Virginia Woolf's literary works provide a unique lens through which to examine the psychological impact of war, specifically focusing on the auditory experiences of individuals during and after the two World Wars. This paper argues that Woolf's profound engagement with the soundscape of war—from the roar of cannons to the hum of airplanes—offers crucial insights into the multifaceted nature of war violence, encompassing direct, structural, and cultural dimensions. The study employs Johan Galtung's violence triangle as a framework to categorize the types of violence represented in Woolf's work. The research question guiding this paper is: How does Virginia Woolf's portrayal of the soundscapes of war reveal the direct, structural, and cultural violence experienced by individuals, and what feminist insights emerge from her reflections on these soundscapes? The importance of this study lies in its interdisciplinary approach, combining literary analysis with peace and conflict studies to offer a nuanced understanding of the psychological consequences of war and the role of gender in shaping both the experience and interpretation of violence. The study's purpose is to analyze Woolf's works, particularly her diary entries and essay "Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid," to demonstrate how her unique focus on auditory experiences illuminates the complexities of war trauma and provides a feminist critique of the patriarchal systems that perpetuate war.

Existing scholarship on Virginia Woolf often focuses on her literary style, themes of gender and modernity, and biographical details. While studies have explored Woolf's engagement with technology and the changing soundscapes of modern life (Cuddy-Keane, 2000; Clements, 2019), and some have examined her representation of music and street sounds (Frattarola, 2005; Varga, 2014; Xu, 2022; Zhou, 2022), relatively little attention has been devoted to the specific connection between auditory experiences and the trauma of war in her works. Furthermore, research into Woolf's portrayal of violence (Brewer, 1999; Cole, 2012; Zhu and Shen, 2014) has not fully explored the link between auditory writing and the multifaceted nature of violence as defined by Galtung. This paper addresses this gap by utilizing Galtung's framework to analyze Woolf's depictions of war sounds, offering a new perspective on her work through a feminist lens.

This paper employs a qualitative research methodology centered on close reading and textual analysis of Virginia Woolf's selected works. The primary sources include her diaries, the novels *Jacob's Room*, *Mrs. Dalloway*, *To the Lighthouse*, *The Years*, and *Between the Acts*, and her essay "Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid." The analysis utilizes Johan Galtung's violence triangle as a theoretical framework. This framework categorizes violence into three types: direct, structural, and cultural. Direct violence involves physical or psychological harm inflicted by identifiable actors. Structural violence refers to the harm caused by social structures and systems that perpetuate inequality. Cultural violence encompasses the elements of culture that legitimize direct or structural violence. The study examines how Woolf's descriptions of soundscapes—specifically those produced by military weapons and their post-war echoes—manifest these three forms of violence. Each selected text is analyzed for specific descriptions of sounds associated with war, exploring the emotional and psychological responses of characters and the narrator to these sounds. The paper then examines how these auditory experiences relate to Galtung's categories, identifying instances of direct violence through the immediate physical and psychological harm caused by the sounds of war, structural violence through the social structures that fail to address war trauma effectively, and cultural violence through societal norms and beliefs that justify war. Finally, the analysis investigates the feminist implications of Woolf's work, focusing on her observations about the relationship between patriarchal structures and the perpetuation of war. The method incorporates close reading techniques to analyze the literary devices Woolf uses—such as onomatopoeia and metaphors—to convey the sensory experience of war sounds and their impact on individuals. The paper also considers the contextual historical information of the time periods represented in Woolf's writing.

The analysis reveals that Woolf's depictions of war soundscapes vividly illustrate all three forms of violence outlined in Galtung's framework. Direct violence is evident in the visceral descriptions of air raids in Woolf's diaries and novels (*The Years*, *Between the Acts*). The sounds—described using evocative onomatopoeia like "zoom," "buzzing," and "sawing"—evoke a sense of immediate danger and psychological terror. The descriptions depict the physical and mental impact on both soldiers and civilians, highlighting the immediate, tangible harm caused by war. The study found that the post-war soundscapes in *Mrs. Dalloway* exemplify structural violence. The sounds of cars backfiring or airplanes rumbling trigger traumatic memories and auditory hallucinations in Septimus Smith, a shell-shocked veteran. This illustrates how societal structures—in this case, the inadequate treatment of veterans suffering from shell shock—exacerbate the trauma caused by war. Woolf's portrayal of Septimus's experiences highlights the social structures that fail to adequately address the long-term consequences of war, revealing the insidious ways structural violence operates. Further, Woolf’s "Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid" illustrates cultural violence. The essay reveals how media—in this case, radio broadcasts—perpetuates nationalism and justifies war by portraying the enemy as inherently aggressive and tyrannical. The analysis shows how such cultural narratives contribute to a climate where war is seen as acceptable, demonstrating the role of cultural representations in justifying violence. This analysis reveals Woolf's feminist critique of patriarchal norms. The absence of women in positions of power, as highlighted in "Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid," connects the gendered power imbalance to the decision-making processes that lead to war. The paper argues that Woolf suggests a solution: recalling moments of pre-war idyllic life and appreciating the serene sounds of nature. These serve as therapeutic ways to combat the negativity of war’s impact.

This paper's findings contribute to a growing body of research on the psychological consequences of war and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to understanding conflict. By applying Galtung's violence triangle to Woolf's literary works, the analysis shows how war's effects go beyond immediate physical harm, extending to structural and cultural levels that perpetuate inequality and legitimize violence. Woolf's feminist insights highlight the gendered dimensions of conflict, demonstrating how patriarchal structures contribute to the outbreak and continuation of war. The findings underscore the need to address war trauma not only through immediate medical and psychological care but also through broader social and cultural changes that challenge the norms and beliefs that support war. The emphasis on therapeutic memory and restorative soundscapes suggests that urban planning after conflict should prioritize the inclusion of natural elements in the design of urban spaces. This could create more peaceful environments conducive to recovery from war trauma. The study's approach, combining literary analysis with theories from peace and conflict studies, offers a valuable framework for future research on the portrayal of violence in literature, and the feminist dimensions of warfare.

This paper offers a novel interdisciplinary approach to understanding the impact of war, using Virginia Woolf's literary works and Johan Galtung's violence triangle as tools for analysis. The study illuminates the direct, structural, and cultural manifestations of war violence as experienced through soundscapes. Woolf's work reveals the profound psychological impact of war sounds and the need for systemic change to address the long-term consequences of conflict. Furthermore, the study contributes a feminist perspective to the debate on war, suggesting that a comprehensive understanding requires addressing gender inequalities that fuel violent conflict. Future research could explore the application of this framework to other literary works that portray war and trauma, broadening the scope of the analysis and furthering interdisciplinary understanding of conflict and its lasting effects.

The study's primary limitation is its focus on a single author's work, limiting the generalizability of findings. While Woolf's experiences are insightful, the subjective nature of literary analysis necessitates acknowledging the perspective presented in her work, and that this might not encompass the full spectrum of experiences related to war. Furthermore, while Galtung's violence triangle provides a useful framework, it is not without its limitations and the application of this framework to literary interpretations is inherently interpretive and open to different interpretations. Future research could benefit from a broader range of authors and perspectives to further validate the study's findings.