The concept of the angel in the house was first mentoned
in a poem by Coventry Patmore in the mid 1800's (namely, 1854). The poem was an allegory
to Patmore's own wife, Emily. Patmore considered his wife to be the epitome of the
perfect Victorian woman. This concept was, in turn, proposed by the ruler of the
greatest nation in the world at that time, Queen Victoria of England, who was the first
monarch to instill in her subjects a deep sense of
domesticity.
Therefore, the concept of the angel in the
house was mostly pushed forward by Queen Victoria (and her ever-growing family) as a new
form of fashion. Add to this the fact that poets, writers, and philosophers boomed as
well during that era, making the memes of the time into big ideas. As a result, if you
combine the idea of a domestic wife with the embellishment that poets and artists gave
to it, the result will be the creation of a canon, or paradigm, by which a community
will be led.
The angel in the house was one of those
paradigms during Victorian times. It proposed that women should be meek, shy, yet
graceful, charming, pure, and willing to sacrifice themselves for their family. To
feminist writers this concept was highly reductionist: It basically limited females to
be household pleasers.
Yet, the angel in the house was a
most accepted idea that is still perpetuated in some social circles and even in the
ideas of some people who believe that women are meant to be devoid of needs and that
their true "god-given" task is to be pious, pure, and a martyr for the
family.
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