A Room of one's own, Virginia Woolf describes women's condition in the Golden age. Through the use of the fancy story of Shakespeare's sister Judith, the writer is able to criticize a social system which is built on manhood and doesn't leave the door open for women.
The father figure of Judith is the clear representation of the traditional oppressor who is blindly imposing his own vision on values and women. A consistent social revolution had been avoided because of these ignorant men who perpetuated this male-driven Society using villainous stratagems.
The only source of hope is imagination, because "facts are so hard to come by". The causes of this form of discrimination were the usual stereotypes and prejudices which were so popular among people, and they still are. Things have changed and are changing so fast, but the constant anchor of the human mind is the fear of the different. Every form of racism blocks the natural outbreak of social and cultural events. In this specific case talented and witty women were prevented to become successful in their career because they were considered inferior to a man working as a dramatists. As his brother William, Judith probably would have changed the world of literature, if only she had the chance to.
Nowadays this form of discrimination is partially overcome, but different layers of this form of social blindness are still part of our modern society. At this year's Academy Awards Patricia Arquette's speech was a complaint against gendered wages, which is still an incomprehensible American issue. Selma reminds us that people were killed just about fifty years ago because they were black or they were helping black citizens.
Women and men are still hurt and bullied because of the color of their skin or their sexual orientation. There is no peace for mankind and these social problems have the same vigorous roots even inside different cultures. Women were not considered as valuable as men in our society as in China or in Pakistan. Prejudice and racism tend to emerge as a cerebral instinctive mechanism which causes discrimination.
"The times, they are A-changin" is the title of one of the most famous Bob Dylan's song which reminds us the only possible way to fight for human rights and to struggle against these social crimes: gathering together to ask for justice. It is difficult to change ways of thinking or the roots of different complex societies , but giving up or giving in are not options.
