What if Septimus Smith Lived Today?
In Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, Septimus Smith is easily a standout in the book with his compelling backstory, tumultuous thought process, and the way Woolf is able to experiment with her writing style when writing from his perspective. However, his tragic death by suicide is easily the most gruesomely fascinating thing about his character. As shocking as it is, one can't help but wonder how his fate would have played out if he had received proper care instead of being misunderstood and nearly mocked for his trauma. Without downplaying Septimus's condition and experiences, one can easily argue that many of the factors that led to him taking his life were products of their time. Septimus's short life was pre-determined when he was young. He fought in the war not because he wanted to (he would much rather enjoy reading Shakespeare and watching plays) but because it was seen as the natural duty of a man to serve his country and perhaps die heroically in the process. I...