Baron Marbot's Memoirs

“…she had read deep in Baron Marbot’s Memoirs. She had read late at night of the retreat from Moscow.” (pg. 31)

Jean Baptiste Antoine Marcellin de Marbot was a French general who lived during the 18th and 19th centuries and fought alongside Napolean. He has become most famous for his biography which gives insight into the Napoleonic age of warfare. In Memoirs, Marbot recounts the battles that result in Napoleon’s unsuccessful taking of Russia. Woolf references this book to show war’s impact on society. Using this book as Clarissa’s choice of reading material also creates a contrast between what is expected of Clarissa and her actual personality. This is key in developing Clarissa's character. This abnormal (at least for this time period) interest shows how multitiered her personality is and sets her even further apart from the other characters.

"Jean Baptiste Antoine Marcellin de Marbot." Wikipedia. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Baptiste_Antoine_Marcellin_de_Marbot