Robert Smith Surtees

“There were Jorrocks’ Jaunts and Jollities; there were Soapy Sponge…” (pg. 10)

The two titles mentioned here allude to the literature of English author Robert Smith Surtees. Jaunts and Jollities, a collection of essays, and Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour, the novel referred to by the mentioning of “soapy sponge,” both focus on hunting-enthused protagonists. Woolf references these books perhaps to show Clarissa’s ignorance which ultimately helps in developing her character. Clarissa has, up until this point, been described as being somewhat feminine, so it makes sense for her to disregard the plots of these novels in response to their flowery titles.

"Robert Smith Surtees - LoveToKnow 1911." 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Robert_Smith_Surtees