Viriginia Woolf :: Author Viriginia Woolf feminism relationships

Viriginia Woolf (this essay has problems with the format)One of the greatest female authors of all time, Virginia Woolf, produced a body of writing respected worldwide. Driven by uncontrollable circumstances and internal conflict, her life was cut short by suicide. Her role in feminism, along with the personal kinships in her life, influenced her literary works. Virginias relationships doneout her life contributed, not only to her literature, but the case of her life as well. Perhaps the greatest influence in Virginias life is her mother, Julia Stephen. Julia Stephen was the most arresting figure which her daughter Virginia Woolf tried to resurrect and preserve (Gordon 4). Woolf, a manic-depressive, found herself constantly searching for approval. Virginia needed her mothers approval in order to measure her own stature (Bond 38). Battling with a sense of worthlessness, Virginias mother helped her temporarily rid herself of self-criticism and doubt. This however was short-lived. Wh en Mrs. Stephen rejected Virginia, she felt her mothers disapproval directly related to the quality of her writing. Virginia Woolf could not bear to reread anything she had written Mrs. Stephens rejection of Virginia may have been the paradigm of her failure to meet her own standards (Bond 39). With the death of her mother Woolf used her novel, To the Lighthouse to refashion and preserve the memories that still remained. According to Woolf, the character of Mrs. Ramsey in To the Lighthouse was modeled entirely upon that of her mother (Bond 27). This helped Virginia in her closure when dealing with the loss and obsession with her mother. Although Virginia clung to the relationship with her mother, she favored her father, Leslie Stephen. Virginia resembled her father uncannily in character traits, in her writing and self-doubts, in her great and malicious sense of humor, in her marriage, in her frugality, in her panic of aging, and in her social consciousness. (Bond 59) They were bo th extremely outspoken while sparing no ones feelings with their comments. Virginia and Leslie both had strong personalities and rapid mood changes. Woolf portrayed her father, like her mother, through characterization in To the Lighthouse. Mr. Ramsey captures her father as a man of baffling mutability, a lightening switch from the most lovable of men, to a famished wolfhound and back once more (Gordon 22). This portrayal of Leslie Stephens relates to his uncontrollable rages and mood swings. Leslie Stephen not only controlled Virginias mental development, but her intellectual development as well.