Author Description
'a Good Essay Must Draw Its Curtain Round Us, But It Must Be A Curtain That Shuts Us In, Not Out.' According To Virginia Woolf, The Goal Of The Essay 'is Simply That It Should Give Pleasure...it Should Lay Us Under A Spell With Its First Word, And We Should Only Wake, Refreshed, With Its Last.' One Of The Best Practitioners Of The Art She Analysed So Rewardingly, Woolf Displayed Her Essay-writing Skills Across A Wide Range Of Subjects, With All The Craftsmanship, Substance, And Rich Allure Of Her Novels. This Selection Brings Together Thirty Of Her Best Essays, Including The Famous 'mr Bennett And Mrs Brown', A Clarion Call For Modern Fiction. She Discusses The Arts Of Writing And Of Reading, And The Particular Role And Reputation Of Women Writers. She Writes Movingly About Her Father And The Art Of Biography, And Of The London Scene In The Early Decades Of The Twentieth Century. Overall, These Pieces Are As Indispensable To An Understanding Of This Great Writer As They Are Enchanting In Their Own Right. About The Series: For Over 100 Years Oxford World's Classics Has Made Available The Widest Range Of Literature From Around The Globe. Each Affordable Volume Reflects Oxford's Commitment To Scholarship, Providing The Most Accurate Text Plus A Wealth Of Other Valuable Features, Including Expert Introductions By Leading Authorities, Helpful Notes To Clarify The Text, Up-to-date Bibliographies For Further Study, And Much More.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
Virginia Woolf investigates the fundamental nature of the essay as a literary form, arguing that its primary purpose is to provide intellectual pleasure and aesthetic immersion. As a central figure of the Modernist movement, Woolf utilizes her extensive background in fiction and criticism to analyze the mechanics of writing, the act of reading, and the socio-cultural position of women in literature. Her framework relies on a blend of personal reflection and critical observation to dissect the artistic landscape of early twentieth-century London.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A collection of thirty selected essays covering diverse topics from literary theory to personal biography.
- Critical analysis of the Modernist shift in fiction, notably in 'Mr Bennett and Mrs Brown'.
- Reflections on the craft of biography and the historical role of women writers.
Scope Limits
- This volume does not include Woolf's full bibliography or her complete body of journalistic work.
- The collection focuses primarily on her critical and personal essays rather than her experimental fiction.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and critics frequently cite this collection as a foundational text for understanding Woolf's critical philosophy and her influence on twentieth-century literature. Readers often note the accessibility of the prose, which maintains a high level of intellectual rigor while remaining engaging for a general audience.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2008-01-01
Publisher:
Oup Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191549819
ISBN-13:
9780191549816
Biography
Non-Fiction
Women Writers
Literary Criticism
Essays
Modernism