Peter Walsh

In Mrs. Dalloway, Peter Walsh is a major character who plays a major role in both the development of the study and Clarissa. Peter has know Clarissa most, if not all, of his life. Ever since their early days at Bourton, he has had feelings for her, extreme feelings for her. He believes the happiest moment in his life was the day Clarissa asked him to join her on her boat. Later that summer, he asks Clarissa for her hand in marriage. She broke his heart into countless pieces by rejecting him. Dejected, he leaves Bourton immediately and doesn't see Clarissa until the day of her party. He is back in London to talk to lawyers to finalize a divorce for his new love, Daisy, who lives in India. However, it is obvious he is still madly in love with Clarissa when he decides to make an unannounced visit to Clarissa's house. This visit climaxes when Peter breaks down in front of Clarissa and she kisses him in effort to try to comfort him. For Peter, this action confuses him even more. After being interrupted by Clarissa' daughter, Peter rushes out of the house and Clarissa yells to him that her party is later that day. This kind of chaos and drama seems to portray the kind of man Peter is. He is a very dramatic and emotional guy who has trouble dealing with his emotions. He and Clarissa's husband, Richard, are polar opposites. Where Peter is a man struggling with his feelings and prospective on life, Richard Dalloway is a rock. He is a stable, even-headed, well respected man who doesn't seem to allow his emotions to affect him. This is possibly on of the key reasons why Clarissa decided to marry Richard over Peter, as a matter of practicality versus passion. But Peter serves as a  glimpse back to the past and what "could have been".