Medical Profession as Portrayed in Mrs. Dalloway
The author Virginia Woolf has embodied Interior Monologue,
Stream of Consciousness , events from past and present and brief conversations
in her novel.
This insane situation clinically describes Septimus’s insanity as it becomes all the more horrifying.
In the novel, we have Doctor Holmes and Doctor Bradshaw providing medical advice and treatment to the needy. The former is a general physician and the latter, a specialist. They are trained well to talk and explain the health issues connected with the well-being of citizens. Woolf deploys subtle mimicry to portray them. Later, it turns into a sharp satire. It is made clear by Woolf that the medical field in the novel posses no serious concern for the public health .. Holmes and Bradshaw pay little attention to the requirements of their patients.
The medical profession handling Septimius’s health issue is the central theme in the novel. Septimus is a shell shock war veteran , he suffers from extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He further claims that he cannot escape the ‘Human Nature’ which he experienced in a higher degree during the war . For Septimus ‘Human Nature’ represents malignity . During the war he experienced this malignity in he form of violence which represents physical expression of human nature.
Dr. Holmes has no sympathy for his patients and is easy in his approach. He finds Septimus over-anxious to perform in bed and fails to address his mental condition. For him, Septimus’s ailment is a simple matter. He terms Septimus’s condition as apart of human nature and believes there is nothing wrong with him. He even eyes on Septimus’s wife and does not bother to pay heed on his patient’s fear about his visions. Septimus does not trust Holmes and has angry outbursts on and off.
Lucrezia is more worried seeing the condition of Septimus deteriorate further. The vision of Evan’s ghost gives Septimus mix perspectives which he finds difficult to handle. Lucrezia does not know what to do when she hears Septimus saying the following:
“Communication is health, communication is happiness, communication –“he muttered.
“What are you saying Septimus?” asked Rezia, wild with terror, for he was talking to himself. She sends Agnes running for Dr Holmes. Her husband, she said, was mad.
Doctor Holmes enters the room and interrogates Septimus of what is he doing? And even denounce him that he is doing all this to frighten his wife Lucrezia. He further reassures Lucrezia that he will give Septimus some sort of medicine so that he can go to sleep .
We can see here the author’s opinion about the doctors – they are not serious while treating their patients. Doctor Holmes is very cynical about Septimus. He is clear that being low in economic status, Septimus does not deserve more than he is getting. His eyes are only on Septimus’s pocket.
Sir William Bradshaw is a character who represents British upper class patriarchal despotism. He receives immense respect from the public. He was famous for his tacts and understandings. He was an older man who was knighted for his services towards the people of England. He worked very hard to achieve this position being the son of a shopkeeper. As soon as Septimus and Rezia came into the room he immediately diagnosed Septimus as in a state of complete nerves breakdown. He even laments that the couple have been trusting Doctor Holmes for quite a long time.
One of the treatments he prescribes is the “Rest Cure” a common approach during that era. Septimus is isolated from his wife and is made to rest at a home in a controlled environment. Woolf has drawn the readers attention to Sir William’s social background that affected his value system.
The three traits mentioned by the author
sympathy, tact, and understanding of the human soul define Bradshaw aptly .Sir
William obtained these skills with a lot of hard work and determination. For
him, the knowledge of medicine has crystallized into a valuable acquisition
called ‘Expertise’. In his practice
of medicine, Bradshaw preaches Proportion and worships Conversion, which is an
abstract way of showing that Bradshaw is a scientist and authority figure more
than a caretaker.
Proportion is a way of expressing his belief
that everything must be in order, that everything has to be balanced and in
line, and that people must behave according to their place. Conversion reflects
his belief in his power to change people and put them under his control – to
"convert" them into obedient citizens and patients. His concerned
with preserving the British way of life in which men are considered dominant in the society and suffering is done
behind closed doors, if at all. His
language, too, is affected by his standing in the profession.
The authorial intent in this content is to
expose the hollowness of the medical profession. Virginia Woolf's portrayal of
the medical profession in "Mrs. Dalloway" can be seen as a critique
of the limitations and flaws within psychiatric institutions at the time. The
lack of empathy and understanding from some doctors exacerbates the suffering
of patients like Septimus, highlighting the need for more holistic and
compassionate approaches to mental health.
Through its exploration of mental health and
the medical profession's treatment of it, "Mrs. Dalloway" delves into
the complexities of human emotions, societal expectations, and the need for
empathy and understanding in medical care. The novel remains a powerful
commentary on mental health issues and the significance of acknowledging and
addressing them in a compassionate manner.
References:
Primary Sources:
Mrs Dalloway (Novel)
Secondary Sources:
2. https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/mrs-dalloway/dr-holmes
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