Three Guineas

This book-length essay by Virginia Woolf, first published in June 1938, is a passionate polemic which draws a startling comparison between the tyrannous hypocrisy of the Victorian patriarchal system and the evils of fascism. Virginia Woolf makes the connection between war and the economy and a woman's role (or lack there of) in both. She restates the idea from a Room of One's Own that the most important thing a woman has gained is the ability to participate in a profession. When she is making her own money, rather than relying on the genorosity of her father or husband, she has an opportunity to be truly independant.

Virginia Woolf, born Virginia Stephen on January 25, 1882, was a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group and an influential British writer known for her innovative literary techniques, particularly the stream of consciousness narrative. Woolf's legacy is constructed upon her introspective prose and the exploration of the inner lives of her characters, often focusing on the complexities of time and memory. As a modernist author, Woolf's contributions to literature include works such as 'Mrs. Dalloway' (1925), 'To the Lighthouse' (1927), and 'Orlando' (1928). In 'Three Guineas' (1938), Woolf addressed the interlocking structures of patriarchy, war, and male-dominated education, expressing her feminist and pacifist ideals. The essay is noteworthy for its incisive examination of the societal roles of women and the possibilities for their public and private autonomy. Virginia Woolf's writing style is characterized by dense literary explorations that navigate the confluence of individual emotions and broader social issues—a trait that has solidified her standing in the literary canon. Despite her tragic death in 1941, Woolf's work continues to attract scholarly interest and is celebrated for its profound insight into the human psyche and social critique.