THE PURSUIT OF THE ANDROGYNOUS IDEAL IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S ORLANDO
THE PURSUIT OF THE ANDROGYNOUS IDEAL IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S ORLANDO

Summary/Abstract: This current paper is motivated by the attempt to emphasize the direct connection between fact and imagination, reality and unreality, masculine and feminine, biological sex and gender. Throughout her work, Woolf focuses on outlining the utopic human ideal: androgyny. The novel Orlando follows the title character over almost four centuries, highlighting the political, social, personal, and cultural perspectives of each. Moreover, the narrative concentrates itself around the schism between men and women, and examines the issues that come out of the male and female dichotomy. The binary and at the same time ordinary biological sex and gender terms project a deeply limited perspective that does not allow a person to be considered a whole individual. Orlando’s ability to change from male to female offers him/her the uncanny possibility of touching both worlds and preserving the same identity throughout its life. Therefore, the main character goes through a genuine kind of evolution that gives him the authentic ability to see himself/herself as a complete androgynous being, ability which could have never been appropriated by being only male or only female.

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