Virginia Woolf

Famous modernist woman writer who combined amazingly astute critical insights with 'moments of being' of superb poetic beauty. Born Virginia Stephen, married Leonard Woolf. Commonly associated with the Bloomsbury group. Sister of Vanessa Bell (formerly Vanessa Stephen), also famous -- post-impressionist painter. Related to Thackeray and a bunch of other famous folks. Friends with lots of famous writers: Lytton Stratchey, T.S. Eliot, etc. Had an affair with Vita Sackville-West. Quite well known for her feminism. Wrote a lot of essays, a fair number of novels and a number of short stories. Extensive scholarship has been done on Woolf, as with most 'modernist' writers. Witty and eccentric, rather bitchy at times. Had bouts of depression -- scholars have written on things like manic depression and her works, etc. Killed herself -- drowning -- on 28 March 1941, aged 59. Set up the very successful Hogarth Press with her husband (eventually owned by Random House!). Printed a variety of important and interesting texts, including Freud's works and The Wasteland. Often abused by pretentious poseurs who namedrop. Also hated by undergraduates who were dealt out bad grades because of her. Misunderstood by aforementioned pretentious poseurs who insist on looking starry-eyed while setting up shrines to her, thus ostentatiously displaying their profound understanding of 'the poetic temperament' and incredible appreciation for the lyrical quality of her works.