MOD A RESPONSE

Representations of consequential moments create textual conversations revealing resonances and

dissonances between and within texts

Intertextual connections with seminal texts reveal that attitudes, ideas and values associated with a
particular context will be mirrored or collided with throughout time. Virginia Woolf’s modernist
novel Mrs. Dalloway (1922) – a prime example of a seminal text demonstrates its concern with
moments when they are forgotten and finalized, represented through the characters within its one-
day setting. Stephen Daldry’s post-modernist film The Hours (2002) – a pastiche of the novel both
resonates and collides with Woolf’s representation of moments through an ongoing intertextual
conversation.

The modernist period is strongly associated with the ideas of time and memory – evidently reflected
through Woolf’s life affirming novel as she encapsulates Henri Bergson’s modernist philosophy on
moments; “In truth, all sensation is already memory”. The personification of this modernist concept
is the protagonist Mrs. Dalloway – an ageing woman who constantly fails to relive the original
intensity of her moments; “She had seen an illumination. An inner meaning almost expressed. But
the close withdrew; the hard softened. It was over – the moment.” Woolf’s use of truncated
sentences crescendos towards the pause – a rather disappointing climax as Mrs. Dalloway fails to
relive the original intensity of her moments. Additionally, Woolf’s stream of consciousness style
further embodies this concept as the reader delves into the internal monologue of a character – too
feeling he sense of disappointment that arises from the inability to relive a moment up to its original
intensity. The visual imagery; “The leaden circles dissolved in the air” – a motif which appears
throughout the novel further allows Woolf to successfully encapsulates Bergson’s philosophy in
which she comments on the “irrevocable” nature of time and the ephemerality of moments as the
reader pictures these elements dissolving. By encapsulating Bergson’s philosophy on moments,
Woolf powerfully conveys the modernist value of living life to its fullest as the original intensity of
the past is unobtainable.

Conversely, Daldry’s post-modernist film engages in a textual conversation with Woolf’s novel as he
collides with her modernist concepts, through which he inherently infers that moments – with their
utmost intensity remain eternally ingrained within our conscious. The film illustrates the detachment
of Richard – an author of the twenty-first century with AIDS who describes his moments with
anguish; “a thread of feelings… history”. Through the constant flashbacks to his youth, as if homage
to Woolf’s stream of consciousness style, the audience connects to Richard’s emotions as it becomes
evident that the combination of his personal context – a child abandoned by his mother, and his
illness has inevitably lead to his concern with mortality; “I still have to face the hours don’t I…?”
Through his distraught tone Daldry powerfully encapsulates Richard’s agony, as the dim lighting and
shards of exterior light through his city apartment reinforces it; as does his defeated physical
appearance – a personification of his mental deterioration. Through Richard’s concern with
mortality, it is inherently clear that he has been deeply tormented by the negative intensity of his
moments. Consequently, Daldry collides with Woolf’s modernist concepts in his textual conversation
– inherently inferring that within a more post-modernist context where self-reflexiveness is potent,
moments – with their utmost intensity remain eternally ingrained within our conscious.

The desire to escape through mortality as witness through Richard’s characterization originates in
Woolf’s novel – a modernist concept as the inevitable nature of death occurs as a person’s collection
of moments are finalized. Within the context of the modernist period, the concern with mortality
strongly resonates with the ignorant attitudes towards mental illness causing individuals to feel
further detached from their moments and their identity. Woolf’s characterization of Septimus – a
middle-class war veteran encapsulates societies’ neglect towards individuals who are mentally ill
within the post-WWI world; “There was nothing the matter with him”. Through the oblivious tone of
Septimus’ doctor, Woolf powerfully encapsulates the ignorant attitude towards Septimus who as a
result feels more detached from his identity (his collection of moments); He felt alone, condemned,
deserted.” Through the tricolon Woolf powerfully conveys Septimus’ deep sense of alienation from
his collection of moments as he mutters the motif (from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline); “Fear no more
the heat o’ the sun.” Through this explicit intertextual connection; Woolf inherently infers that there
is no fear in death and through Septimus’ peaceful suicide, she depicts the synonymity between
mortality and tranquility. By depicting the negative attitude towards illness within the post-WWI
context which effectively leads to an individual’s detachment from their collection of moments,
Woolf depicts the modernist value of death as release.

Daldry further resonates with Woolf’s modernist value of death as release in which he
simultaneously collides with the modernist attitude towards mental illness in which individuals
within a more modern context possess a greater understanding of it. Within the context of the post-
modernist period, the concern with mortality strongly resonates with the undesirable glorification of
mental illness in which individuals feel detached from their consequential moments. This idea is
further portrayed through Richard; “I only got the prize for having AIDS and going nuts.” As he
demonstrates his detachment; “I seem to have fallen out of time” Through the confused tone
Richard strongly resonates with Septimus – two detached individuals who seek solace through
mortality. Through this intertextual link, Daldry creates a textual conversation between his film,
Woolf’s novel and Shakespeare’s Cymbeline in which he too portrays the synonymity of death and
tranquility. Through Richard’s characterization, it becomes inherently clear that the glorification of
his illness has inherently led to the detachment from his identity – his collection of moments.

Through the ongoing textual conversation between Woolf’s seminal novel and Daldry’s film, both
texts resonate and collide with another due to their explorations of moments within respective
contexts.