Nationalism

“Boys in uniform, carrying guns, marched…on their faces an expression like…gratitude, fidelity, love of England.” (pg. 51)

Nationalism is defined as the attitude that the citizens of a nation have when they care about their national identity and the actions they make to preserve this identity. Throughout history nationalism can be traced in many cultures. This is especially true for Great Britain. Great Britain has always taken a great pride in its status as a super power. Historically recognized as being dominant, militarily and imperialistically, the citizens of Great Britain are known for their patriotism. Woolf’s sole purpose in referencing nationalism in Great Britain is to show how important it is and to give the reader a better feel for the culture. Woolf furthers the message of patriotism being important by saying that much of the population seems “ready to attend their Sovereign, if need be, to the cannon’s mouth, as their ancestors had done before them.”

From such characters as Septimus Warren Smith, it can be assumed that Woolf believes nationalism to be an important part of Great Britain's culture. At the same time, however, she portrays Septimus as being mentally ill as a result of being in the war which leads the reader to believe that she is equally aware of the negative aspects of being patriotic.

"Nationalism." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nationalism/

Photo Credit: Buckingham Palace Guards. Digital image. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ffximage/2008/09/01/470buckpalace,0.jpg