Virginia Woolf can undoubtedly be regarded as one of the most famous writers of the modernist era. However, she was not merely a writer, at the same time she was a biographer, an essayist and also a feminist. Being a female writer in a patriarchal society, Woolf raises issues on gender and gender roles, and challenges the role of the Victorian woman, both in her novels as well as in her other essays. The ideas of women, their role and identity become especially obvious in her novel To the Lighthouse, as here Woolf clearly juxtaposes the two images of women, namely the Victorian ideal and the New Woman.
Furthermore, her novels do not merely demonstrate the redefinition of gender roles but also the changes happening in narrative techniques employed in novels during the modernist era. Being part of this movement and the literary changes happening during that time, Woolf herself contributes greatly to shaping the new woman’s identity, as she sets out to destroy the stereotype of that time which suggested that only men can write.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Victorian Woman
- The emergence of a New Woman - Woolf's Three Guineas
- Redefining Gender in To the Lighthouse
- Mrs. Ramsay - The Angel in the House
- Lily Briscoe – The new woman
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This text explores the redefinition of gender roles, particularly the changing image of women, in Virginia Woolf's novel *To the Lighthouse*. The main objectives are to analyze how Woolf challenges the Victorian ideal of womanhood and present the emergence of the "New Woman" in her writing. Key themes include:- The Victorian ideal of womanhood, including the "Angel in the House" concept.
- The emergence of the "New Woman" and her characteristics.
- The role of gender in shaping societal expectations and individual identities.
- The impact of the changing social and literary context on the portrayal of women in literature.
- Virginia Woolf's contributions to feminist thought and the evolving literary landscape of the modernist era.
Chapter Summaries
- The introduction provides a brief overview of Virginia Woolf's contributions to modernist literature and her focus on gender issues, particularly in *To the Lighthouse*. It highlights the juxtaposition of the Victorian ideal and the New Woman in the novel.
- The chapter on the Victorian Woman discusses the prevalent societal expectations of women during that era. It highlights the focus on domesticity, motherhood, and the perceived inferiority of women to men. It examines the impact of this ideal on women's education, social standing, and opportunities for self-expression.
- The chapter about the emergence of the New Woman analyzes Woolf's essay "Three Guineas" as a representation of the changing role of women. It explores the characteristics of the New Woman, her quest for independence, and her challenges to traditional gender norms.
- The chapter on the redefinition of gender in *To the Lighthouse* focuses on the representation of women in the novel. It examines Mrs. Ramsay as the embodiment of the Victorian ideal, highlighting her domesticity, motherhood, and perceived selflessness. The chapter also analyzes Lily Briscoe as a symbol of the New Woman, emphasizing her independence, intellectualism, and pursuit of artistic expression.
Keywords
The text primarily focuses on themes of gender, feminism, and the evolving portrayal of women in literature, particularly during the modernist period. Key keywords include: Victorian Woman, Angel in the House, New Woman, gender roles, societal expectations, feminist thought, modernist literature, Virginia Woolf, *To the Lighthouse*, and *Three Guineas*.- Quote paper
- Anja Benthin (Author), 2008, Redefining gender roles: The Image of Women in Virginia Woolf’s 'To the Lighthouse', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/127155
