“
You need a husband and some babies to look after. Otherwise you're going to grow up into a virago...You need a husband and some babies to look after. Otherwise you're going to grow up into a virago......more
”
―
Lindsay Armstrong,
Spitfire
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Originally, a vir…more
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Originally, a virago referred to a woman who demonstrates exemplary and heroic qualities (i.e. Joan of Arc). The word comes from the Latin word virāgō meaning variously, vigorous, heroic maiden, a female warrior, heroine.
Over time this word has grown to be derogatory and used to describe a mean, loud, bossy, screaming, or scolding woman. Its use is considered an insult and was most famously tied to the lead role from Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Some modern definitions even take it a step further and attribute the word to a woman who is “manly” and gender transgressions.
Personally, I find this ridiculous. How can a word which was at its root meant to describe a brave, strong, heroic woman become so warped throughout time? For that matter, what is wrong with being a bossy, loud woman? It seems to me, those are the exact qualities of a warrior who is meant to lead and overcome the challenges she faces.
Together we are reclaiming this term for our fellow strong women, smashing the patriarchy which warped the definition, and brandishing our title of “Virago” proudly. We will share our diverse ideas, opinions, and experiences with one another in an effort to inspire and motivate our fellow viragos through our love of books and story-telling.
If you think you are or could be a virago as well, we welcome you and lift you up to join us, your fellow warrior women. We look forward to hearing from you and don’t worry, you can be as loud as you want.
But once a woman stole the initiative, plundered the perquisites and took the lead, what happene…more
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But once a woman stole the initiative, plundered the perquisites and took the lead, what happened to the globe? The fabric cracked [Daphne du Maurier]
We explore books that Virago has recognized as a particularly valuable voice in women's literature. The publisher gathered them in the collection Virago Modern Classics. Of course, we read those titles also from different publishers ("green spines" are rather hard to find).
Virago is a feminist publishing company founded in 1973 in the UK, "the most vigorous, stylish and successful British publisher of women's literature, it is the largest women's imprint in the world".
The full collection (over 700 titles) is here --> https://www.virago.co.uk/imprint/lbbg/virago/page/virago-modern-classic-collection/
