Feminism and Patriarchy in the Works of Virginia Woolf: A Critical Study

Abstract

This study critically examines the interplay of feminism and patriarchy in the selected works of Virginia Woolf, particularly Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. Woolf’s feminist perspective is not expressed through overt rebellion but through a subtle and psychological exploration of women’s inner lives. The research highlights how patriarchy operates not only as a visible system of male dominance but also through social norms, cultural expectations, marriage, and identity construction. Through characters like Clarissa Dalloway, Mrs Ramsay, and Lily Briscoe, Woolf presents diverse representations of feminine identity shaped by class, memory, and societal pressure. Clarissa embodies the socially accepted woman whose individuality is overshadowed by marital identity, Mrs Ramsay represents the ideal yet self-sacrificing feminine figure, and Lily symbolizes resistance and creative independence. The study also explores Woolf’s use of the stream of consciousness technique, which allows access to the fragmented, fluid, and layered nature of female identity. Ultimately, the paper argues that Woolf redefines feminism as a quiet yet powerful assertion of the female inner world, emphasizing that identity is not fixed but continuously constructed and contested within patriarchal structures.