Looking-glasses

"Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. Without that power probably the earth would still be swamp and jungle. The glories of all our wars would be unknown" (Woolf, 35).

In this particular passage Woolf suggests that women are considered lower on the social hierarchy of most Western cultures because men need to think themselves higher than something (if not everything). Without women, they would not think themselves any more important that anyone else. However, with the aid what they believe to be the "lower sex" they can make themselves out to be a more powerful and proud creature. Woolf even discusses later that this is why Napoleon and Mussolini, two very influential men, were so masochistic. Without undercutting women, would they be able to think of themselves so highly? In the great scheme things, are they no different than other powerful men? Degrading women, perhaps, gives them the extra boost needed to prove themselves prominent.

However, Woolf seems to portray women in a somewhat satirical light in this passage, relating their ability to make men think higher of themselves as "possessing the magic and delicious power." It seems like she communicates this talent women seem to possess in an almost sensual way. This, possibly, was done on purpose. Throughout history and literature women are always blamed for the wrongdoings of others. Several examples exist in books and novels when a husband complains to a wife about "her son or daughter." As if he had nothing to do with the creation of such a child. Maybe Woolf wanted to bring into light the rather double standard between how men and women are treated as far as natural talents go.

What I find most interesting about this passage is the very end when she finally narrates her own thoughts. That without women men could never have been as powerful and important. As the saying goes, "Behind every great man there is a woman rolling her eyes." Without the degradation of women, men could never have risen up. How sad that truth truly is.