[Vwoolf] "What a lark! What a plunge!" (Could Woolf have had the bird in mind?)

[Regina Marler]

Not the bird, I think. A lark, as in a bit of fun. A plunge, as in the moment one dares something: plunging into adventure.

All best,

Regina

Sent from a small, hand-held device. Please excuse typos.

> On Jun 28, 2020, at 9:25 PM, Caroline Webb via Vwoolf <vwoolf at lists.osu.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> I always associated “What a lark!” with Joe’s “What larks, Pip!” in Great Expectations, meaning “what fun!”
> Caroline
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> From: Vwoolf <vwoolf-bounces+caroline.webb=newcastle.edu.au at lists.osu.edu> On Behalf Of Sunjoo Lee via Vwoolf
> Sent: Monday, 29 June 2020 2:21 PM
> To: vwoolf at lists.osu.edu
> Subject: [Vwoolf] "What a lark! What a plunge!" (Could Woolf have had the bird in mind?)
>  
> Dear Woolfians, 
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> 
> I am wondering about those two phrases in the opening of Mrs. Dalloway. 
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> I have always thought the "lark" to be the bird; that Clarissa on that morning saw a lark (flying high), admired it, saw it plunge, and admired it also. 
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> Then I seem to remember someone becoming incredulous when I said something to that effect discussing the opening of the novel. 
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> I happen to have a French translation, and it rendered them: "La bouffée de plaisir! le plongeon!" Obviously the translator thought the "lark" to be more 
> 
> along the lines of "sudden outburst of...." 
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> Is this contested? Or is it definitely *not* the bird? 
> 
> I would appreciate if you let me know what you think. 
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> All best, 
> 
> Sunjoo Lee 
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