The anti-militarist attitude of Virginia Woolf as a step that shapes her perception of feminism

The concrete aim of this thesis is to examine the debatable understanding of feminism of Virginia Woolf who was one of the most important woman writers of the 20th century and to analyze her anti-militarist attitude that constituted almost the core of her perception of feminism.The feminist conception of Virginia Woolf is found inconsistent and paradoxical because she sometimes carried out work supporting the feminist movement but she usually expressed her feelings against feminists. The matter stressed in the study is that Woolf did not only support the feminist ideology to prove women?s existence in the patriarchal society, but substantially upheld it to emphasize the great importance of women to prevent war. In the first chapter of our study, we touch upon the 20th century in which Virginia Woolf lived and the events that left a mark on the period by stressing especially the world wars. Besides, such prominent ideologies of the century as militarism, anti-militarism, feminism and anti-militarist feminism are put across. In the second chapter, the life of Virginia Woolf is examined within the frame of her experiences that prompted her to be a feminist and an anti-militarist. This chapter also includes how Woolf?s feminist and anti-militarist reflections redounded on some of her works. In the third chapter, Three Guineas, in which Virginia Woolf frankly exhibits her anti-militarist feminist attitudes, is analyzed. In the conclusion, it is deduced that the phenomenon of war, which took an important place in Woolf?s life and is clearly represented in her works, shapes her perception of feminism. Moreover, Woolf made use of feminist ideology as a method to prevent war.Keywords: Anti-militarism, Anti-militarist Feminism, Feminism, Militarism, Patriarchal Society, Three Guineas, War.