In this work, I will analyze the topic of the heritage of gender inequality and the reasons of women’s lower position in the modern society. I will explore Virginia Woolf’s essay “A room of one’s own” in which she described the struggle of women in the early 20th century to break into men...
[Mostrar más]
Última actualización de este documento: 2 año hace
A Room of One’s Own: On the heritage of
gender inequality.
Almost a century ago in the essay “A Room of One’s Own” Virginia Woolf deplored the
absence of the women literal authority and role models needed to inspire and guide current and
future generations of women writers. For Woolf, it is not the lack of talent of women writer that
could explain the absence of female authors in Western literary canon. According to author, it
was a lack of learning opportunities, the burden of negative stereotypes and the domestic duties
that deprive women to become a good writer and even scholars. This paper will examine the
gender inequality described in A Room of One’s Own and will compare them with the situation
and gender role of women in the 21st century.
In “A Room of One’s Own” Woolf described the struggle of women in the early 20th
century to break into men-dominated areas and exposed some of the gender inequalities
regarding women’s such as access and participation in cultural life. Woolf made a wide analysis
of the reasons there were so few good women novelists, artists, or writers for so long a time. She
described her experience when she wasn't allowed to enter the library and step to the grass field
by a beadle “… ladies are only admitted to the library if accompanied by a Fellow of the College
or furnished with a letter of introduction … Fellow and scholars only allowed on the grass!
Ladies not admitted without a letter of introduction” (2000: 2156). This experience is not a
casual one; it gives us a good example of unfair gender discrimination of that time.
Reading this book, we can feel the same rage and resentment the author felt while
exposing to us the absence and exclusion of women through history. But she goes further, in her
essay, Woolf also examined the conditions and reasons that made it difficult for women to be
, artists or novelists. She put forward some reasons that could explain why women were given so
limited roles and opportunities. She revealed details about how they were often kept in the
unfortunate and inferior positions by men in the patriarchal system.
First of all, Woolf talks about financial dependence of women on men; women could
not be great artists or novelists because of the great material constrain. The reason is that there
was simply no freedom for them. The patriarchal system did not allow women to possess what
they could earn and not only dowry (consisting of household goods and her own clothing) but
also all properties and possessions woman could have or inherit before marriage passed to be her
husband properties:
…in the first place, to earn money was impossible for them, and in the
second, had it been possible, the law denied them the right to possess what
money they earned…Every penny I [representing any woman] earn, they
may have said, will be taken from me and disposed of according to my
husband’s wisdom. (as cited in Abrams, 2000: 2164)
As a result of this financial dependence, women were only provided the secondary roles
and were widely considered a man's property. It is important to point out that some women were
willing to marry just because marriage was the only allowed route to financial security or to
escape an uncongenial family situation. This brings us to the conclusion that women’s poverty
primarily brings inequality. As the author concludes, “Intellectual freedom depends upon
material things. Poetry depends upon intellectual freedom. And women have always been poor,
not for two hundred years merely, but from the beginning of time . . .” (2000: 2166)
Nevertheless, despite having all doors closed Woolf found some examples of women’s
rebellious and nonconformist spirit as Jane Austen, a woman novelist, who had to be “careful
that her occupation should not be suspected by servants or visitors or any persons beyond her
own family party” and she was thankful that “a hinge creaked, so that she might hide her
2
Los beneficios de comprar resúmenes en Stuvia estan en línea:
Garantiza la calidad de los comentarios
Compradores de Stuvia evaluaron más de 700.000 resúmenes. Así estas seguro que compras los mejores documentos!
Compra fácil y rápido
Puedes pagar rápidamente y en una vez con iDeal, tarjeta de crédito o con tu crédito de Stuvia. Sin tener que hacerte miembro.
Enfócate en lo más importante
Tus compañeros escriben los resúmenes. Por eso tienes la seguridad que tienes un resumen actual y confiable.
Así llegas a la conclusión rapidamente!
Preguntas frecuentes
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
100% de satisfacción garantizada: ¿Cómo funciona?
Nuestra garantía de satisfacción le asegura que siempre encontrará un documento de estudio a tu medida. Tu rellenas un formulario y nuestro equipo de atención al cliente se encarga del resto.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller alien99. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for 3,59 €. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
