- "Here he opened Shakespeare once more. That boy's business of the intoxication of language - Antony and Cleopatra - had shrivelled utterly. How Shakespeare loathed humanity - the putting on of clothes, the getting of children, the sordidity of the mouth and the belly! This is now revealed to Septimus; the message hidden in the beauty of words." (p. 88)
Virginia Woolf alludes to many Shakespeare pieces throughout the novel, and here
Septimus is referencing
Antony and Cleopatra. This tragedy describes the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony between the
Parthian War and Cleopatra's suicide. Woolf alludes to Shakespeare's work so frequently because it is known for expressing deep emotions and feelings. The characters Woolf create in
Mrs. Dalloway, such as Clarissa and
Septimus, are extremely sensitive, just like the work Shakespeare produced. The multiple references to Shakespeare suggest the characters' desire to be remembered/noticed; like Shakespeare was, and it reveals the respect they had for him as a writer.
Work Cited:
"Antony and Cleopatra."
Wikipedia. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antony_and_Cleopatra.
Photo Credit:
Lawrence Alma - Tadema - Anthony and Cleopatra. Photograph.
Wikipedia. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lawrence_Alma-Tadema-_Anthony_and_Cleopatra.JPG.
I'm not sure about that last line -- the rest seems strong but that last idea isn't clicking -- do we know Shakespeare's intent or is that the character's perception of Shakespeare's intent?
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