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English 1010

26 March 2019

Rhetorical Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sister

Author Virginia Woolf explains in great detail in her article “Shakespeare’s Sister” on

how women in the 17th century were treated. She builds credibility by providing detail and

stating facts including where she got her information from. She is informing, as well as

educating, anyone who is curious about why women did not have equal rights to men. She also

wants them to know what would happen if there were women back then who did have as equal

rights as men. Why weren’t there women who could write like Shakespeare, and draw like Peter

Paul Rubens. Why were there no women scientists like Isaac Newton? Would there be greater

technology, how would education be different, and how would their household life be different?

There are so many questions why women were definitely not treated the way they should have

been treated. Woolf uses a informative tone, ethos and pathos to effectively communicate her

ideas and knowledge to the reader, coaxing them to ask questions about the circumstances that

kept women out of the limelight for centuries.

Women’s rights has been a social issue for years. Women have always fought for

freedom, right to education, slavery, discrimination, etc. They believed they earned just the same

amount of respect as men had earned. Woolf states many informative details throughout the text

to educate the audience on how women were treated by men. “Wife beating, was a recognized

right of a man, and was practiced without shame.” (pg 176, Woolf) This quote shows the
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audience that women did not have voices; they were property of men. Woolf continues to

explain how women were not allowed to choose their own husband, that was arranged by her

father. He could choose whatever age he wanted his daughter to marry at and the husbands age

could vary. On page 177 Woolf claims that “marriage was not an affair of personal affection,

but of family avarice.” If the daughter had refused to marry the man her father had chosen, then

she was to be beaten and locked up.

Woolf also explains how women were not allowed to have any sort of education. They

could barely read, spell, and write. They could not go out and express themselves they way men

did, also they couldn’t go out and enjoy their freedom. The men were expected to do everything

outside of the house. The men were expected to go and educate themselves, they had to go and

make themselves known “husband had been assigned, he was lord and master, so far at least as

law and costume could make him” (pg 177, Woolf). This is an important quote, because this

shows that once the daughter became married, the father passed off his position of power to the

husband. Once the father “retired” from being the provider and punisher for his daughter it

became the husbands duty. Woolf is providing a various amount of information, is very factual,

and is active in her words. A lot of these women were very talented in many ways; whether it

was in arts, speaking, or even in music. But the women could not show the public or men what

they could do because they would be disobeying their husbands rules and would be beaten until

he was satisfied. Once a woman was married, she was expected to immediately start a family,

keep hold of the house, and to follow whatever rules she was told to. If she had refused to do

then her husband was to beat her and punish her until he was pleased.
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In this article, Woolf appeals very effectively to ethos. She does so by referencing the

professors she received her information from. She also read a history book based upon

Shakespeare and says that she received her information from the book “Professor Trevelyan’s

History of England”. She mentions other authors and poets and gives them their credit as she

continues to write her article. Furthermore, Woolf presents counterarguments and confidently

rebuttals them to strengthen her perspective on women’s rights. She doesn’t try to claim the

information she received from other authors as her own. This helps her build a trustworthy

reputation with the reader.

The second appeal Woolf makes throughout her article is pathos. Woolf gives multiple

examples of emotion. She compares the women to men a lot and goes into detail on how and

why the women were beaten. On page 177, it claims that “being beaten and flung about the

room, can’t have any shock being inflicted on the public.” Which means that whatever type of

beating the husband did to his wife, she was not allowed to talk about it. Women had no voice,

they were not allowed to speak about what goes on at home. This really made Virginia as well as

her audience to start to feel sympathy and sadness.Woolf uses strong passive points and action

words to insure how she felt women were being treated badly; and to have the reader be able to

feel and possibly relate to their situation. She also concludes that if there was a woman who was

as great of a writer as Shakespeare, her work would not have been seen. Women were not sent to

school either, they were not allowed to receive any sort of education. They were forced to stay

inside the house until further notice from the husband.

“Shakespeare’s Sister” written by Virginia Woolf urges the readers to think on how and

why women rights are such a large social issue. It details how for many years, even centuries,
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women have not been treated properly, nor were they given the opportunities they deserved.

They were not allowed to pick their husbands, have an education, have a job, etc. Women were

the property of men, whatever they were told to do they had to do it. If they chose to disobey, the

husband would punish them; and by punish, the wife would be beaten and locked up. Lots of the

women were gifted with many talents. Many women were artistic and intelligent, and yet they

were not allowed to show their talents without being punished. This is still an issue today,

women are starting to be seen more, but are still being rejected for certain things. Women receive

an education, are allowed to show their talents, and receive more work opportunities than men do

now. Women's voices are being heard now, but occasionally seen as worthless. Everyone should

be treated equally, but even still to this day that is not happening.
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Works Cited

Woolf, Virginia. “ Shakespeare Sister” 75 Readings: An anthology 10th edition, ed. Santi