A Room of One's Ownis an extended essay based on two lectures that Virginia Woolf delivered at Newnham College and Girton College, two women's colleges at the University of Cambridge, in 1928. In this work, Woolf explores the societal and material conditions required for women to write and produce literature. The central thesis of A Room of One's Own is encapsulated in Virginia Woolf's assertion that ‘a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.’ Woolf argues that women have been systematically denied the financial independence and private space necessary to create literary works. She examines the history of women in literature and highlights the difficulties they faced in pursuing their artistic ambitions.
Over de auteur
Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was a seminal English writer and one of the foremost modernists of the 20th century. Born Adeline Virginia Stephen in London, she was educated at home by her parents, both of whom were well connected in literary and artistic circles. Woolf’s father, Sir Leslie Stephen, was a notable historian and author, which provided her with access to his extensive library and an environment that fostered her literary ambitions.
Woolf is best known for her novels such as Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and Orlando. However, her extended essay A Room of One’s Own (1929) stands as a significant feminist text that explores the economic, social, and educational barriers faced by women writers. Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness writing style and her exploration of the inner lives of her characters have left a lasting impact on literature.