What usually happens to a woman with beauty and creative urges?
Shakespeare's Sister is a notable literary work by Virginia Woolf. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Shakespeare's Sister.
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Question: What usually happens to a woman with beauty and creative urges?
In Virginia Woolf’s (1882-1941) essay “Shakespeare’s Sister” (1929), she explores the fate of a hypothetical woman with both beauty and creative urges. The fate of Judith is represented in the context of the societal constraints of Shakespeare’s time. Let’s delve into what usually happens to such a woman, as outlined by Woolf:
Suppression of Creative Desires: Women with creative urges often face suppression and hindrance from societal expectations. Woolf suggests that women’s talents and desires for artistic expression were prevented by their circumstances. This suppression limits women’s ability to fulfill their creative potential. Woolf writes,
“It was not born in England among the Saxons and the Britons. It is not born today among the working classes.”
This suggests that societal expectations restrict women’s ability to pursue creative efforts.
Struggle Against Societal Norms: Women with beauty and creative urges must encounter the rigid societal norms of their time. The conflict between personal desires and societal constraints adds to the difficulty faced by women in pursuing their creative passions. Woolf portrays the struggle of such women against societal expectations, stating,
“All the conditions of her life, all her own instincts, were hostile… which is needed to set free whatever is in the brain.”
Internal Conflict and Suffering: The woman with creative urges experiences internal conflict and suffering due to societal pressures and personal aspirations. Woolf describes the potential difficulty of such a woman, stating,
“No girl could have walked to London and stood at a stage door…without doing herself a violence and suffering an anguish.”
This highlights the emotional toll of suppressing one’s creativity in a society that does not value women’s contributions.
Limited Opportunities for Expression: Ultimately, women with beauty and creative urges find themselves with limited opportunities for expression and fulfillment. Woolf argues that the lack of autonomy, resources, and recognition hinders women from realizing their creative potential. She emphasizes the need for societal change to create a more fair environment for women’s artistic efforts. This highlights the systemic barriers that women face in pursuing their creative passions.