Characters
Mrs. Barnet
Mrs. Barnet works as a maid in the Dalloway household. Although her actions
when greeting Mabel Waring and taking her coat may seem ordinary to the reader,
they trigger significant feelings of insecurity in Mabel about her appearance
and social standing.
Clarissa Dalloway
Clarissa Dalloway is the party hostess that Mabel attends. She is gracious and
polite to her guests, leaving a lasting impression even though the reader only
hears her speak once in the story—to urge Mabel not to leave the party
early.
Mrs. Dalloway
See Clarissa Dalloway.
Mabel Waring
Mabel Waring is a middle-aged woman who constantly, and some might say
obsessively, reflects on her sense of alienation from the higher social class
she aspires to join. Invited to a party hosted by the wealthy and socially
prominent Clarissa Dalloway, Mabel is consumed with anxiety over her inability
to afford fashionable clothing. She wears an old-fashioned dress made from a
pattern book that belonged to her mother, then spends much of the party
worrying about its suitability and attracting the notice of other guests
because of it. Her brief conversations at the party further highlight her
disconnect from this social tier.
Rose Shaw
Rose Shaw is another guest at Clarissa Dalloway’s party. Mabel Waring describes
her as always being dressed ‘‘in the height of fashion, precisely like
everybody else, always.’’ Rose compliments Mabel on her new dress, but Mabel
believes she is being subtly ridiculed.
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