Essay Questions

What are the three reasons Woolf put forward to explain why women have not shined in the literary podium compared to their male counterparts?

The first reason why women are left behind in literature work is because of inadequate social rights. Most societies think that women are inferior to men, which degrades the women's effort to make a mark in literature. Secondly, women are denied social rights, which limits their participation in literature writing. Thirdly, women are not allowed to work, and this denies them financial freedom. Therefore, when women struggle to shine and come up in the writing industry, they are pulled down by many obstacles ahead of them.

Why do masculine artistic standards dominate the writing industry?

The author argues that any woman who wants to succeed in the writing industry must strictly conform to aesthetic masculinity standards. For instance, the author mentions Emily Bronte as an example of a successful female author who strictly adhered to masculinity standards. The only woman who made it in authorship without adhering to masculinity standards is Jane Austin. The reader realizes that men dominate in literary canon because they have intentionally blocked women from succeeding in the same sector.

Why is the author so passionate about the female voice in the literary canon?

Since childhood, Woolf wanted to be a successful author, but she was disappointed to learn that only one successful female writer was Austen. According to Woolf, women can express their beliefs and point of view about life through writing. However, Woolf does her research and realizes that men are scared of women's potential, and they have put measures in place to make a woman believe that she is a weaker gender. Despite these strict masculine measures in the literary canon, women have struggled to fight for their place, and they have succeeded in creating a fairground for both genders. Currently, Woolf is among the many successful women writers who have expressed their views without fear of contradiction.