The following are taken from Virginia Woolf's classic essay "A Room of One's Own." This text is an eloquent articulation of what it takes to be a woman and a writer in a world where men have dominated nearly every position of power. Though this was published just before 1930, its reflections project the truth about society, even today.
1. "Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of a man at twice its natural size" (35).
A revolutionary idea at the time of its composition, Woolf spits out this inflammatory statement upon a misogynist's view of how women are to be useful. What I find fascinating is that she portrays the woman as a figure of wonder and delight, though being used completely out of its intended context. So it goes, a mirror is purposed to be an accurate reflection of its beholder. When one sees and believes an assumed lie about their societal and hierarchical size, what else results other than violence and attempted acts of heroism? This explains the resultant state of those men who are committed to seeing women as inferior.
2. "Have you any notion how many [books about women] are written by men? Are you aware that you are, perhaps, the most discussed animal in the universe?" (26).
Again, Woolf portrays the female population as incredible, despite their societal placement as "lesser than." This quote implies that men might not know just what to do in order to contain women, so they discuss them. They write books about them. They manipulate words to and fro to make some kind of sense out of them. All of which elude the truth: women are equals.
3. "...he seemed to control everything. Yet he was angry" (34).
A cutting-edge statement; Woolf is right. In her world, man has every position of superiority. Despite his power, he is not happy. He is not satisfied. What's more, he is angry -- angry at the notion that the other sex may someday push him aside, angry that the other sex is a thing in itself. No amount of money or stature can placate a heart that is threatened.
Virginia Woolf said herself that she did not hate men, as they had no means of hurting her. There is no need to place another "wrong" alongside one if there is an opportunity to make that a "right." However, she did not fail to expose anti-feminism and all of its illogical standings. More power to her and more power to you, regardless of what gender you identify as.
