ipl-logo

Virginia Woolf's Professions For Women

921 Words4 Pages

“Professions for Women” written by Virginia Woolf in the early 1930s, is a first person narrative of the inner obstacles, and social boundaries, women face and will face as they enter the workforce. Woolf’s decision to write in the first person allows the reader to enter her mind and develop an understanding of her personality. This self-characterization, through the use of a first-person narrator, is an intriguing factor of Woolf’s essay that uniquely brings across her theme of women pushing boundaries to gain personal freedom. “Professions for Women” reveals Woolf to be a bold, hungry, and, more importantly, ambitious woman. These character traits can be seen most evidently in Woolf’s reaction towards the freedoms women earned, in regards to owning real estate. Unsatisfied, Woolf declares, “this freedom is only a beginning; the room is your own, but it is still bare. It has to be furnished; it has to be decorated; it has to be shared” (Woolf, 1931). Many women of the time would have been ecstatic with the gain of owning property; yet Woolf is eager for more. The phrase “only a beginning” (Woolf, 1931) also shows Woolf’s ambitious prospects for the future, while at the same time revealing her bold nature. The phrase shows that Woolf is not afraid to verbalize what is in her head. It is one thing to believe in …show more content…

With an understanding of who Woolf is—in that she is the living example of a woman who is capable of: breaking down social confines; realistically, openly, addressing personal prejudices; and caring beyond herself for others in similar situations—the reader comes to realize that Woolf is almost living proof of a woman who pushes social boundaries on pursuit of personal

Open Document