Virginia Woolf, a pioneer of modernist studies, limned the human psyche through her unique literary works. Amy Helminen’s doctoral research involves examining how Woolf’s multifaceted narrative structure reveals the complex underpinnings of the female psyche that in turn influence identity and behavior. In her current project, Helminen considers the notion of identity as it pertains to the social expectations of contemporary women in the domestic sphere vis-à-vis Woolf’s Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway. As she examines how Woolf’s protagonist challenges traditional gender norms by acting on her repressed internal desires, Helminen reveals how Woolf’s literature operates as a form of politico-aesthetic dissent. Relaying how Woolf encouraged women to think beyond patriarchal restrictions by exploring their subconscious or “subterranean” territory through language and artistic expression, Helminen explores how Woolf heeds the feminine subconscious through her own art form, that is, her stream of consciousness prose. As she hints at alternatives to the domestic roles of her leading female figures, Woolf presents possibilities that challenge culturally imposed restrictions. Helminen’s research remains relevant to humanities studies, as it offers insights into the ways in which literature can serve as a window into the unrealistic and outdated cultural ideologies that influence human thought and lead to social and psychological disconnects in human behavior. Helminen will present her paper this summer at the 34th Annual International Conference on Virginia Woolf in London.