The diagnosis of Septimus Smith in Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs. Dalloway, presents a seriously mentally ill man named Septimus Smith. Throughout the novel the reader glimpses moments of Septimius' dementia and how his poor exhausted wife, Rezia, behaves towards him. Septimus, having returned from the war and met Rezia in Italy upon his discharge, has a seriously distorted version of reality. He experienced traumatic events during the war, including the death of his commanding officer and friend, Evans. Upon his return to England he suffers from hallucinations, hears voices (especially Evans') and believes that the trees have a special message to convey to him. Rezia attempts to get Septimus help by taking him to several doctors. In the end Septimus commits suicide rather than let the doctors reach him. Based on the textual evidence it appears that Septimus Smith suffers from schizophrenia. According to the American Medical Association, schizophrenia is characterized by seemingly disjointed comments; blank stares; sudden statements that seem to spring to the speaker's mind; hearing voices (often hostile); have hallucinations; have strange physical sensations; create fantasy worlds; and exaggerated feelings of happiness, confusion, or despair. Another symptom of schizophrenia can be a lack of emotion to the point that it is impossible to connect emotionally with the individual. Some schizophrenics also develop what is called paranoid schizophrenia. Symptoms of this type of schizophrenia include constant suspicion and resentment, accompanied by the fear that people are hostile or even plotting to destroy him. (Kunz 295-296) Virginia Woolf's first description of Septimus Smith immediately gives the reader the feeling that Septimus is mentally unwell. «Septimus Warren Smith, about thirty years old, pale face, beak nose, brown shoes and a worn overcoat, with hazel eyes that had that look of apprehension that makes even perfect strangers apprehensive. The world has raised the whip; Where will he get off?” (Woolf 14) The final sentence of this passage adds meaning to the description of Septimius' apprehensive look. Septimus is completely convinced that the world is the ultimate evil and that it is out to get him. This is a great example of fear that people are hostile and plotting to destroy him, which is a symptom of paranoid schizophrenia. An example of Septimus having exaggerated feelings of bewilderment and despair is found on page 15.