Shakespeare's Sister
~by me~



I wrote this story for a class, and I was rather happy with the way it turned out. If you haven't read A Room of One's Own (Shakespeare's Sister) by Virginia Woolf, you might not understand what is going on in this story. In her story, she is pondering the lack of literature by women in Shakespeare's time, then wonders what would have happened if the Bard had a sister, of equal talent, what would happen to her. This is that from the sister's point of view.


Judith walked towards one of the outbuildings at the back of the theater. The thing she would be most relieved to be rid of was the smell. London smelled so very different than Stratford. She felt saturated, engulfed in the stink of the city. Yet again she repressed the desire to go home. It was far too late now. Her father would have never taken her in again after the way she had left, especially in her present condition. This was not what she had thought would happen. She never thought it would end this way. At least she would be rid of the smell.

When she was back in Stratford, she thought running away to London would be such an adventure, freeing her from her stagnant life at home. She wanted to write, to act, to enjoy all the things a man would. She didn't want to have any one control her life but her. Judith could still remember the day she left. She had been fighting with her father for weeks over John. John was a sweet boy, she had known him all her life, but she had no desire to marry him. If she ever got married, it would be someone noble and kind, and handsome, and well read. Maybe an actor, or a poet.

Judith remembered how she had packed a few clothes, the few writings she hadn't burned, and some money she had been saving for years. Not too much, but she hoped it was enough to get her started in London. Some of it she had stolen from her father. She tried to rationalize it, that she would need it more in London that he would need it, but she still felt guilty.

Walking up the road away from Stratford, the thought had hit her. Feel guilty? Yes, it was a sin, but she had a feeling that she would never see her father again. She supposed it didn't matter.

Having to get the door of the building open stopped her from reminiscing. The wood was old and warped, and it took all her strength to pry it open. When she got inside, she had to pull to get the door jammed shut again. The candle she held lit up the small corner of the room. It had to be done. Judith wondered that she had the strength to do this. One thing was for sure, she didn't have the strength to go on with her life, at least the way things had turned out.

She remembered when she got to London. The journey had taken longer than she had thought, and had been difficult. A lot of her money was already gone. Judith hadn't been too worried about it, she had figured that she would get taken in right away, find her place in the world of the theater.

The first theater would not take her in. It had shocked her. She had been so sure of herself. He had even laughed at her. Yelled at her that no woman would ever act in his theater. Judith had run away, crying, trying hard to ignore the laughter of the people that had witnessed it. The further away she got, the more she calmed down. He must just be a strange man, someone that isn't like everyone else. His theater was probably no good anyway. Doesn't let women act? Insanity. Judith would try other, better theaters. She would find her place in London.

She laughed at her innocence as she tied the knots. Tying knots well was one thing her father had taught her, when she was young. They would hold, no matter how strained they were. She didn't know if she could say the same for herself. Almost done, almost done.

Judith had tried several other theaters. At some, the reaction was worse than at the first ones, stones thrown or lewd comments made. At one, suggestions were made that she could stay, and entertain, but she certainly would not be an actress. At all of them, the word was the same. Women did not act. They would not let her act. Finally, she took Nick Greene up on his offer. He too would not hear of her even touching his stage, but she could live with him. She felt that she had no other choice. The money was long gone, and begging only worked so well. It was so hard for a proud girl like her to beg on the streets. At night, she had to be very careful. The smelly streets of London were dangerous, especially for a sixteen-year-old girl. She was forced to run and hide one night when she was too close to a Tavern when it let out a gaggle of drunk me. Judith never wanted to catch someone's eye that way again.

Nick Greene was the best of a bad lot. She never pretended he was anything else. He knew that she felt that way about him, and she knew that he hated her for it. None the less, here she was, heavy with child by him. It was not supposed to end up this way. Not at all. Right now, she should be on stage, reciting beautiful poetry to a happy audience, while her handsome love waited for her in the wings. She was not supposed to be tying the knots on her own noose. It was not supposed to end this way. She fitted the rope around her chin, looking down at the ancient stool that barely supported her weight. Well, what choice do I really have, anyway? She kicked, and the stool fell over. All was black.


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