PATRIARCHAL OPPRESSION AND FEMALE CREATIVITY IN WOOLF’S A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN: A RADICAL FEMINIST ANALYSIS

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to evaluate patriarchal oppression and female creativity in the novel A Room of One's Own from the perspective of radical feminism. The paper will discuss Woolf's criticism of patriarchy and how this system historically excluded women from getting education, becoming financially independent, writing novels, and thinking freely. Woolf's main idea that a woman needs "money and a room of her own" to become a writer symbolizes financial and mental independence necessary for female creativity. By discussing the example of women's exclusion from the history of literature and the creation of such characters as Judith Shakespeare, the paper reveals this problem in detail. The investigation will be carried out on the basis of radical feminist theory, specifically the views of Kate Millett, Shulamith Firestone, Andrea Dworkin, and Germaine Greer, who claim that patriarchy maintains its power through controlling institutions of society, culture, and intellect to preserve men's supremacy. Millett's notion of "sexual politics" will be utilized to analyze the role of literature and culture in perpetuating gender oppression and restricting female artistic creativity. Besides, the study will apply feminist literary theory, intersectional feminism, and poststructuralist gender theory to conduct an in-depth assessment of Woolf's novel. Finally, the writings of Elaine Showalter, Gilbert and Gubar, bell hooks, and Judith Butler confirm the hypothesis that women's creativity is determined by social, economic, and ideological factors. Utilizing qualitative textual analysis, this study examines how Woolf defies patriarchal literary tradition and defends the intellectual and artistic independence of women. This research also analyzes the constraints of Woolf’s theoretical framework, especially in relation to its limited scope in terms of the social status of its intended beneficiaries using intersectional feminism as a basis for evaluation. Additionally, this study shows how Woolf’s essay remains relevant in current conversations about gender disparity, representation, and the role of women in the process of cultural production. Overall, this study contends that A Room of One’s Own is more than just a classic feminist discourse; it is a radical critique of patriarchal oppression.