Virginia Woolf: One of the Finest Feminist Novelists of the Modern Era

Adeline Virginia Woolf was born on January 25, 1882, in Kensington as Adeline Virginia Stephen. In the Victorian literary society, she gradually emerged as a popular figure as her fiercely feminist novels brought the wave of encouragement of women empowerment and she joined the ranks of one of the most notable Modernist Writer of the 20th century.

Woolf was also a prolific writer of essays, biographies and a publisher. Her themes were often based on the rapidly evolving world which included a shift in gender roles, sexuality, class and technologies. Her works were referred to as ‘Modern Novels’.

“As a woman, I have no country. As a woman, I want no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world.”

The Lady who had paved way for feminism through her tour de force, why not steal some book recommendations from her vast library?!

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”

Woolf puts forth the need of women to write in a closed room uninterrupted to create what their fertile minds let them. She also stresses why it is equally essential for a woman to earn as a man does.

Ransack this impactful masterpiece if you want to know how Woolf in her own polite British way stabs at patriarchy in the eye and encourages every reader to grab the opportunity they get.

Systematically, Woolf attacks the male-dominant society of the era through this masterful essay of hers.

She questions the exclusion of women from the sphere of education, profession and public related affairs, and puts forward the need to eradicate the void.

Woolf answers the letters she had received from people, without revealing their identities, requesting for suggestions.

The suggestions implored ranged from prevention of war, where Woolf criticised the greed for invasion and oppression through power play of ammunitions, to how patriarchy affects women. Woolf mocks the existence of patriarchy because it leads to isolation of women and therefore also blockages the link to their abilities.

She slyly hews the benefits of including women, their influence and how to maintain the influence by staying strong on their own opinions, earning independently.

Earning requires education and that will land them to professions. One of the letters was also about collecting funds for a college for women and another was regarding inclusion of women in job fields.

Woolf sews all the threads together to weave what comes out as her idea to thrash patriarchy. Read this book to get a taste of Woolf’s satire and also to how she believes women can influence society for the good.

As the pages turn, marriage and problems of the individuality of women are thoroughly assessed through all the characters who witness it as their diurnal deals. Edwardian epoch is parodied and the journey of self-discovery from oppression to freedom is metaphorically symbolised through her voyage.

Rachel’s journey is also somewhere related to Woolf’s struggles and few characters are also inspired by the people in Woolf’s life. It is a must-read beautiful book with exotic descriptions of surroundings that shall unravel the development of triumphing over internal struggles.

This novel-cum-biography by Woolf is beyond the stereotypes, breaking conventions, sometimes light and sometimes heavy but is conveyed in a lyrical imagination of love. Woolf dedicated this book to her then lover Vita Sackville-West, on whom Orlando is based upon.

Having a more personal touch of Woolf, it traces the journey of a man, Orlando, starting from his adolescence in the Elizabethan Age. He is melancholic, lonely, finds solace in literature and strives for acknowledgement of his work.

Time is the enabler of this book because his walk of life as he becomes a woman in the middle of the book stands out, seeming like everything had been frozen.

Enjoy this book under the sun of winter where Virginia Woolf is there to tangentially point out gender issues, the vibrancy and the sheer pleasure this tale brings in.

*whispers: “ Orlando” is said to be a more personal account of Virginia Woolf and it was believed that she had not intended to publish it. Her romance and inspiration with Vita Sackville-West can be perceived clearly through this story of a man who lives over a span of 400 years and changes his sex. This book is reckoned as ‘the longest and most charming love letter in literature’*

It is a family saga of three generations of the Pargiter family of London and a stock of some sweet moments within the family.

As the plot progresses, a rise and fall of the line of Pargiter’s and their descendants are addressed in Woolf’s ethereal way of capturing ordinary instances artistically, landscape and small details that give voice to unsaid words.

It is based on the immortal time and how the hustling — bustling city of London undergoes the impending transformation concerning the Pargiter Family from the 1880s to the present time (mid-1930's).

How with time shall everything change for them? Does it rejuvenate or ravage?

Hope on this novel of Virginia Woolf and fill your heart’s contents with her exquisitely pristine writing style!

How wonderful will it be if you get to read the minds of the people around you? (Then dumplings would read dumplings and they would read other dumplings!)

A route has been mapped out by Woolf to peek into the conscience of her characters in this novel where languorously the readers shall lose themselves in it.

This novel is a complex, twisted and compelling love story with a powerful study over each character. It explores the extraordinary in simplicity and same-sex forbidden love also surfaces.

Let the present fade into the past as the family, surviving under the scrutiny of its own, comes alive. There is a missing piece of love; a left-out part of togetherness mixed with a dominant presence.

Death shall trace the lines and brush the ends of the parches swelling even the coldest hearts.

Singing the anthem of feminism, it is a journey to find the sliver of hope — the bright light of the lighthouse in the darkness.

“He smiled the most exquisite smile, veiled by memories, tinged by dreams.”

And of course, hold on to the book or else it might slip over the velvet lexicon of Woolf!

From a fluid narrative comes a baffling tale of six characters — six friends — baffling with a crisis which is drawn out from their inner feelings over the death of their beloved pal.

The novel sketches the shadow of each character from their childhood to middle age with the crashing sound of waves as their internal conflict deepens its roots within themselves.

Peering into each characters’ flesh from the heavens, Woolf sculpts a story with her impeccable game words where death can be fought, resisted to an extent, forgotten for a while but can never be won from.

An adept novel from a gifted novelist rolls the scenes and stories like a wheel running with picture frames one by one.

“Books are mirrors of the soul.”

An enormous pageant is set in a fictitious English country house of Pointz Hall of Bartholomew Oliver, a widower and retired Indian Army officer, and his sister Lucy. The pageant is traditionally held annually to celebrate the English history and is attended by all the people of the local community.

“Do you think people change? I meant ourselves — do we change?”

The readers shall find themselves engrossed in the titillating drama, not long before the outbreak of the war. Set between two momentous historical events, WWI and WWII, the pageant plays drawn by Woolf was a way to open minds, broaden aspects and civilly send — off certain facets of culture as that was the time of Modernism.

*whispers: This was the final novel of Woolf’s instalment before her sorrowful death. She had walked into the River Ouse with rocks filled in her pockets and drowned herself, surrendering to her mental illness. This novel was published shortly after her death. “Between the Acts” has been often seen to be as technically incomplete because Woolf hadn’t finished revising it. She had even described it as ‘too silly and trivial’*

His point of view is never explored and neither is his character sketch because all the events in the life of Jacob are driven by the perceptions other characters have of him, largely by the women in his world.

It outlines Jacob’s passage from childhood to adulthood where he is eyed differently in eyes of different people.

“When the body escaped mutilation, seldom did the heart go to the grave unscarred.”

He is hard to understand; an impressionistic portrait of beauty, charm and coldness. He exists but not as himself. He is all but an amalgam of memories and perspectives.

Following the story of Flush from the beginning of his time with Elizabeth Barrett Browning till his death. The events that unfold include a happy life with his owner, insecurity, oblivion and seclusion, the kidnapping of Flush and many more themes drawing out the innermost feelings from the core.

Dumplings don’t let this beautifully pinning but poignant tale (possibly also cuddle your pet chum!) slip through your fingers!

Although she had been adorned by several accolades and awards, she had refused patriarchal honours.

Virginia Woolf is reputed for her contributions to the 20th-century literature sparking the voice of feminism and strongly advocating for it when chauvinism was at its pinnacle. Being an ardent feminist and hardcore pacifist, she had been outspoken on topics instilling controversy which are now considered to be progressive.

Authors such as Michael Cunningham, , and have been influenced by the works of Woolf. On 26th June 2004, a memorial of Virginia Woolf had been erected by Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain.

Mental illness had pestered Woolf for much of her life and she had to be institutionalised on several occasions until she committed suicide in 1941 in Lewes, United Kingdom, bidding adieu at the age of 59 leaving behind a coherent thread of devastated family and friends, acquaintances and disheartened admirers on March 28.

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”

Her work remains the epitome of feminism and wonder of many scholars. On this day of her birth anniversary, let’s celebrate one of the finest feminist novelists of the modern era!

Happy reading, dumplings.

- Meghna Chatterjee

Originally published at https://www.bookishsanta.com on January 25, 2021.