Virginia Woolf was one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Her innovations in the development of modern fiction continue to influence writers, performers, and film makers in Europe and America. The group of artists with whom she and her sister Vanessa shared their lives, political work and artistry became known as The Bloomsbury Group, a coterie of artists who were sometimes admired, sometimes disdained, but never ignored, and Woolf's social activism, particularly regarding the position of women in the Academy, and her outspoken views against war and oppression were shared by them all. First session will introduce students to her life and early work, beginning with Quentin Bell's biography and The Bloomsbury Group. Second session, we will view and critique recent films and one novel influenced directly by Woolf's writing. At the end of the program, students will share their work, as a "Gallery" review of creative projects developed over the course of the program. There will be one paper due at the end of week five and week nine.