A room of one's own :Book Review

Book Review
Title: A Room of one's own
Author: Virginia Woolf
Genre: Non Fiction/Essay

A Room of one's own is the account of the author's thoughts when she is asked to write a piece on women and fiction. 


In this prolonged essay, Woolf talks about a patriarchal society and gender roles. She wonders what would have happened if women chose a path of their own? Why weren't women able to come out with poems while the men composed one sonnet after another? At one point, she mulls over the effect of poverty on fiction and explores the living conditions of women.  She categorically states how a woman's life is constantly filled with interruptions and spent in the rigmarole of family life. Another interesting thought occurs when she imagines Shakespeare's sister and names her Judith. She wonders if this imaginary woman had the same talent and died without being able to exhibit it. 

In her brutally honest manner masked with the British poignance, she goes on to address how  the life of a woman is clearly dictated by others. She attempts to be the collective voice of those several women who according to her were probably stifled from their creative pursuits. Clearly she mocks patriarchy and at the same time describes the beautiful backdrop of the autumn season in London. 
After a lot of contemplation, she comes to the conclusion women need to have a room of their own and that it was essential for creativity. Intellectual freedom depends, she states firmly depends on material things. 

A room of one's own makes an interesting and thought provoking read. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

The Chennai resistance

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=3cd78548-4240-47c3-a608-8432df372190 Mentality of a Chennaite is something that never fails to amaze me and other people of different cities. This city has a rich cultural heritage and people indeed try their best to preserve it as much as possible. However in spite of globalization descending upon them, with BPOs lurking at every corner, with the Burgers and pizzas invading their eateries, the typical chennaite will go by his time tested staple food. Times have changed, and Chennai itself is now invaded by population from other cities not only in India but form the world, thanks to the IT boom and the automobile hub centre that it has become. One can see the metamorphosis almost everywhere; old buildings have given way to modern architecture, arterial roads choked to the brim with modern vehicles, individual bungalows replaced by the apartments. Only the age old temples have withstood this onslaught, but they too
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more