Virginia Woolf's Stream Of Consciousness Technique

Virginia Woolf is one of the most important Modernist writers in the history of English literature. Woolf was born on 25th January 1882. Virginia Woolf never led an easy life; she struggled with a lot of mental health issues, and there were a lot of complications in her marriage as well. All the struggles and mental health problems led her to attempt suicide. 
Virginia Woolf was a great writer; she still continues to inspire contemporary writers.

Some of her important and most famous works were as follows: 
 
1. Mrs. Dalloway (1925) 
2. To the Lighthouse (1927) 
3. Orlando (1928) 
4. A Room of One's Own (1929) 
5. The Waves (1931) 
 
Virginia Woolf often used to criticize writers for their way of writing. She did not like the fact that writers used to focus more on the setting of the novel, giving unnecessary and extra information about how the characters look, what they are wearing, and so on. She did not like the fact that the writers did not give prior attention to what was going on in the characters' minds, what their struggles were, what deep relationships the characters were sharing with each other, and what complexities were going on in their lives. Rather, the writers focused more on external factors. Woolf liked to go into the characters' minds and analyse them. 
 
Virginia Woolf came up with the Stream Of Consciousness Technique. This technique allowed her to depict a continuous flow of a character's thoughts, feelings, and sensations in an unfiltered manner, allowing the readers to understand the characters on a deeper level and understand the working of the character's mind. By introducing this technique, Woolf broke the traditional structure of writing that focused more on the plot, the setting, and external factors. Instead, she gave more importance to the psychological depth of the character. 

For instance, in her novel "Mrs. Dalloway" (1925), she uses the stream of consciousness technique. When the novel opens, Clarissa's thoughts are explained as she prepares to host the party. Her emotional state is explained, and what is going on in her mind is also explained in the novel. Woolf has also merged the past and the present, highlighting the interconnectedness of time and human experience. 

Despite her unfavourable and depressed life, Woolf contributed a lot to the world of English literature. She gave a new perspective and angle to writers and readers alike. 

By: Tanushka Sharma