A feminist icon and a pioneer in the narrative device of stream of consciousness are two phrases which can be used to describe the life and legacy of Virginia Woolf, who was both an author and publisher in the 20thcentury. Born into an affluent family in London in 1882, Woolf later endeavoured to break the boundaries of the Victorian literary structures already in place, presenting a bold, new voice that pushed beyond the tried and tested into the new and experimental. Whilst she is best known for her novels, she also wrote innovative essays on literary history, women’s writing and the politics of power, pushing her to the forefront of the first wave of feminism and becoming one of the movement’s first key figures.
The importance that both education and literature played in Woolf’s life was evident from early on – she studied at Kings College London between the ages of 15-19, where she was able to expand her social, literary, and political knowledge, whilst her growing interest in the idea of feminism was fuelled. After her time in higher education, Woolf played a pivotal role in the founding of two important organisations – the Bloomsbury Group, that contained other influential figures such as the author E.M. Forster and economist John Maynard Keynes, and the Hogarth Press, a publishing company created between her and her husband Leonard Woolf. The latter was able to be seen as an effective body in the sense that Woolf was able to support small, experimental publications that would likely not be of interest to more commercial publishers, allowing her to have both the freedom to publish what she liked, and to introduce new voices to the literature sphere.
Woolf has been considered one of the more important 20th century novelists, this only being powered by both her modernist techniques and the growth of feminist criticism which helped to establish her reputation after World War II. The impact created by her work is still felt today, with each of her novels leaving behind a different reputation.
‘To The Lighthouse’, first published in 1927 and grounded heavily in Woolf’s childhood trips to St Ives in Cornwall, focuses on the passage of time and its ephemeral nature, describing the way things fade and the delicate chasm between art and life. It highlights how every beautiful moment should be taken advantage of, before it becomes a memory and a moment lost in time.
‘Mrs Dalloway’ is arguably a revolutionary novel created out of seemingly humble origins, depicting Woolf as a writer who saw no such thing as insignificant lives, only insignificant ways of writing them, turning the rather ordinary day and portrait of a high society woman into a well-regarded masterpiece. The novel encompasses shades and degrees of happiness, satisfaction and regret, sadness and tragedy, and asks the reader to think about the choices we make and the lifelong ramifications these have – what if we have done one thing differently? Would that have changed our life completely?
Virginia Woolf’s novels were not the only legacy she left behind in terms of her writing. Her essay ‘A Room of One’s Own’ has been viewed as a powerful feminist critique of the obstacles between women and writing, and birthed what can be seen as one of Woolf’s most famous quotes – ‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’. The essay argues for both a literal and figurative space for women in a sphere that is male dominated, using metaphors to comment on social injustices and lack of free expression that women experience. The absence of female fiction, Woolf argues, is down to a lack of opportunity, rather than an absence of talent, and this can lead to disadvantages for future generations. The legacy her essay holds is great, the conversation it presents is still so important today; The feminist movement is still incredibly prevalent in modern society, and there is still an argument to suggest that women are economically disadvantaged, such as in Woolf’s essay, due to the issue of the gender pay gap.
Unfortunately, Woolf suffered from mental health issues her entire life, both her early years and time as adult being marred with tragedy. Her mother died when she was only three years old and her father passed away less then 10 years later, both of which sadly resulted in mental breakdowns for Woolf, and she later committed suicide in 1941.
Virginia Woolf is still an incredibly powerful figure to this day, and this is largely because of how innovative and remarkable her prose was, which is why her books have remained household names to this day, whilst exploring relevant themes such as war, mental illness, and homosexuality. Not only this, but Woolf was also a trailblazer for female equality and power in both literary and economic terms, making her a true icon and inspiration for women of every generation.
This article is part of a themed content week celebrating International Women’s Day and women who inspire us.