Mrs Dalloway · Character

Clarissa Dalloway

A fifty-something London hostess steps out to buy flowers herself, and the whole city—its traffic, its memories, its dead—rushes in to meet her.

major

Also known as Clarissa, Dalloway, Clara, Mrs. Dalloway

First appearance: Mrs. Dalloway

As a major figure in Mrs Dalloway, Clarissa Dalloway is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Hosts a party; is disturbed by news of a young man's suicide; reflects on her past with Sally Seton and Peter Walsh.

In the storyMrs. DallowayOpen this moment free

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With Peter Walsh (romantic): Former lovers with unresolved romantic tension, marked by deep affection and painful memories. With Sally Seton (romantic): Intense youthful romantic friendship with lingering emotional…

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The fuller portrait of Clarissa Dalloway sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway

Character Web

33 connections

A slice of how Clarissa Dalloway sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Family
Social

Character groups

Protagonist
Upper-class social circle

+28 more in the full Character Web

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Relationships

Peter Walsh
romantic · ambivalent
Former lovers with unresolved romantic tension, marked by deep affection and painful… How this plays out →
Sally Seton
romantic · positive
Elizabeth Dalloway
family · positive
Richard Dalloway
family · positive
Hugh Whitbread
social · ambivalent
Joseph Breitkopf
social · positive
Lucrezia Warren Smith
social · ambivalent
Peter Walsh
romantic · ambivalent
Former lovers with unresolved romantic tension, marked by deep affection and painful… How this plays out →
Sally Seton
romantic · positive
Elizabeth Dalloway
family · positive
Sally Seton
romantic · positive
Lucrezia Warren Smith
social · ambivalent

Peter Walsh
Former lovers with unresolved romantic tension, marked by deep affection and painful memories.
Sally Seton
Intense youthful romantic friendship with lingering emotional intimacy and nostalgia.
Elizabeth Dalloway
Mother and daughter with a loving but somewhat distant relationship due to generational differences.
Richard Dalloway
Husband and wife in a stable, affectionate but emotionally restrained marriage.
Hugh Whitbread
Longtime acquaintance within high society, marked by polite but superficial interaction.
Joseph Breitkopf
A minor acquaintance from Clarissa's youth, associated with her memories of Bourton.
Lucrezia Warren Smith
Distant social connection; Clarissa feels a vague sympathy for Lucrezia at her party.
Peter Walsh
Former lovers with unresolved romantic tension, marked by deep affection and painful memories.
Sally Seton
Intense youthful romantic friendship with lingering emotional intimacy and nostalgia.
Elizabeth Dalloway
Mother and daughter with a loving but somewhat distant relationship due to generational differences.
Sally Seton
Intense youthful romantic friendship with lingering emotional intimacy and nostalgia.
Lucrezia Warren Smith
Distant social connection; Clarissa feels a vague sympathy for Lucrezia at her party.

Relationship notes

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See Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway

In the story

Clarissa Dalloway appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Mrs. Dalloway

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Clarissa Dalloway unlock in the free preview.

See Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway