Virginia Woolf - Chapter Four

Although I thought it was quite interesting to start reading a book at chapter four, I enjoyed reading Virginia's writing more than I orginially thought I would. To read and try to comprehend what it was like to be a woman during her time was VERY hard to do, but made me realize and understand how lucky we are as women today.

"The human race is split up for her into two parties. Men are the 'opposing faction'; men are hated and feared, because they have the power to bar her way to what she wants to do - which is to write."

This quote really stood out to me because of the power of men during Woolf's time. While men had a chance to do whatever they please, women were confined to their houses, with no education, travel experience, etc. The women who wrote were led to a life of boring topics to write about due to the lack of experience and education they were given. Their fathers, husbands, brothers, etc. had to be with them at all times when they left the house to accompany them.

"Aphra Behn proved that money could be made by writing at the sacrifice, perhaps, of certain agreeable qualities; and so by degrees writing became not merely a sign of folly and a distracted mind, but was of practical importance. A husband might die, or some disaster overtake the family. Hundreds of women began as the eighteeth century drew on to add to their pin money, or to come to the rescue of their families by making translations or writiting the innumerable had novels which have ceased to be recorded even in text-books...."

This quote was very powerful to me because I am a true believer in women's rights. Aphra Behn was the first professional writer and she was a great example to other women that it was possible. She unfortunately was a widowed women who became a writer to make money for herself. Although she was very successful, many people called her a prostitute (along with other women writers). During this time, 1 in 4 women were prostitutes. Prostituting was one of the only ways for women (single women) to make money during this time.

Aphra Behn was true example of a strong and smart women. She showed everyone that it was possible to be a published woman writer, even without a proper education. Women were self-educated during this time and this held them back and confined in their homes.It is proven through many women, such as Aphra Behn, Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf that being self-educated is not an excuse to not try and succeed at something you're not taught by someone else.