Adeline Virginia Woolf born was born January 25th, 1882 in London, England. She became a writer and is now considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors. Throughout her life, Woolf struggled with mental illness. She was institutionalized several times and attempted suicide at least twice. It is now believed she had bipolar disorder for which there was no effective treatment during her lifetime. She died in 1941 at the age of 59.