Mrs. Dalloway Blogpost

 The Plight of Septimus Smith

A look at Shell Shock in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway

Jacob River Orr

In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, the character of Septimus interests me. As a veteran of the First World War Septimus is suffering the psychological effects of combat; he undergoes the trauma of so-called “shell shock.” Shell shock itself is an early understanding of what we today refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Jones).

A man undergoing treatment for Shell Shock.
I cannot help but associate his thousand-yard-stare here
with how Septimus must have looked in the park scene.

    The phrase “shell shock” was actually coined by soldiers fighting in World War One and often manifested as Throughout the novel, Septimus demonstrates a range of symptoms associated with shell shock, such as anxiety, depression, and hallucinations. He has a tendency to withdraw from social situations, often finding solace in nature and his own thoughts. This is best illustrated during a scene early in the novel where he and Rezia spend time at the park. Septimus seems lost in the image of the swaying trees above him and is no doubt lost in the memory of his experiences.

Speaking of Rezia, Septimus’ relationships are complicated by his condition. While Rezia is clearly devoted to him, his ability to reciprocate those feelings is hampered by the difficulties in communication PTSD or shell shock can induce. Septimus's mental state is further complicated by his guilt over the death of his friend Evans and by the lack of understanding and empathy of the medical professionals he encounters. This conflict with medical professionals, and indeed the struggle against his affliction, ultimately culminates in Septimus' leap to freedom (and out of a window) at the end of the book.

    Given that Virginia Woolf suffered from significant mental health issues during her lifetime (thank you Mira for the presentation) it is no wonder she would approach mental illness in a respectful and informed fashion. Through the character of Septimus, Woolf suggests that shell shock is not a sign of weakness, but a serious mental illness that deserves our understanding and support.

    With Mrs. Dalloway coming out during the Interwar period, a time when the psychology of warfare was both poorly understood and undergoing intense study, it is fascinating to see this inside perspective on the matter. Few times in history do we get to see such trends spelled out for us by those living through them.

Jones, E. (2012, June 1). Shell shocked. Monitor on Psychology, 43(6).             https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/shell-shocked

General Reflection Blog 01

 A Moment of Repose

A General Reflection Blog

Jacob R. Orr

    In all honesty I was not entirely sure what the intention of a "general reflection" blogpost was. Then again, I haven't the first clue what a blog is for in the first place. It seems a silly thing to foist my thoughts upon other people. Other people who struggle to manage thoughts of their own and surely have no time to consider me and my personal issues.

    It also occurs to me at this stage of the course that I am significantly behind on blog posts for a variety of reasons. Without incriminating myself too much, I simply haven't thought about them.

    Digression aside, I feel this is an ideal opportunity to avoid anxiety about the future and instead focus on the positive. I'm going to the UK and Ireland in 10 days! Hooray! While I have picked out a few things I would very much like to do while abroad, I am trying to keep my expectations low. The program does require we, fully grown adults, participate the buddy system while overseas.

    This is not to imply that I have some kind of issue with my peers. On the contrary, I look forward to spending time with everyone else on the trip. But traveling in a group necessitates consideration for my companions and their needs and wants. It can't be River time all the time.

    When it is River time though; I want to relive the joy of my youth, particularly in Edinburgh. I believe I have intimated in class that I have a fear of heights and that this fear was acquired in the city of Edinburgh, at Sir Walter Scott Tower no less. Yes, my younger self (perhaps four or five) was mortified by the view from the tower's platform and the lack of toddler sized safety measures at that elevation. It is a memory that is incredibly clear to me, even now. And, as with all times I consider extreme heights or see it in movies or video games, my hands have grown clammy.

    While in London, I also have a great desire to go and see the many Roman sites in the city. For those who aren't aware, the primary focus of my studies with Mercyhurst's history department have been focused on the Roman civilization of antiquity. It is an interest I have possessed since I was young. While I have been to London three times prior to the upcoming trip I have never seen any of the Roman ruins in the city. And boy are there ruins galore.

    The two sites I am most interested in seeing are the "Strand Lane Baths," which are quite famous and the remnants of walls of Londinium (the Roman settlement from which London derives its name).

The Baths at Strand Lane

A map with pins for the various segments of Roman Wall. This map includes an intact gate house adjacent to the Tower of London.

Waverley Blog 02

House Waverley Wavering in Waverley

Jacob R. Orr

FSAT 300, Blog Post 03

    Seeing as how I went ahead and made a post about my final thoughts on Waverley up front, I've decided to engage a more specific topic within the text for my second blogpost. Today's subject is about the history of warfare and violence that Sir Walter Scott places as the backdrop to Waverley's plot. Of course, the natural option is to consider the '45 Rising and the Jacobite rebellion, all of which takes center stage within the narrative. However, of interest to me is the frequent mention of the English Civil War that goes on especially during the early phases of the novel.

An artistic depiction of a Roundhead.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

    Edward Waverley's uncle, Sir Everard, is a prominent Jacobite and acts as Edward's gateway to the larger world of English politics. It is also clear from Everard's dialogue in chapter two that he is also a supporter of the Cavaliers or that he at the very least detests Roundheads. 

    If you are unaware, the Roundheads, or Parliamentarians, fought in the English Civil War to empower the Parliament in London and elevate it to levels of authority above the king. They were called Roundheads on account of their flat hair cuts that set them apart from the more flashy style of their Royalist opponents.

    Scott is then building a connection between the English Civil War of yesteryear with the Jacobite Rising in 1745. Given that the English Civil War was waged almost a century prior to the Jacobite Rising, the gulf of time seems to disconnect the two conflicts. 

    Scott does a lot of playing with time though, as the secondary title of Waverley suggests. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to assume Scott is again making clever use of history with his mention of England's internal conflict and the close relationship Edward Waverley's family has to the war.

    The passing mention of the English Civil War in Waverley may tempt some readers to see the conflict as historical set dressing. However, it is my belief that Scott is suggesting the wavering quality of the Waverley clan is not a recent development. 

    Sir Everard has certainly made up his mind about his personal politics, but it seems that the politics of the family is uncertain. Sir Everard is disgusted by the combination of the ancient Waverley heraldry with the Bradshawe coat of arms. Scott explains this outrage by explaining the Bradshawes to be participants in the regicide of Charles I. This change in iconography no doubt took place following the Royalist defeat in 1651 and it still haunts Everard as of the beginning of Waverley.

    In this way, Scott has seeded the narrative with the idea of house Waverley as a family between worlds, not only in 1745 but in the distant past as well.