Virginia Woolf: Redefining Gender and Freedom

Abstract

Virginia Woolf remains one of the most transformative literary figures of the twentieth century, whose works not only revolutionized modernist narrative techniques but also reshaped feminist thought. Her writings, deeply introspective and socially perceptive, opened new avenues for understanding gender, identity, creativity, and women’s place within patriarchal structures. This study examines Woolf’s feminist ideology as reflected in her key works such as A Room of One’s Own, Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, and Professions for Women, analyzing how she challenged traditional power structures and articulated a compelling vision of intellectual and economic freedom for women. By situating Woolf within the broader continuum of feminist history, from Wollstonecraft’s liberal advocacy to Beauvoir’s existential feminism, the paper highlights her role in bridging philosophical, literary, and psychological dimensions of women’s emancipation. Using qualitative textual and contextual methods, the study demonstrates that Woolf’s narrative experimentation, socio-economic critique, and symbolic representations continue to shape contemporary debates on gender equality. Ultimately, her feminist ideology offers a lasting framework for interpreting women’s autonomy, identity formation, and resistance in modern society