Shakespeare's Sister | A Room of One's Own - 5 Marks Most Expected Questions & Answers | Class 12 WBCHSE

Virginia Woolf's essay "A Room of One's Own" is very important for the West Bengal Higher Secondary (Class 12) students. This chapter gives a deep vision on topics like women empowerment, gender discrimination, and freedom of female writing - which are relevant even in today's society.
In this post, we have designed simple 5 marks questions and answers related to this chapter in simple language with their accurate answers.
If you are looking for 100% exam-use notes, short answer for revision, and excellent content for practice, then this post is for you.
The answers given here are in the model answer format, which will also improve your answer-writing style and will help in getting high marks in the exam.
Q 1. Who was Judith Shakespeare? What does she symbolize in the essay of Virginia Woolf?
Answer: Judith Shakespeare is a fictional character that Virginia Woolf has coined in her essay “A Room of One's Own”. She is the fantasy sister of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. She is supposed as talented as her brother.
But due to the gender discrimination of the society, she neither gets education nor freedom to express her writing. She is put in household chores and when she wants to live life on her own will, the society rejects her.
Judith is a symbol of talented but neglected women who was not given opportunity and whose creativity was crushed.
Q 2. How has Woolf showed the status of women in the Elizabeth era through Judith's story?
Answer: Virginia Woolf has shown through Judith's fictional story that women had no right to education, freedom and creative expression in the Elizabeth era.
Judith was not sent to school, disallowed to study books, and violence occurred with her when she refused to marry. When she went to London to fulfill her dreams, she was made a character of laughter and did not get any opportunity.
In this way, Woolf makes it clear that women were suppressed at that time because they were women, no matter how talented they were.
Q 3. What is the importance of the title "A Room of One's Own"?
Answer: The title "A Room of One's Own" means that women need financial freedom and personal place to write and think.
Woolf believes that if a woman has to do something great in the field of imagination and writing, she should have money and her own personal room - so that she can think and write without interruption.
The title shows an independent identity and need for opportunities for women, historically banned by men.
Q 4. How has Woolf added imagination and reality to this essay? Explain with example.
Answer: Woolf has beautifully coordinated imagination and reality in her essay. She has used fictional characters like Judith Shakespeare to show the status of real society.
Judith's story is completely imagined, but her struggle and failure are similar to the true women of the time who were deprived of education and freedom.
In this way, Woolf used imagination as a tool so that they could present the truth of the anti -female social structure in a more effective manner.
Q 5. What message has Woolf conveyed to future women writers through Judith Shakespeare's story?
Answer: Through Judith's story, Virginia Woolf has given a message to the future female writers to recognize and express the ability within their inner talent.
She says that women need money and room for themselves, so that they can write without obstruction. Woolf wants women not to be silent anymore, but change the society with their writing and create a strong identity for themselves.
This is a feminist call that has now come when women come forward with their rights, confidence and creativity.
Q 6. Virginia Woolf has shown which social obstacles in Judith's life?
Answer: Virginia Woolf has shown many social obstacles in the lives of women of that time through Judith Shakespeare.
She was not given the right to education.
She was prevented from studying and writing.
When she refused to marry, she had to face beating and insulting.
There was no platform for creative expression.
She did not get admission in the theater, and in the end she committed suicide.
Through these incidents, Woolf states that gender discrimination and patriarchal system suppressed the talent of women.
Q 7. According to Woolf, what things does a woman need to become a creative writer?
Answer: Virginia Woolf believes that if any woman wants to become a writer, she must have two things:
Money - so that she can remain financially independent.
A personal room (A Room of One's Own) - so that she can think and write peacefully.
According to Woolf, no woman can develop creatively without economic freedom and personal place. These two basic needs are the key to her (especially of a woman) freedom and literary identity.
Q 8. Why did Woolf imagine the character like Judith? For what purpose is she appropriate in the essay?
Answer: Woolf imagined Judith Shakespeare so that she could show that even if the talent as Shakespeare was in a woman, the society would not give her a chance to move forward.
Judith is a fictional example, but her experience reflects the truth of the real women of that time.
Through this character, Woolf said that talent cannot do anything alone, until she gets opportunity, support and acceptance of society.
Q 9. What does "A Room of One's Own" indicate as a symbol in the essay?
Answer: "A Room of One's Own" is not just a physical room, but it is a symbol of freedom, self-reliance and right to think and write.
This indicates that women need a place to develop their intelligence, imagination and creativity where they can work without any obstruction.
It is a feminist symbol that says that no woman can recognize her creative ability completely without financial and mental freedom.
Q 10. What is the importance of this essay of Woolf in modern society?
Answer: This essay of Virginia Woolf is still very relevant. Although women have got more rights today, gender inequality in creative field, education and employment still exists.
The message of Woolf inspires today's women to think, write and move forward independently.
This essay gives voice to voiceless women and assures them that they can make their identity, if they get opportunities, resources and support.
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf : MCQ (Set 02)
*****
Read also:
A Room of One’s Own | WB Class 12 English Notes
The Night Train at Deoli by Ruskin Bond | Multiple Choice Questions and Answers (MCQ)
The Night Train at Deoli by Ruskin Bond | Summary, Characters and Q and A
APJ Abdul Kalam's 'Strong Roots' - an inspirational memoir | Summary
Our Casuarina Tree by Toru Dutt | Stanza wise Summary
An Astrologer's Day | R.K. Narayan | Summary | Class 11
Amarnath by Sister Nivedita | Multiple Choice Questions and Answers (MCQ)
The Swami and Mother-Worship | MCQ
The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield | Summary and Characters
Composed upon the Westminster Bridge | M.C.Q (Mock Test - 02)