"So, thought Septimus, looking up, they are signaling to me. Not indeed in actual words; that is, he could not read the language yet; but it was plain enough, this beauty, this exquisite beauty, and tears filled his eyes as he looked at the smoke words languishing and melting in the sky" (Woolf 21-22).
Woolf uses Septimus's character in order to give depth to society's perceived notion of madness. Septimus is always trying to communicate with things, but he never figures out how to communicate with the people he should really be communicating with. By portraying the emotions of a madman, Woolf is opening up a door to understanding and sympathy toward those dealing with metal illnesses. As the early nineteenth century was the dawn of how mental illness is treated today, Woolf's attention to current issues is obvious.
"Overview of Mental Health in New York and the Nation." New York State Archives. Web. 05 June 2012. <http://www.archives.nysed.gov/a/research/res_topics_health_mh_timeline.shtml>.
Woolf, Virginia, and Francine Prose. Mrs. Dalloway. Orlando: Harcourt, 2003. Print.
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