If you've ever wondered why the majority of historical writers are male rather than female, Virginia Woolf may have an answer for you. A video analysis of A Room of One's Own details Woolf's argument about women's stifled role in the literary world, and uses her imaginary character, Judith Shakespeare, to illustrate her point.

Concepts

virginia woolf, british literature, literary analysis, feminism, women's history

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Connect to Women's History Month when discussing the advantages that women have not traditionally been able to enjoy
• Encourage learners to think about other male historical figures and consider the ways their lives — and the development of their ideas — would have changed had they been born women

Classroom Considerations

• Refer to the publisher's website to find the full video analysis, as this resource is a short sample
• Display the video in full-screen mode to avoid projecting the comment section, which is open to the public and full of opinions

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Portrays a topical argument in an explanatory way
• Encourages critical thinking and literary analysis skills
• A great companion to a reading of Woolf's work

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.9