Definition of Mood
Key Examples in A Room of One's Own
The mood of A Room of One’s Own is contemplative, reflecting a personal, internalized journey in which Woolf invites readers to participate. On some occasions, the nature of what the narrator contemplates contributes to a more dismal mood, such as when she recounts women’s lack of resources or how some male authors disparage women in their writing. Despite the upsetting nature of these subjects for progressive female readers, all is not tragic: Woolf deliberately alleviates such dire contemplations with irony and satire, speaking truth to power by poking fun at the men who oppress her. In the midst of all this, there exists a mood of hope as well—hope that, in the midst of oppression, women writers can create a strong legacy for themselves, to better the future for their daughters and granddaughters.