Virginia Woolf’s Contribution to Feminist Discourse: Re-reading of A Room of One’s Own

Abstract

Feminist literary criticism is a component of the discourse of New feminism that emerged in Europe and America in late 1960's to resurrect political and social concerns associated with the actual participation of women in Western culture. It examines the male-dominated canon in order to comprehend how males have manipulated culture to further their dominance over women. Feminist approach to literature, like Marxist criticism, is a part of a larger set of social perceptions. It investigates the connections between women's representation in literature and social and historical issues such as sexuality and the family, hierarchies, patriarchy, and law. Feminist literary criticism offers fresh interpretations of literature by re-evaluating the literary works of both men and women. Feminist discourse encompasses a wide range of ideas, theories, and discussions related to gender equality, women's rights, and the social, political, and economic challenges faced by women. Virginia Woolf emerged as one of the most distinguished critics of the twentieth century, and undoubtedly as the greatest woman critic of all centuries in English literature. Her works and concepts have had a considerable influence on feminist discourse and are still researched and discussed in relation to feminism. The present paper aims to offer a comprehensive and insightful analysis of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, shedding light on its enduring significance in feminist discourse, literary criticism, and the ongoing fight for gender equality.