Shakespeare’s sister by
Virginia Woolf
About the author
Adeline Virginia Woolf (1882 1941)
was an English essayist, novelist and Playwright. She is considered as the most
important modernist 20 century authors and Pioneer in the use of ‘streams of consciousness.
Notable works
(1) Mrs. Dalloway
(2) To the lighthouse
(3) Orlando
(4) A room of one's
own
(5) The Waves
Woolf was born in London, during her
childhood she was homeschooled in classical English and Victorian literature
she attended her graduation at King's college in London where she came in
contact with early reformers of women's higher education and women rights
movement which reflects in her works.
Introduction
Shakespeare's sister is an extract
taken from a ‘Room of One's Own’ an essay by Virginia Woolf, In Shakespeare
sister Virginia Woolf explore the situation of women in English societies
during 15th and 16th century.
Woolf analysis questions certain
concerns regarding discrimination of against women in a male dominated society
such as a disallowance of education to girls, violence against women and the
need of freedom of expression in women and the right to human dignity and
equality.
Summary
This essay - Shakespeare's sister
begin with Woolf’s disappointment in not being able to find concrete reason for
the poor conditions of women instead of thinking on variety of views that they
do not help her to get conclusion she decides to narrow down her thoughts. Woolf
seeks answers to questions from historian who is known to record fact; she tries
to find out from the historians the conditions under which women lived.
Talking about women who lived during
the time of Queen Elizabeth and she was confused by observation that there were
no women writers during that era by using the analogy of ‘spiders web’ Virginia
Woolf points to the close relation between fiction and real life even
connections between the two is not very obvious but still exist.
Virginia Woolf shocked after knowing
from history book that wife beating was a recognized Sin of man and practiced without
the shame. During those times girls who refused to marry a person of parent’s
choice were locked up and beaten, even in 17th century women of upper caste
rarely choose their own husband both in terms of law and social customs that
husband is considered as lord and master and wives have dependent positions.
The essayist agrees with professor Trevelyan
and adds that women had displayed the strength of character in the works of
poets from the beginning for example Antigone, Clytennestra and Cleopatra and
Lady Macbeth, Rosalind and Anna Karenina. However in reality the rights of
women distorted so in terms of imagination or creative literature women
received high importance but in practical terms they have no significant at all.
After reading Trevelyan’s history
book Virginia Woolf comes to a conclusion that it would came to front If everyone
were to read the historians view before poets view on women. Woolf questions
that even great historical writer does not presented women of that Elizabeth
era there is no mention of any middle class women who have practiced in Historical
events great moments, Woolf is shocked by complete lack of records about women
this is a significant sign of gender bias.
Through an imaginative
reconstruction Virginia Woolf wonders that what would have happened to a
talented woman if she was born in the age of Shakespeare, in addition see
imagined that what would have happened if Shakespeare had a highly gifted
sister and Woolf named that hypothetical sister as Judith, she is imaginative
and adventures as her famous brother but being girl she was discriminated and
not well educated.
Shakespeare being male had all the
privileges of education and entertainment but his highly talented sister stay
home unlike his brother Shakespeare who did not have the privilege of studying
grammar and Latin language but she was interested in reading books, She
probably wrote something but due to strict restriction she hide it or set them
on fire.
As per the tradition of those times
Judith was engaged to be married at a very young age but when she refused to
get marriage so she was badly beaten by her father due to this pressure Judith
run away from her home to London because of her good music taste and desire to
act in a theatre but many people laughed at her.
Judith came in contact with an actor
- manager named Nick green and become friendly with him so she was being
pregnant by him, a woman of genius in Shakespeare's time was exploited and at
the she committed suicide.
Although Virginia Woolf thinks that
talents must have existed during those times even though it could not come to
light Woolf considered Emily Bronte as example of women writers.
Essayist points out that women who
had extraordinary talents in 16 century would have either gone crazy or
committed suicide or live in isolation even in 19th century they have adopted male
pseudo names for example George Elliot.
In the last part of this essay Woolf
says that Judith, the talented poet who could not express herself and was
buried in the cross road still lives on, Judith lives on in today’s women
although Woolf believes that in future women are given space and freedom and
will have the courage to express their opinions. Lastly she add the suggestion
if we create a good environment for women that can come into our midst and
freely explorers themselves.
Conclusion
By imaginative reconstruction
Virginia Woolf Explorer what would have happened to a talented women of
Shakespeare's time, through this essay Woolf raises of fundamental issue
concerning gender bias denial of education to girls, suppression of identity
etc.
Judith to represented as a symbolic
figure of a woman of Genius Woolf urges the change of attitude towards women in
society where by women can find a literary courage and freedom expression.
