How was Orlando inspired by Vita Sackville-West?

Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando was deeply inspired by her relationship with the aristocratic writer Vita Sackville-West, with whom she had a lesbian affair.12

The novel serves as an affectionate portrait of Sackville-West and a tribute to her family history, tracing the lineage of her ancestors back to Thomas Sackville and the family’s historic country estate, Knole. Woolf was particularly moved by the fact that, because Sackville-West was a woman, she was barred from inheriting the estate.3

By 1927, as their personal relationship cooled, Woolf sought to "reclaim" Sackville-West through this "biographical" work. The character of Orlando—who lives for centuries and undergoes a transformation from a man into a woman—allowed Woolf to explore themes of androgyny, gender constraints, and the creative life. Woolf even gifted the original manuscript of the book to Sackville-West, and it is currently housed at Knole.13