Orlando

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1928

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Download PDF

Access Full Guide

Study Guide

Teaching Guide

Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

Introduction

Teacher Introduction

Orlando

Genre: Historical fiction; fantasy; biography
Originally Published: 1928
Reading Level/Interest: Adult
Structure/Length: Novel divided into 6 chapters; approx. 198 pages; approx. 7 hours and 23 minutes on audiobook
Protagonist/Central Conflict: Orlando by Virginia Woolf defies traditional genres. The central character, Orlando, begins as a young nobleman in Elizabethan England and mysteriously transforms into a woman, retaining his/her youthful appearance. The novel follows Orlando’s experiences across centuries and continents as he/she navigates the shifting sands of gender, identity, and society. Orlando is a rich tapestry of historical and fantastical elements, exploring themes of love, art, time, and the fluidity of identity.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes related to gender identity, historical periods, and societal norms; use of racially derogatory terminology

Virginia Woolf, Author

Bio: Born 1882; died 1941; influential English writer and one of the key figures of modernist literature; known for her experimental narrative style and lyrical prose; wrote novels, essays, and short stories that often delve into the complexities of human consciousness and identity
Other Works: The Voyage Out (1915); Night and Day (1919); Jacob’s Room (1922); Mrs. Dalloway (1925); To the Lighthouse (1927); The Waves (1931); Between the Acts (1941)
Awards: Prix Femina Vie Heureuse (1920); Order of the Companions of Honour (1935)