Orlando: from Woolf's 1928 novel to graphic novel
A 1928 novel by Virginia Woolf explores gender fluidity. Now it appears as a graphic novel by Susanne Kuhlendahl.
Orlando tells the story of a 16th-century nobleman who becomes a woman and lives for centuries. Virginia Woolf wrote it in 1928, long before modern conversations about gender and identity.
The novel explores what shifts and what stays the same when a person's gender changes. Woolf drew inspiration from her relationship with the aristocrat Vita Sackville-West.
Almost a century later, German writer and illustrator Susanne Kuhlendahl created a graphic adaptation. It brings the story to life in colour.
The book runs over 200 pages. The new version makes Orlando accessible to readers who might struggle with Woolf's fancy prose.
It keeps her playful, wandering style intact.
- 1928
- Original publication year
- over 200 pages
- Graphic novel page count
- German
- Illustrator nationality
- Vita Sackville-West
- Literary inspiration
Why it mattersThe story shows that literary explorations of gender complexity came nearly a century before modern debates. This offers fresh perspective on identity and change.
AustraliaAustralian readers now have access to a queer literary classic in a visual format that captures the original's exuberant tone.
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