In 'A Room of One's Own', Virginia Woolf imagines that Shakespeare had a sister-a sister equal to Shakespeare in talent, and equal in genius, but whose legacy is radically different. This imaginary woman never writes a word and dies by her own hand, her genius unexpressed. If only she had found the means to create, argues Woolf, she would have reached the same heights as her immortal sibling. In this classic essay, she takes on the establishment, using her gift of language to dissect the world around her and give voice to ...
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In 'A Room of One's Own', Virginia Woolf imagines that Shakespeare had a sister-a sister equal to Shakespeare in talent, and equal in genius, but whose legacy is radically different. This imaginary woman never writes a word and dies by her own hand, her genius unexpressed. If only she had found the means to create, argues Woolf, she would have reached the same heights as her immortal sibling. In this classic essay, she takes on the establishment, using her gift of language to dissect the world around her and give voice to those who are without. Her message is a simple one-women must have a fixed income and a room of their own in order to have the freedom to create. Woolf's blazing polemic on female creativity, the role of the writer, and the silent fate of Shakespeare's imaginary sister remains a powerful reminder of a woman's need for financial independence and intellectual freedom.
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I have now decided that Virginia Woolf is not my cup of tea. I'm not cerebral enough to read her run on sentences and paragraphs. I've tried her fiction and nonfiction and I just don't get it.
ecooke
Apr 30, 2010
Virgina Woolf's ideas on feminism are inspiring for women.
EngBunny
Apr 4, 2007
Feminist Fiction
Virginia Woolf is worthy of her praise, and her skillfulness with words is most apparent in this work. Many of her prescient statements still resonate today. She artfully weaves illustrative tales within her imploring passages, and both are thought-provoking. Woolf is witty, sharp, and indipensable to the canon of women's rights. I also recommend Orlando.
