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Virginia Woolf Quotes

100 Top Quotes By Virginia Woolf, The Author Of Mrs. Dalloway

Famous As: One of the Most Important Modernist 20th-Century Authors

Died On: March 28, 1941

Born In: Kensington, London, England

Died At Age: 59

Modernist writer of the twentieth century, Virginia Woolf was an English novelist, essayist, biographer and feminist who made significant contribution to the English literary club. She was a prolific writer whose modernist style changed with each book. She was an important figure in London literary society and a central figure in the influential Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals. Her most famous works include the novels ‘Mrs Dalloway’, ‘To the Lighthouse’ and ‘Orlando’, each of which were highly successful and established her reputation as a contemporary writer. In addition to this, she came up with pioneering feminist work including ‘A Room of One's Own’ and ‘Three Guineas’. In both the works, she examined the difficulties that female writers and intellectuals faced because men held disproportionate legal and economic power. She also discussed about the future of women in education and society. Woolf wrote extensively on the problem of women’s access to the learned professions, such as academia, church, law, and medicine which only worsened with women’s exclusion from important universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Woolf’s feminist viewpoint and perspective can also be seen in her quotes that portray her innate idealism and thought. In simple words, she has thrown light at important facts of life and touched varied topics. Go through this section and find out quotes by Virginia Woolf.

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Writers

I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.

I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.
I
Virginia Woolf

You cannot find peace by avoiding life.
You Life Peace
Virginia Woolf

Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.

Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.
You
Virginia Woolf

Books are the mirrors of the soul.
Soul Books
Virginia Woolf

Why are women... so much more interesting to men than men are to women?

Why are women... so much more interesting to men than men are to women?
Women
Virginia Woolf

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
Love Think
Virginia Woolf

If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.

If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.
You Yourself
Virginia Woolf

Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money.

Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money.
You Love Money Friends Like
Virginia Woolf

As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world.

As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world.
I
Virginia Woolf

I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realises an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don't have complete emotions about the present, only about the past.

I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realises an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don't have complete emotions about the present, only about the past.
Past Never Time Beautiful I
Virginia Woolf

When you consider things like the stars, our affairs don't seem to matter very much, do they?

When you consider things like the stars, our affairs don't seem to matter very much, do they?
You Like
Virginia Woolf

The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages.

The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages.
Virginia Woolf

Growing up is losing some illusions, in order to acquire others.

Growing up is losing some illusions, in order to acquire others.
Virginia Woolf

As long as she thinks of a man, nobody objects to a woman thinking.

As long as she thinks of a man, nobody objects to a woman thinking.
Virginia Woolf

No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.

No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.
Need
Virginia Woolf

Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.

Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.
Virginia Woolf

Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates happiness from melancholy.

Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates happiness from melancholy.
Happiness
Virginia Woolf

There was a star riding through clouds one night, & I said to the star, 'Consume me'.

There was a star riding through clouds one night, & I said to the star, 'Consume me'.
I
Virginia Woolf

Love, the poet said, is woman's whole existence.

Love, the poet said, is woman's whole existence.
Love
Virginia Woolf

Orlando naturally loved solitary places, vast views, and to feel himself for ever and ever and ever alone.

Orlando naturally loved solitary places, vast views, and to feel himself for ever and ever and ever alone.
Alone
Virginia Woolf

Second hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.

Second hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.
Together Books
Virginia Woolf

Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.

Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.
Women Power
Virginia Woolf

I am rooted, but I flow.
I
Virginia Woolf

I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse, perhaps, to be locked in.

I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse, perhaps, to be locked in.
I
Virginia Woolf

The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity.

The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity.
Like Women I
Virginia Woolf

A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.

A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.
Money
Virginia Woolf

All extremes of feeling are allied with madness.

All extremes of feeling are allied with madness.
Virginia Woolf

I have lost friends, some by death...others by sheer inability to cross the street.

I have lost friends, some by death...others by sheer inability to cross the street.
Friends I
Virginia Woolf

The history of men's opposition to women's emancipation is more interesting perhaps than the story of that emancipation itself.

The history of men's opposition to women's emancipation is more interesting perhaps than the story of that emancipation itself.
History
Virginia Woolf

To look life in the face, always, to look life in the face, and to know it for what it is...at last, to love it for what it is, and then, to put it away...

To look life in the face, always, to look life in the face, and to know it for what it is...at last, to love it for what it is, and then, to put it away...
Life Love
Virginia Woolf