Between the Acts

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Virginia Woolf's last novel is a blend of celebration and witty critique of 'Englishness.' Set in a country house preparing for a pageant, it captures the essence of English life in the lead-up to World War II. Through engaging dialogue and humor, Woolf examines the formation and disintegration of community over time. The narrative intertwines a tableau of English history with the private dramas unfolding between acts. Central to this exploration is Miss La Trobe, the pageant's author, who challenges imperialist notions while redefining the artist's role. Woolf (1882-1941) is celebrated as a pivotal 20th-century author and feminist modernist, integral to 'The Bloomsbury Group,' a collective that shaped early 20th-century British culture. Between 1925 and 1931, she produced some of her most acclaimed works, including Mrs Dalloway and the experimental The Waves. Alongside her fiction, Woolf's prolific output includes literary criticism, journalism, and biography, with notable pieces like Orlando and A Room of One's Own. If you enjoyed this novel, you may also appreciate Woolf's The Waves, available in Penguin Modern Classics.