Summary: This article analyzes how female identity is constructed in the works of Halide Edib Adivar and Virginia Woolf. Both writers challenge the restrictions of patriarchal society, attempting to evaluate and promote the role of women in literature and intellectual fields. Adivar sheds light on the struggles faced by women during the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic, navigating the complexities of nationalism and tradition, while Woolf critiques the limitations faced by women in early 20th-century Britain, advocating for their intellectual and economic independence. The analysis of both authors' significant works uncovers common themes regarding women's education, freedom, and the struggles within patriarchal society, emphasizing their universal fight to find their identity and pursue freedom.
Keywords: female identity, patriarchal society, literature, intellectual freedom