The Russian Hill Murder by Shirley Tallman: The Role of Women in Late 19th Century San Francisco - Book Report/Review Example

“As one of the first female attorneys in California, I'd been accepted as a junior associate in this establishment with the greatest reluctance” (Tallman 11) Her boss assigns her menial tasks, not expecting a woman to have the brains to solve proper cases. “Joseph Shepard, the senior partner at the firm, considered women attorneys incapable of performing any task more mentally stimulating than washing the dishes” (Tallman 25) Some of her coworkers belittle her too. They think that if they will not treat her equally if they will not show her some respect, she will get flustered and quit the job.

They will get back to working in an all-male working environment. The concept of the female being the clever one was not common in that era. The fact that she would try to become immune to their mocking comments never came into their minds either. They were not used to be at a loss at how to deal with a woman and did not expect Woolson to be really serious about her career. “It’s clear he resents having a female attorney in his courtroom” (Tallman 238) There had never been any competition of sorts between the two sexes.

They were not happy about it and made it more than clear. Though, over time, she does manage to earn the grudging respect of a fellow co-worker Robert Campbell due to her persistence and intelligence (The Russian Hill Murders 36). When Woolson gets a case and agrees to work on it, the rest of the firm is aghast. They do not approve of her decision and yet she continues to follow her own mind. She is another example of the woman who fights for her independence during the times when they had no rights whatsoever.

All that was expected from them was to listen and obey every of their father, brother, husband or son’s order. They were to play the dutiful daughter and then wife, and give birth to a few children and then spend the rest of the life looking after them. Woolson’s mother expects the same from her. She insists on her daughter leaving her job and getting married instead.