Literature at Lunchtime

I accompanied my good friend Imelda Reed to a lecture on Virginia’s Woolf’s semi- biographical novel Orlando. I was impressed by lecturer Dr Jane Mackay’s in depth knowledge of Virginia’s work. Orlando is based on the intimate friendship between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville- West. ‘Orlando’ is considered by many as important literature to women’s writing and gender studies. But, I have to agree with Dr Mackay that Virginia’s Woolf was foremost a writer dedicated to her art. I don’t believe she would've like to be pigeonholed for women's studies. She came before Feminism and her work lives on post- Feminism era. Virginia was a woman who took her writing very seriously as a writer.

Her novel/biography Orlando explores the boundaries of gender and sexuality. Orlando was often first read by its contemporary audience as a gossipy portrait of Vita Sackville-West; the reviewer at the Daily Mail entitled his buzz on Orlando, "A Fantastic Biography: Mrs. H. Nicholson and 'Orlando': 300 Years as Man and Woman." It was a hugely successful joke - not just critically, but financially as well, both in England and America.

The sad part toVirginia's life was her husband and many people believed she was mad and that’s why she never had children. Virginia suffered three breakdowns and Anorexia in her life. Regardless of her personal issues, she still went on to write and publish work for Bloomsbury. I find it interesting that most strong, intelligent women at some point in their lives will have been considered mad!LOL!