Clarissa + Richard, L or W?
Throughout our discussions in class, the topic of Clarissa's marriage was one that came up a lot. Many people questioned if Richard was the right choice for her, and maybe if she should've gone with Peter. I think many people felt that Peter was a better choice and that Richard was just too safe. However, I would say I have to disagree.
Personally, I just feel like Clarissa is going through something kind of like a mid-life crisis. I don't think that it is too extreme, but when it is all said and done, I doubt she really thinks that she should've chosen Peter Walsh of all people. She often reminisces over her teen years, specifically that trip to Bourton. I feel that this shows she would rather be young again and relive those memories rather than actually marry someone else. She questions her marriage a bit and the reader gets the feeling that she may have feelings for Peter Walsh since she's always thinking about him, but I think the scenes where we see Clarissa and Peter interact face to face show that Clarissa isn't really all that into him.
A big point that people made was that Sally Seton thought Peter Walsh was the better option, but I just don't feel like this is a valid argument. When Bourton happened they were all around 18 years old, and hot take, 18-year-olds don't make the best decisions. The book alludes to Clarissa and Sally having visions of grandeur and thinking that they can do something that will change the world. They were just teenagers dreaming big. Peter Walsh is the more adventurous option, no doubt, so I can see why back then Sally thought Peter was the better option since Sally is an adventurous and free 18-year-old girl. In the grand scheme of things, I think that the safer option is more viable, it just doesn't seem that way to an 18-year-old who wants to make a huge impact on the world. Upon Sally's return to Clarissa's life, we see that she has drastically changed from the lively, adventurous 18-year-old Clarissa remembers. Sally has settled down with a trader and has 3 children. We all expected her to be single and fighting for some big cause, but even she has settled down more or less. I think this shows how as time goes on even the craziest teenagers settle down and mature into a relatively secure life. I would say if we were to ask Sally at the party who Clarissa should marry she would say Richard, as she has now matured and understands the worth of a secure and safe life.
Not to mention Richard is genuinely a nice bloke. I was honestly rooting for him so hard when he was trying to work up the courage to say "I love you" to his wife. He is very thoughtful and everyone likes him, and even though he doesn't provide the "adventure" Peter does, as a middle-aged woman I think it's best to have a stable life over a life of uncertainty.
In my opinion, Clarissa + Richard > Clarissa + Peter.
I agree. Like you say, it seems like all the characters, even Sally Seton, have settled down and matured. On the other hand, Peter is basically the same as he was 30 years ago. He's still very young emotionally and is quite frankly, a man-child. Although he might have been the more adventurous type 30 years ago, he now is too immature compared to Clarissa and I doubt they'd make a good match.
ReplyDeleteI too rooted for Richard during the "I love you" section. He seems much more thoughtful than the impulsive and immature Peter. Also, Peter is constantly criticizing Clarissa for things like being superficial and needing people. It all just seems extremely condescending and I don't think anyone would want to be married to someone like that. So yeah Clarissa and Richard are better suited for each other in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your blog post a ton, and I would also say that Richard is a big W. Reading through the novel at first and reading the internal debate in Clarissa's head over Peter and Richard, I really expected Richard to be somewhat of a jerk, maybe due to typical tropes in fiction. I love that Virginia Woolf went much more complex with the relationships in this novel by making Richard a cool guy and not including any animosity between Richard and Peter. Though Peter is an unconventional guy, which is very interesting to read, I think there's a reason that Richard is viewed as the "safe option" as he simply has his life in order more than Peter does.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't think Clarissa would be necessarily any happier with Peter Walsh than Richard. Peter acts somewhat immature for his age, and though that personality may have worked for him when he was young in Bourton, I can't help but feel that Clarissa would feel uncomfortable in a marriage with him when the main events of the book take place. The novel also definitely made me warm up to Richard more as it progressed as well, so that kind of detracts from Peter even more. I liked that you included the part about how Sally Seton used to be very adventurous but eventually settled down with a family, as it further enhances how Richard is a much better option for a long-term marriage over Peter. Overall, nice job.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree! I think that Peter was suite for Clarissa for a time where things were lively and fun, that way they could be adventurous together. Now that time has passed and they have grown older, While Clarissa has matured, Peter still remains the same, mentally and emotionally, not to mention his decisions made while he was in India. I think that if Clarissa were with Peter rather than with Richard, her life would have probably been more chaotic than it was, and she probably would not have enjoyed it as much as if she did when she was younger. I think this shows that time can really change people and the way they approach things in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Richard was better for Clarissa than Peter. Just because Richard was the "safe" option doesn't make him the worse option. I think that Peter was a big part of Clarissa's teen years, which is why in her memories he is often there. I can understand why someone might think that Clarissa's reminiscing implied she missed Peter, but I agree that she is just missing her childhood. Another thing I think we fail to consider sometimes is that this was just one day in Clarissa's life. Maybe she was missing Peter that one day, but that doesn't mean she would have rather married him.
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