book review

Woolf's work has long been labelled as a feminist classic, yet she was never a radical feminist. Woolf was against the use of female dominance to overthrow male chauvinism, and she sought and advocated a harmony of equality rather than a new oppression against an old one. It is clear from her view of androgyny that Woolf's ultimate ideal is not to reveal the opposition of the sexes, but to pursue the harmony of the sexes. This harmony, based on mutual understanding and appreciation, is only possible when both partners share the characteristics of the other sex. It is on this basis that Woolf's quest for an androgynous mind emerges. It is only when the status of women is elevated and equality is achieved between the sexes that intersexuality can be recognised, when men begin to appreciate women and the femininity in their bodies, and when a true harmony of equality can be achieved between the sexes. I think perhaps this is the core of what Woolf wants to express through A Room of One's Own.