[VIRGINIA WOOLF, WOMEN, AND LITERATURE IN "A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN"]

The book has lain dust-covered on the shelf for a long time. Rarely do I revisit Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room of One’s Own,’ but each reading still evokes the same sentiment - that these lines are not merely about feminism or gender inequality. Furthermore, Woolf also discusses literature in ‘A Room of One’s Own.’ But why specifically a ‘room of one’s own’? Why did Virginia so adamantly assert that ‘a woman needs money and a room of her own to write’? The mystery unfolds a new dimension of unresolved questions. Indeed, it gives us much to explore in this article, so dear readers, find your own ‘room’ so we can ponder together!

A Brief Outlook on Virginia Woolf’s Life

Virginia’s life bears resemblance to a tragic play interwoven with many thrilling twists. Born into an intellectual family, her father was a literary critic, and her mother hailed from a renowned publishing lineage. With the successive loss of family members, having been sexually abused by her own brother, and facing numerous psychological issues, Virginia nearly went mad and ultimately chose to end her life at the age of 59.  

Nevertheless, that did not cause Virginia to abandon her passion for literature.Virginia Woolf - with her intellect and zeal, she became one of the most celebrated modernist writers of the twentieth century, even being likened to “Shakespeare’s sister.” 

What does “A Room of One’s Own” look like? 

“A Room of One’s Own” is an essay by Virginia Woolf, published in 1929. The book originated from lectures Woolf delivered at Newnham College and Girton College, the women’s colleges of Cambridge University at that time. In an era pervaded with barriers and biases against women, “A Room of One’s Own” made a significant impact by addressing the critical issue of women in literature: “Can women writers create works comparable to Shakespeare’s?” This question is not merely hypothetical; it compels us to reassess the position, role, and capabilities of women in literature. Thus, it is essential that we eliminate the 'natural' prejudices held against women.

Stories rife with Injustice

Today, libraries are as familiar a destination as any, accessible to everyone,young and old alike who wishes to study and read. However, in Virginia’s time, women needed a university lecturer to accompany them or an introduction letter to enter a library. Imagine how frustrating and inconvenient it was. Despite being in the same environment, of the same age, or even of equal capability, women were treated with greater discrimination. It’s evident that women’s abilities were often underestimated, with men always preferred in the academic and literary worlds. Partly because it was difficult for women to receive education at that time, and society presumed it was of no use for women to have access to education.

In literature, not only were female writers suppressed, but their words were also stifled. Women’s writing styles were often characterized as delicate and ornate, and if they wrote novels, it was assumed these novels revolved only around love and family life. However, sometimes things did not happen directly like that. When women wrote, due to societal prejudices, they were either hesitant in their writing style or tried to innovate to avoid being seen as “delicate, ornate, and trivial.” It is regrettable that many literary works by women, including those by Virginia Woolf, are often undervalued compared to their true worth!

Virginia’s View on Women and Literature 

Virginia Woolf’s assertion that women need financial independence to achieve intellectual freedom in literature is conveyed through “A Room of One’s Own.” In the essay, she emphasizes that for women to be freely creative in literature, they need sufficient material and financial conditions, noting that women should have a private room and savings so they can have a space to cultivate their passion without materialistic worries. Moreover, financial independence for women in the essay extends beyond just having the money to buy books and stationery for their passion; it also addresses the issue of social equity. In a society in which women were less favored and had fewer opportunities to earn money, this lack of opportunity contributed to limiting women’s creativity, learning and understanding. Virginia Woolf recognized this, and perhaps understood that financial freedom not only provided women with material freedom but also removed obstacles to independence in thought, firm thinking, and liberation of creativity.

The real beauty lies in the contrast between Virginia Woolf’s real world and her literary world. In the real world, there was a lack of balance, less favoritism toward women, and a lack of diversity in life because of the unbalanced recognition from both genders. But in her literary world, it was a place that welcomed the wise and the deeply literary, regardless of their gender. Virginia Woolf believed that a writer needed a “bigender mind,” meaning the ability to understand and express a variety of perspectives, especially not limited by beliefs and gender. She thought that with a bigender mind, writers could easily observe from various points of view, helping them create multidimensional and dynamic male and female characters. Therefore, in her works, female characters exist not just in terms of gender but also along with other complex aspects such as emotions, thoughts, actions, and this has contributed to defeating narrow-minded stereotypes and gender role biases in literature.

Facing challenges and barriers in expressing themselves and their creative potential, women continue to seek their own space, a "room," where they can freely think and create without being interrupted by social pressures and gender norms. From fighting for personal freedom to combating discrimination and biases, women today are still on a journey to achieve the independence and intellectual freedom that Woolf dreamt of. Through this message, VFSA wants to show that no matter the time, women are always courageous, creative, independent, and every woman can become anything they desire, not just stopping at Virginia Woolf with her mission to eradicate gender inequality in global literature but also aiming higher and farther if they allow themselves.

Authors: Ngô Thị Thảo Ngọc, Trương Quỳnh Như