Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the greatest British writers of the 20th century. This course studies two major works, To the Lighthouse (1927) and A Room of One’s Own (1929). We will also read some essays and short stories. Our aim is to study both her ideas and her literary techniques. What makes her work a delight to some, and a challenge to others? What is the relationship between her ideas and literary form? How did Woolf make her mark upon the development of the novel in the 20th century?
To get the most out of the course, you should read all the set texts before you come to Cambridge, and expect to reread them while you are here. In class, we will undertake some ‘close reading’ in the Cambridge tradition. This technique helps us to understand in very precise ways how an author is using language, and to grasp something of the richness and complexity of a literary work. We will also study Woolf’s life and historical context, including the First World War, which affected her deeply. We will also explore her ideas about women, education, and marriage. If you have time before you come, you might read other books by Woolf, such as Mrs Dalloway (1925), Three Guineas, or The Years from the 1930s. You might also read more of her essays, or her published diaries and letters, and the biographies of Woolf by Hermione Lee or Michael Whitworth.
One session is planned to take place at Newnham College, where we hope to visit the Library, Archives, and Clough Hall, the venue for a lecture by Woolf in 1928 which was expanded and published as A Room of One’s Own, and, weather permitting, explore the beautiful gardens and grounds.
Learning outcomes
- To gain a greater knowledge of the primary texts and an understanding of their historical context;
- To become familiar with some literary-critical ways of thinking about Woolf;
- To develop students' skills of close analysis and sensitivity to tone, style and genre;
- To be able to discuss the reading in the seminar group and to contribute usefully to general debate about the issues of the course.
