage Woolf is again re-emphasizing women’s important positions in life. Lastly, the reference to “universal love” can be interpreted as Woolf’s connection to and interest about homosexuality. In Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf incorporates homosexuality through Clarissa and Sally’s relationship and through Septimus and Evans’ relationship. Woolf herself had what some consider to be relationships with other women, namely Madge Vaughn and Violet Dickinson.
Works Cited:
“Cause for Fear: Sexual Apprehension in the Writings of Virginia Woolf.” UPenn. 3 Oct. 2010 <http://www.stwing.upenn.edu/~lpottle/Thesis.html>.
“Characteristics.” Department of Horticultural Science. 3 Oct. 2010 <http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Rhodosp.htm>.
Photo Credit:
"Embassy of the United States, Sofia Bulgaria - Earth Day (April 22, 2009)." Embassy of the United States, Sofia Bulgaria - Home. Web. 25 Oct. 2010 <http://bulgaria.usembassy.gov/media_04222009a.html>.
