Urmila Seshagiri
Distinguished Professor of Humanities and Professor of English at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; editor of the newly published edition of Virginia Woolf's The Life of Violet and a noted Woolf scholar who has edited other Woolf texts and written on modernism.
Best podcasts with Urmila Seshagiri
Ranked by the Snipd community
Oct 7, 2025 • 45min
Virginia Woolf, "The Life of Violet: Three Early Stories" (Princeton UP, 2025)
In this engaging discussion, Urmila Seshagiri, a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at the University of Tennessee, reveals her journey to becoming a Woolf scholar. She shares her thrilling discovery of Virginia Woolf's unfinished mock-biography, "The Life of Violet," highlighting its blend of fantasy and satire. Seshagiri explores the significance of the character Violet Dickinson, Woolf's friend and muse, and how this work challenges traditional narratives by celebrating female ambition and friendship. The conversation also connects these early stories to Woolf’s later masterpieces.
Oct 7, 2025 • 45min
Virginia Woolf, "The Life of Violet: Three Early Stories" (Princeton UP, 2025)
In this engaging discussion, Urmila Seshagiri, a distinguished humanities professor and Virginia Woolf expert, reveals her exciting discovery of a revised typescript for Woolf's early stories about a giantess named Violet. They explore how these whimsical tales blend fantasy and satire while defying social norms and marriage plots. Urmila highlights the significant friendship between Woolf and Violet Dickinson, showcasing how this bond influenced Woolf's literary journey. The topics spark insights into women's creativity and social dynamics, shedding new light on Woolf’s groundbreaking themes.
