Classic Authors: Virginia Woolf
Although she was plagued by mental illness for much of her life, British novelist Virginia Woolf enjoyed a rather auspicious childhood. She was born on January 25, 1882, in London, England, to Leslie and Julia Stephen. Leslie had a daughter from a previous marriage, while Julia had two sons and a daughter. Together, they had four children, of which Virginia was the third. With eight children, as well as servants and frequent visitors, the household was lively and stimulating.
A nervous child, Virginia never attended public schools. Her mother and father became her teachers, dividing the school subjects between them. Leslie Stephen instructed Virginia in reading, telling her to read only what she enjoyed and not to praise works that she didn't truly appreciate. He opened his personal library to her, allowing her to select books that captured her curiosity. Virginia also developed into the family storyteller, often keeping her siblings captivated by tales she concocted. Another of her talents began to blossom during these early years: she created a family newspaper, in which she wrote dramatic news stories. She mimicked Thackeray's style in the early editions, although the later volumes showed a more adult and individual style.
On April 11, 1895, tragedy struck the Stephen home: Julia passed away from complications of influenza. Her death threw both Leslie and Virginia into deep depressions. Leslie grew increasingly emotional, withdrawing into himself, and relying heavily on his daughter, Stella, to run the household. Stella, herself, would die only two years later. Virginia also suffered after her mother's death. She was not only traumatized by the passing of her mother, but also by her half-brother who had begun molesting her. Whatever the reason, Virginia slipped into deep mental illness, suffering a breakdown in which she heard voices and became severely depressed. Her doctor prescribed rest, exercise and a simplifying of her life. She did not attend lessons, but spent a great deal of time immersed in books by such authors as Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, Henry James, and Thomas Arnold. Gradually, her health returned.
Virginia's daily routine consisted of lessons in the morning and tasks more suitable to women, such as pouring tea and receiving visitors in the afternoon. Although she read tirelessly and taught herself to write well, she always felt ill-educated because she was a woman and thus not allowed to seek higher education. Socially, she also felt inept. She found herself unable to converse with strangers; she felt that she was a social failure.
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