go2venkat Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 During the Victorian period, women writers were measured against a social rather than a literary ideal. Hence, it was widely thought that novels by women should be modest, religious, (5) sensitive, guileless, and chase, like their authors. Many Victorian women writers took exception to this belief, however, resisting the imposition of nonliterary restrictions on their work. Publishers soon discovered that the gentlest and most iddylike (10) female novelists were tough-minded and relentless when their professional integrity was at stake. Keenly aware of their artistic responsibilities, these women writers would not make concessions to secure commercial success. (15) The Brontes, George Eliot, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and their lesser-known contemporaries repudiated, in their professional lives, the cour- tesy that Victorian ladies might exact from Victorian gentlemen. Desiring rigorous and impartial (20) criticism, most women writers did not wish reviewers to be kind to them if kindness meant overlooking their literary weaknesses or flattering them on their accomplishments simply because of their sex. They had expected derisive reviews; (25) instead, they found themselves confronted with generous criticism, which they considered con- descending. Elizabeth Barrett Browning labeled it “the comparative respect which means... absolute scorn." (30) For their part, Victorian crities were virtually obsessed with finding the place of the woman writer so as to judge her appropriately. Many bluntly admitted that they thought Jane Eyre a masterpiece if written by a man, shocking or disgusting if (35) written by a woman. Moreover, reactionary reviewers were quick to associate an independent heroine with carefully concealed revolutionary doctrine; several considered Jane Eyre a radical feminist document, as indeed it was. To Charlotte (40) Bronte, who had demanded dignity and independence without any revolutionary intent and who considered herself politically conservative, their criticism was an affront. Such criticism bunched all women writers together rather than treating them as individual (45) artists. Charlotte Bronte's experience served as a warning to other women writers about the projudices that immediately associated them with feminists and others thought to be political radicals. Irritated, (50) and anxious to detach themselves from a group stereotype, many expressed relatively conservative views on the emancipation of women (except on the subject of women's education) and stressed their own domestic accomplishments. However, in (55) identifying themselves with women who had chosen the traditional career path of marriage and mother- hood, these writers encountered still another threat to their creativity. Victorian prudery rendered virtually all experience that was uniquely feminine (60) unprintable. No nineteenth-century woman dared to describe childbirth, much less her sexual passion. Men could not write about their sexual experiences either, but they could write about sport, business, crime, and war-all activities from which women (65) were barred. Small wonder no woman produced a novel like War and Peace. What is amazing is the sheer volume of first-rate prose and poetry that Victorian women did write. 8. It can be inferred from the passage that a Victorion woman writer who did not consider herself a feminist would most probably have approved of women's (A) entering the noncombat military (B) entering the publishing business © entering a university (D) joining the stock exchange (E) joining a tennis club Can anyone explain the correct answer with related quotes / clues from the passage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ursula Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 I would go with C. Support from the passage is in two places. The first indicates that these writers were not conservative on the subject of women's education line 48: ... associated them with feminists and others thought to be political radicals. Irritated, and anxious to detach themselves from a group stereotype, many expressed relatively conservative views on the emancipation of women (except on the subject of women's education) The second clue pretty much rules out all the other answer choices, for women who did not consider themselves feminists: line 63: ... about sport, business, crime, and war-all activities from which women were barred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go2venkat Posted May 11, 2004 Author Share Posted May 11, 2004 Yes C is the Correct Answer. Thank you for your explanation Ursula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdanquah Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 Gov, why don't you include the rest of the questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen09 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 As correctly pointed put by Ursula .. For this Q, there are 3 parties - 1. feminists and political radicals - their views are radical and NOT conservative. 2. women writers - wnated they NOT be called "feminists and political radicals ".. so they supported conservative views EXCEPT for women's education , for which the views of feminists, ppolitical radicals and women writets matched . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehard800 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 As correctly pointed put by Ursula .. For this Q, there are 3 parties - 1. feminists and political radicals - their views are radical and NOT conservative. 2. women writers - wnated they NOT be called "feminists and political radicals ".. so they supported conservative views EXCEPT for women's education , for which the views of feminists, ppolitical radicals and women writets matched . i agree with both of the ursla logic but the same logic support the entry in to tennis club 1. non conservative' 2. support ......pol, bussines and sports....... both business and sports are equally placed then why only businees and not sports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen09 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 both business and sports are equally placed then why only businees (did you meant to write university ???? ) and not sports But the correct answer is C © entering a university Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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