11.Profession-for-Women

ProfessionsforWomenVirginiaWoolfbyVirginiaWoolf(1882-1941)BorninEngland,VirginiaWoolfwasthedaughterofLeslieStephen,awell-knownscholar.Shewaseducatedprimarilyathomeandattributedherloveofreadingtotheearlyandcompleteaccessshewasgiventoherfather’slibrary.Withherhusband,LeonardWoolf,shefoundedtheHogarthPressandbecameknownasmemberoftheBloomsburygroupofintellectuals,whichincludedeconomistJohnMaynardKeynes,biographerLyttonStrachey,novelistE.M.Forster,andarthistorianCliveBell.AlthoughshewasacentralfigureinLondonliterarylife,Woolfoftensawherselfasisolatedfromthemainsstreambecauseshewasawoman.Woolfisbestknownforherexperimental,modernistnovels,includingMrs.Dalloway(1925)andTotheLighthouse(1927)whicharewidelyappreciatedforherbreakthroughintoanewmodeandtechnique--thestreamofconsciousness.Inherdiaryandcriticalessaysshehasmuchtosayaboutwomenandfiction.Her1929bookARoomofOne’sOwndocumentsherdesireforwomentotaketheirrightfulplaceinliteraryhistoryandasanessayistshehasoccupiedahighplacein20thcenturyliterature.ThecommonReader(1925firstseries;1932secondseries)hasacquiredclassicstatus.Shealsowroteshortstoriesandbiographies.“ProfessionsforWomen”takenfromThecollectedEssaysVol2.isoriginallyapaperWoolfreadtotheWomen’sServiceLeague,anorganizationforprofessionalwomeninLondon.Whenyoursecretaryinvitedmetocomehere,shetoldmethatyourSociety(women’sserviceleague)isconcernedwiththeemploymentofwomenandshesuggestedthatImighttellyousomethingaboutmyownprofessionalexperiences.ItistruethatIamawoman;itistrueIamemployed;butwhatprofessionalexperienceshaveIhad?Itisdifficulttosay.Myprofessionisliterature;andinthatprofessiontherearefewerexperiencesforwomenthaninanyother,withtheexceptionofthestage--fewer,Imean,thatarepeculiartowomen.Fortheroadwascutmanyyearsago---byFannyBurney(Englishnovelistanddiarywriter),byAphraBehn(dramatist,novelist),byHarrietMartineau(Englishwriter),byJaneAusten,byGeorgeEliot—manyfamouswomen,andmanymoreunknownandforgotten,havebeenbeforeme,makingthepathsmooth,andregulatingmysteps.Thus,whenIcametowrite,therewereveryfewmaterialobstaclesinmyway.Writingwasareputableandharmlessoccupation.Thefamilypeacewasnotbrokenbythescratchingofapen.Nodemandwasmadeuponthefamilypurse.FortenandsixpenceonecanbuypaperenoughtowritealltheplaysofShakespeare--ifonehasamindthatway.Pianosandmodels(Thesesarethethingsnormallyneededforthetrainingorpracticeofamusicianoranartist;model:apersonorthingthatservesasasubjectforanartistorsculptor)Paris,Vienna,andBerlin,mastersandmistresses(worldfamouscitiesofartormusic,mastersandmistresses:highlyaccomplishedmenandwomenartistsormusicians),arenotneededbyawriter.Thecheapnessofwritingpaperis,ofcourse,thereasonwhywomenhavesucceededaswritersbeforetheyhavesucceededintheotherprofessions.Buttotellyoumystory--itisasimpleone.Youhaveonlygottofiguretoyourselvesagirlinabedroomwithapeninherhand.Shehadonlytomovethatpenfromlefttoright--fromteno’clocktoone.Thenitoccurredtohertodowhatissimpleandcheapenoughafterall--toslipafewofthosepagesintoanenvelope,fixapennystampinthecorner,anddroptheenvelopeintotheredboxatthecorner.ItwasthusthatIbecameajournalist;andmyeffortwasrewardedonthefirstdayofthefollowingmonth--averygloriousdayitwasforme--byaletterfromaneditorcontainingacheckforonepoundtenshillingsandsixpence.ButtoshowyouhowlittleIdeservetobecalledaprofessionalwoman,howlittleIknowofthestrugglesanddifficultiesofsuchlives,Ihavetoadmitthatinsteadofspendingthatsumuponbreadandbutter,rent,shoesandstockings,orbutcher’sbills,Iwentoutandboughtacat--abeautifulcat,aPersiancat,whichverysooninvolvedmeinbitterdisputeswithmyneighbors.WhatcouldbeeasierthantowritearticlesandtobuyPersiancatswiththeprofits?Butwaitamoment.Articleshavetobeaboutsomething.Mine,Iseemtoremember,wasaboutanovelbyafamousman.AndwhileIwaswritingthisreview,IdiscoveredthatifIweregoingtoreviewbooksIshouldneedtodobattlewithacertainphantom.Andthephantomwasawoman,andwhenIcametoknowherbetterIcalledheraftertheheroineofafamouspoem,TheAngelintheHouse.ItwasshewhousedtocomebetweenmeandmypaperwhenIwaswritingreviews.ItwasshewhobotheredmeandwastedmytimeandsotormentedmethatatlastIkilledher.Youwhocomeoffayoungerandhappiergenerationmaynothaveheardofher--youmaynotknowwhatImeanbyTheAngelintheHouse.IwilldescribeherasshortlyasIcan.Shewasintenselysympathetic.Shewasimmenselycharming.Shewasutterlyunselfish.Sheexcelledinthedifficultartsoffamilylife.Shesacrificedherselfdaily.Iftherewaschicken,shetooktheleg;iftherewasadraftshesatinit--inshortshewassoconstituted(broughtup,nurtured)thatsheneverhadamindorawishofherown,butpreferredtosympathizealwayswiththemindsandwishesofothers.Aboveall--Ineednotsayit--shewaspure.Herpuritywassupposedtobeherchiefbeauty--herblushes,hergreatgrace.Inthosedays--thelastofQueenVictoria--everyhousehaditsAngel.AndwhenIcametowriteIencounteredherwiththeveryfirstwords.Theshadowofherwingsfellonmypage;Iheardtherustlingofherskirtsintheroom.Directly,thatistosay,Itookmypeninmyhandtoreviewthatnovelbyafamousman,sheslippedbehindmeandwhispered:“Mydear,youareayoungwoman.Youarewritingaboutabookthathasbeenwrittenbyama