Virginia Woolf was a central figure of the Bloomsbury Group and a pioneer of the 'stream of consciousness' narrative technique. This style attempts to replicate the continuous flow of thoughts and feelings that pass through a character's mind. In her landmark novels like 'Mrs. Dalloway' and 'To the Lighthouse,' Woolf moved away from traditional linear plots to focus on the subjective experience of time and identity. She was also a brilliant essayist; her book-length essay 'A Room of One's Own' is a foundational text for feminist literary criticism, arguing that 'a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.' Woolf’s experimentation with form and her exploration of mental health and social class redefined the modern novel and established her as one of the most significant writers of the 20th century.