Virginia Woolf and Professional Women

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Virginia Woolf can be remembered as a feminist and how she left behind a rich legacy of literature, among which were several passionate appeals regarding the rights of women. In particular, the paper examines Woolf's essay, "Professions for Women", and how it discusses the impediments facing professional women writers of her time. The paper shows that Woolf believed that these impediments were applicable to all women professionals, not just writers. Thus, the paper argues, that Woolf's essay should be seen as an early piece of feminist writing.

From the Paper:

"Woolf refers to these impediments as "phantoms and obstacles." The phantom she refers to is what she calls the Angel in the House. This phantom is a personification of the social strictures that were imposed on women in Woolf's time. These strictures dictated that a woman should defer to men in every possible way. The name of the phantom probably derives from the fact that it advocates the behaviours which men would deem appropriately "pure" or "angelic" for women, and from the fact that one of the most important strictures was that women should remain within the domestic sphere - and certainly not venture into the professional sphere."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bowlby, Rachel. Feminist Destinations and Further Essays on Virginia Woolf. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1997.
• Pippett, Aileen. The Moth and the Star: A Biography of Virginia Woolf. 1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1955.
• Woolf, Virginia. "Professions for Women." A paper read to The Women's Service League.

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