Representation of Women in History As Opposed To Fiction Essay

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Woolf’s Socioeconomic Theories

Over the years, women have always had a little place in the traditional linear history, and like Woolf says, it is time they claim their dominance in the roles they play. Being a feminist, Woolf challenges the representation of women in past literal works as their fictionalized characters misrepresent their contribution to history.

Based on her socioeconomic theories, it is clear that she disapproves how women are represented in fiction. According to Woolf, women were denied the opportunity to participate in fictional works as they were required to have a roof over themselves, and at least had an allowance of over £500 a year. For this, the true nature of women’s representation was misplaced in fiction. In other words, women with potential were robbed the chance to explore their talents, giving men the advantage of dominating them.

The omission of women in history has been the cause of fictionalization that misrepresents the female gender. By addressing this, Woolf stands out as one of the few feminists who attempted to fix this re-imaging that challenged the understanding of women in history. Their non-representation has clearly had a toll on history; as a result, fiction has played the major part due to lack of information.

As seen in her writings, she offers insights of socio injustices that are seen today in feminist literals works which trickle down to her view on social exclusion, and occupational segregation. The fact that Woolf herself did not go to the university just shows how difficult it was for women to access educational facilities.

Having been denied the opportunity to make their contributions, women suffered from unreported past whereby their issues were ignored. However, this lack of history is changing with time as more and more women are venturing into the writing field, uncovering stories that failed to be told due to lack of exposure.

Today feminists are reclaiming their roles in history by putting up stories that cover their perspectives, unveiling what was untold. Basically, times have changed as women are now able to tell their stories. Fictionalization of women has enormously misrepresented their role in history due to the unreal depictions. With time, there has been the re-imaging of women’s literal past especially now when feminists have stood up for their rights.

Women Representation in Fiction As Opposed To History

Chronologically, fiction has had a certain way of portraying women, which is different from history. The exclusion of women in literature is evidently viewed in the history of literal work, whereby some women even conspired in their own exclusion.

The domination of the male gender in literature has over time raised controversies that explain the enormity of socio injustices in the nineteenth and in the beginning of the twentieth century. The ancient history of women is seen to suggest that the only role they played was in the domestic life. As much as this might be true at some point, not all women were reserved and submissive as history claims; more information to be added remained undocumented because of the unfavoring factors.

Their misrepresentation in history has been falsified as their voices went unheard. However, Woolf’s socioeconomic theories are seen to bring true revelation of how history should be understood. In addition, biographers have had to invent stories when it comes to documentation of women’s histories due to the absence of information about women’s past.

Historical Injustices

Fiction has for long been used to dramatize history, misrepresenting the real image of women as a society, and as individual heroes. The fact that women’s opinions were ignored has robed the current generation the understanding of the real challenges that women in the nineteenth century underwent. Based on the content of journals written in the nineteenth century, it is obvious that writers did not consider their audience, or rather did not make a conscious decision when covering some subjects.

For instance, social welfare was ignored as the socioeconomic ideas that shaped history were mostly fiction. Though families were valued, women are seen to be restrained by their marital responsibilities, giving the men the upper hand in deciding what goes to historical archives. Chronologically, women have been depicted as forms of entertainment in novels, which misrepresents their historical background. This misrepresentation has always had an effect on the attitude people have towards women.

Conclusion

With the socio injustices women have been subjected to over the years, it is evident why they still struggle to find their position in society. To sum up, it is evident that history and fiction are opposing sides when it comes to representation of women. There is the need to rewrite history so as to reclaim the positions women deserve, and not fictionalized roles that were documented.

However, with women like Woolf standing up for social exclusion, and occupational segregation, there is a better future for the female gender, as opposed to history. Woolf’s diaries and socioeconomic theories have helped reveal historic social injustices; and as a result, advocate for gender equality.

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IvyPanda. (2018) 'Representation of Women in History As Opposed To Fiction'. 19 December.

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IvyPanda. 2018. "Representation of Women in History As Opposed To Fiction." December 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/representation-of-women-in-history-as-opposed-to-fiction/.

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