Editing Virginia Woolf (section)

==== Adolescence ====
[[File:Virginia Woolf with her father, Sir Leslie Stephen.jpg|thumb|Virginia and Leslie Stephen, 1902|alt=Portrait of Virginia Woolf with her father Leslie Stephen in 1902, by Beresford]]
Her mother's death precipitated what Virginia later identified as her first "breakdown"{{emdash}}for months afterwards she was nervous and agitated, and she wrote very little for the subsequent two years.{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=25}} 

Stella Duckworth took on a parental role in the household.{{sfn|Gordon|2004}} She married in April 1897 but remained closely involved with the Stephens, moving to a house very close to the Stephens to continue to support the family. However, she fell ill on her honeymoon and died in July of that same year.{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=28}}{{sfn|Bell|1972|loc=Chronology|p=191}} After Stella's death, George Duckworth took on the role of head of the household, and sought to [[debut (society)|bring Vanessa and Virginia into society]].{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=29}}<ref name=MP230/> However, this experience did not resonate with either sister. Virginia later reflected on this societal expectation, stating: "Society in those days was a very competent, perfectly complacent, ruthless machine. A girl had no chance against its fangs. No other desires{{emdash}}say to paint, or to write{{emdash}}could be taken seriously."{{sfn|Woolf|1940|p=157}} For Virginia, writing remained a priority.<ref name=MP230/> She began a new diary at the start of 1897 and filled notebooks with fragments and literary sketches.{{sfn|Bell|1972|loc=Chronology|p=190}}{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=35}}

In February 1904 Leslie Stephen died, which caused Virginia to suffer another period of mental instability, lasting from April to September. During this time she experienced a severe psychological crisis, which led to at least one suicide attempt.{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=36}} Woolf later described the period between 1897 and 1904 as "the seven unhappy years".{{sfn|Harris|2011|p=32}}