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Immenschuh 1 Tatum Immenschuh Teuscher 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

Immenschuh 2 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.

Immenschuh 3 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,

Immenschuh 4 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