Overview

One of the most poignant feminist writings of the twentieth century, this extended essay explores the limits women face as writers in a male-dominated society.

Virginia Woolf draws on female writers of the past, including Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, while also considering fictional characters and lesser-known women in literary history. Noting women’s struggles, including their lack of intellectual freedom and financial independence, Woolf discusses the necessity for equal rights in the workplace and beyond. She states that in order for women to succeed creatively, they must have both a literal and figural space in the workplace.

‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.’

First published in 1929, this essay stemmed from a 1928 lecture Woolf gave at the University of Cambridge and grew into a touchstone text in feminist literature and philosophy.