In 1884, the International Meridian Conference adopted Greenwich Mean Time as the prime meridian for global time standardization. This decision was crucial for coordinating timekeeping across countries and facilitating international trade and communication. The establishment of Greenwich Mean Time marked a significant step toward a more interconnected world, influencing transportation, commerce, and daily life.

The adoption of Greenwich Mean Time not only standardized global timekeeping but also inspired modernist poets like Virginia Woolf to explore themes of interconnectedness and fragmentation in their works. This shift reflected the complexities of modern life, as time became a central motif in literature.