Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was a prominent literary figure of the 20th century. With her experimental writing style, Woolf shared her criticisms on gender, identity, and mental illnesses, inviting others to rethink their beliefs or even take action. Woolf’s ability to characterize the female experience in a male-dominated society emphasized the pressures of society that limited women. As she pushed the boundaries of activism and literature, her contribution to feminism cannot be exaggerated; she is recognized by many as one of the best and brightest writers of the 20th century.
Woolf, being a modernist literature pioneer, was a key member of the Bloomsbury Group. This group of artists and thinkers were dedicated to artistic experimentation and social progress. While part, Woolf produced many outstanding works such as Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), Orlando: A Biography (1928), A Room of One’s Own (1929), and The Waves (1931). These distinguished Woolf’s brilliance and undoubtedly exhibited her genius as an artist, pacifist, and feminist. Investigating gender roles and societal expectations in To the Lighthouse, Orlando, and Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf was able to define how the female experience was shaped by misogyny and male perceptions; this advanced the struggles faced by women to the forefront of literary discourse..