The evolution of women's roles in literature and society

Discussion on the Role of Women

The role of women in society has always been discussed because of man who always thought of women as inferior beings considered good only for doing children and look after them.

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Virginia Woolf and Angela Carter write about this topic in two different ways but with the same purpose. The first one wrote “A room of one's own”. It's a long essay where she shows her dep concern for the women's status. She wonders about what would have happened if Shakespeare had had a sister as clever as him. The second author wrote “The werewolf” which is a modern version of “Little red riding hood”, in which the hunted girl of the old fairy tale becomes a powerful huntress who relies only on herself.

Shakespeare's Sister

In Virginia's text Shakespeare's sister would have been declined of many things like the right to education or the the possibility to act in a theater because all people would expect her to do housework. At first it seems that the author is accusing women for being ignorant but then we understand what she really thinks. She writes that Shakespeare's sister would run away from her family to be an actress and live the life she wished. Virginia encourages today's readers to go out and do what they love also in respect of the women from before who could not do it. She went against the rules of a common woman and spoke what she thought was the truth.

Virginia's Encouragement

She gives an historical argument writing that the lack of money have prevented women from writing in the past. Without money women were depending on men.

Finally I think that is a great text because it perfectly presents women status and the way they felt being oppressed by men's authority.
Angela Carter's story subverts the traditional stereotypes of women. It's set in a cold northern country. At the one hand the beginning the story is the same but on the other hand the girl is presented from the very beginning as totally unafraid and who always carries a knife with herself.

Here is presented the self-reliant side of women who don't need to be supported by men to do what they want. Here there's a woman who isn't afraid of nothing and who doesn't need to be protected.

The fact that women need to be rescued by a powerful and beautiful man has always characterised

Fight for Women's Rights

Finally the major idea is that women don't have to afraid of men or of life,they must fight for their rights,their wishes and their dignity because if they don't act this way men will always take the power and control them.