The Oppression of Women

Woolf's analysis women writers in fiction opens up a separate issue in the late 19Th century, which was the general oppression of women. Her piece is more than just a critique of women in fiction, she dissects the actions and expectations of society as a whole. Woolf also reveals the way women were treated, which was with little respect in terms of the intellectual. In a piece that was primarily supposed to be about women in fiction, Woolf opens up a different can of worms when she pulls into the mix societies treatment and reaction to women as intellectuals.

The beginning of "A Room of One's Own" is focused on the narrator not being allowed in the library at Oxbridge and not being allowed to walk on the grass. The narrator attempted to go in the library when "...a deprecating, silvery, kindly gentleman, who regretted in a low voice as he waved me back that ladies are only admitted to the library if accompanied by a Fellow of the College of furnished letter of introduction" (Woolf 8). The narrator is refused access to a place where there is an infinite amount of knowledge available. The issue that is addressed is that women were not allowed to educate themselves. Woolf brings attention to the inequality women had to deal with in the late 19Th century.

While the previous issue addressed women's intellect in public, women's intellect was also restricted in their private homes. "...she was not sent to school. She had no chance of learning grammar and logic..." (47). Women were not allowed to cultivate their intelligence. They were expected to have children and stay at home. Woolf addresses this issue through the creation of a hypothetical sister to Shakespeare. By using this anecdote Woolf is able to show what a woman went through when she attempted to go out on her own and make a life for herself, breaking out of the social norms of the time.

Woolf then takes a stance against the social norms of the time not allowing woman to have the same education as men. Women who chose to be writers were even discriminated against "If a woman wrote, she would have to write in the common sitting room" (66). Women were not given privacy to write what they wanted about who they wanted. Everything was done to keep them from writing anything intellectual. Woolf speaks out in anger about women not being allowed to read or record intellectual material "Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt you can set upon the freedom of my mind" (76). The narrator stands up for herself not allowing them to stop her from whatever she wants to learn intellectually.

Woolf does more than discuss women in fiction. She addresses the challenges facing woman throughout history. Her opinions are very clear, women should be equal to men, they should be allowed the same intellectual opportunities as men.