Three Guineas

'Though we see the same world, we see it through different eyes.'

22 Dec, 20243 min read

Three Guineas is an extended essay by the English writer Virginia Woolf, one of the most important feminist and modernist writers of the 20th century. The essay was published in 1938, only three years prior to the suicide of the writer. The essay itself is a social critique, much similar to Woolf's previous essay, A Room of One's Own. In this essay, Woolf articulates the relationship between war and gender in the face of rising fascism in Europe. In this sense, the essay itself is one of Woolf's most explicitly political works. The essay relates gender to the patriarchal dynamics of politics and how systematic or political power shapes gender identity and inequality. It is an important essay considering that it was written so close to the Second World War. The essay also serves as a reflection of Woolf's pacifist, anti-war, and anti-fascist stance as well. The essay is considered to be a groundbreaking work in the way it relates war and violence to the gendered aspect of society.

The essay is structured as a response to a supposed letter written by a gentleman, asking Woolf's opinions on how to prevent war. Although Woolf does give her opinions and critiques, she doesn't quite answer the question. For she believes that neither she is in a place to educate a man nor the gentleman or the patriarchy to understand her response. War and politics for Woolf are an extension of patriarchy and have no place for women. So even asking Woolf's opinion, the opinion of a woman, doesn't make sense to her. So while giving her answer, Woolf emphasizes the place of women in society. The name of the essay also holds a symbolic and practical meaning in relation to the context. The word 'guinea' refers to a coin that was often used by upper-class people, emphasizing that the three topics Woolf touches upon are heavily exclusionary and deeply privileged. It also emphasizes that there is often a price to pay for women in the social and political realm.

In this essay, as the name suggests, Woolf touches upon three specific topics. The first of these would be how to prevent, stop, or eradicate war. The second topic is concerned with the education of women. Woolf asks why there aren't institutions specifically made for the education of women, tailored to their needs. Lastly, Woolf touches upon the issue of women in the workforce and why they fall behind. Woolf responds to these questions by giving some recommendations on how to prevent these issues. She writes that these issues may be tackled with the liberation of women, and there are various aspects and ways to do so. The first of these would be to give women equal opportunities and access to education. Secondly, women would need economic liberty and financial independence. The third solution would be the unification of women in a spirit of solidarity or a sisterhood. If women were not to unite and remain separate, the patriarchy would continue to crush them. To not let this happen, there should be a feminist movement or a movement of women to bring about social and political change. Lastly, women should also challenge the traditional roles assigned to them by society.