Showing results for "Virginia Woolf" in Literary History & Criticism

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Natalie Dormer, best known for her standout role as Queen Margaery in Game of Thrones, as well as her roles in The Hunger Games and Captain America: The First Avenger. A Room of One's Own, based on a lecture given at Girton College...

On a June morning in 1923, Clarissa Dalloway is preparing for a party and remembering her past. Elsewhere in London, Septimus Smith is suffering from shell-shock and on the brink of madness. Their days interweave and their lives converge as the party reaches its glittering climax. Here, Virginia Woolf perfected the interior monologue and the novel's lyricism and accessibility have made it one of her most popular works.

For years now the Ramsays have spent every summer in their holiday home in Scotland, and they expect these summers will go on forever; but as the First World War looms, the integrity of family and society will be fatally challenged. The novel's use of stream of consciousness, reminiscence and shifting perspectives gives it an intimate, poetic essence, and at the time of publication in 1927 it represented an utter rejection of Victorian and Edwardian literary values.

This is Virginia Woolf’s first collection of essays, published in 1925. In them, she attempts to see literature from the point of view of the ‘common reader’ - someone whom she, with Dr Johnson, distinguished from the critic and the scholar. She read, and wrote, as an outsider: a woman set to school in her father’s library, denied the educational privileges of her male siblings - and with no fixed view of what constitutes ‘English literature’. What she produced is an eccentric and unofficial literary and social history from the 14th to the 20th centuries.

FOREWORD BY ALI SMITH WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY FRANCESCA WADE Who better to serve as a guide to great books and their authors than Virginia Woolf? In the early years of its existence, the Times Literary Supplement published some of the finest writers in English: T. S. Eliot, Henry James and E. M...

"Mrs. Dalloway" recounts a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in the middle of June 1923. Clarissa Dalloway is a high society London lady. On that day, she is hosting a party, meeting people, going to the park, and reflecting on her choices. Where would she have been if she married Peter Walsh and not Richard Dalloway? What if she would not invite this or that person to her party? Her feelings about Peter Walsh grow because on that particular day he returns from India to settle some affairs in London. Other people also reflect on their choices. Mr. Smith who cannot move on from the horrors ...

One of the most famous of all literary dogs, Flush was the golden cocker spaniel belonging to Elizabeth Barrett. In this charming and heartfelt biography, Viginia Woolf tells his story: his early days as Miss Mitford's puppy running across the fields in wild abandon and fathering another, then the years spent in his invalid mistress' bedroom in Wimpole Street.

A Room of One's Own is an extended essay, originally delivered in 1928 as two lectures at two of Cambridge University's women's colleges—Newnham College and Girton College. Through the use of several metaphors, lauded author Virginia Woolf explores the social injustices and structures that prevent women from engaging in free expression and contributing to literature.

Step into the vibrant world of Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares for a grand party, weaving through the intricate tapestry of London life. Join her and the characters that surround her as they navigate memories, introspection, and the emotional landscapes of their existence. This poignant novel delves into themes of relationships, mental health, nostalgia, and the profound decisions that shape our lives. (Summary by Hannah Dormor)

A wise, lyrical memoir about the power of literature to help us read our own lives—and see clearly the people we love most. “Transcendent.”—The Washington Post “You’d be hard put to find a more moving appreciation of Woolf’s work.”—The Wall Street Journal NAMED ONE OF THE...

To the Lighthouse is at once a vivid impressionist depiction of a family holiday, and a meditation on a marriage, on parenthood and childhood, on grief, tyranny, and bitterness. Its use of stream of consciousness, reminiscence, and shifting perspectives gives the novel an intimate, poetic essence, and at the time of publication in 1927 it represented an utter rejection of Victorian and Edwardian literary values.

Here is Virginia Woolf at her most entertaining and informative, relishing the portraits and insights she presents as she surveys a varied collection of individuals in English society and English literature. In The Common Reader Volume 2, (published in 1932), the essay lives on and even more so in this sensitive and engaging book by Georgina Sutton.

Virginia Woolfs masterpiece, To the Lighthouse, delves into the intricate lives and inner thoughts of the Ramsay family and their guests at a summer retreat on the picturesque Isle of Skye. The novel is structured in three distinct parts, which Woolf metaphorically describes as two blocks joined by a corridor. The first and final sections unfold across two pivotal days, separated by a decade and a world war, while the central corridor vividly captures the houses transformation amidst the backdrop of personal milestones—marriages, losses, and the passage of time. Renowned for its innovative ...

In Shaggy Muses, we visit Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Flush, the golden Cocker Spaniel who danced the poet away from death, back to life and human love. We roam the wild Yorkshire moors with Emily Brontë, whose fierce Mastiff mix, Keeper, provided a safe and loving outlet for the writer’s...

In Jacobs Room, the narrative weaves a complex tapestry around the enigmatic life of Jacob Flanders, primarily through the fragmented perceptions of those around him. This unique storytelling approach creates an intricate character study, where the absence of a traditional plot emphasizes themes of emptiness and longing. As the impressions of others fill the void left by Jacob, the novel takes on an elegiac tone, inviting readers to ponder the nature of identity and the impact of absence. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

Join us for a captivating journey through Virginia Woolfs modern classic, To the Lighthouse. Divided into three parts, this profound narrative delves into the lives of the Ramsay family at their idyllic Scottish summer home, navigating the complexities of life before and after The Great War. Blending elements of feminist and psychological literature with a unique stream-of-consciousness style, Woolfs novel often reads like a beautiful prose poem. At its core, it thoughtfully explores the intricate roles of women and artists at the dawn of the 20th century. (Summary by WendyKatzHiller)

Delve into the enchanting world of Adeline Virginia Woolf, an iconic English author and modernist figure of the twentieth century. Renowned for her contributions to literary society and her pivotal role in the Bloomsbury Group, Woolfs works like Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and Orlando have left an indelible mark on literature. In her collection Monday or Tuesday, she explores her early forays into stream of consciousness writing, presenting a series of short stories that delve into the intricate thoughts and emotions of her characters. Woolfs reflections on the female experience, human ...

For readers of Also a Poet, Orwell’s Roses, and My Autobiography Of Carson McCullers—as well as the legions of Virginia Woolf fanatics—the acclaimed poet and author of The Crying Book crafts a deeply moving, immersive, and lyrical hybrid memoir about her mother, Woolf, and the...

Join the Ramsey family on their reflective journeys to the Isle of Skye, accompanied by their house guests. While the plot might seem secondary, this novel delves deep into the intricacies of human thought, emotion, and relationships. Experience the world through the eyes of children and explore the diverse perspectives of adult concerns. Dont be intimidated by the depth; instead, allow the prose to wash over you and discover your own interpretations. This novel offers a unique experience, akin to gazing at a painting and finding personal meaning within it. - Summary by Cori Samuel. This ...

Join Rachel Vinrace as she sets sail for South America aboard her fathers ship, embarking on a transformative journey of self-discovery akin to a modern mythical adventure. The eclectic mix of passengers serves as a canvas for Virginia Woolf to satirize the quirks of Edwardian society. This novel not only introduces the iconic Clarissa Dalloway, featured in Woolfs later work, Mrs Dalloway, but also includes characters inspired by real-life figures close to Woolf. St John Hirst channels the essence of Lytton Strachey, while Helen Ambrose reflects elements of Woolfs sister, Vanessa Bell. Rachels...