Abstract
This paper analyzes Coventry Patmore’s “The Angel in the House,” John Ruskin’s “Of Queens’ Gardens,” and Virginia Woolf’s “Professions for Women.” The role of women in the Victorian age was a major issue of dissention which inspired many literary works reflecting divergent viewpoints. The expectations of women are very clearly defined in Ruskin’s essay “Of Queens’ Gardens,” in which he discusses the specific differences and varying capabilities of men and women. Patmore’s poem “The Angel in the House” epitomizes the “ideal” woman and wife, portraying the oppressive standards inflicted upon women of that era. Virginia Woolf's essay, “Professions for Women,” directly criticizes Patmore’s “angel” for its patronizing outlook toward women. The goal of this analysis is to show the varying perspectives on the female situation in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Lynn Wolf
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-12-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2013 5:30 PM
Halo or Noose?
Alvin Sherman Library
This paper analyzes Coventry Patmore’s “The Angel in the House,” John Ruskin’s “Of Queens’ Gardens,” and Virginia Woolf’s “Professions for Women.” The role of women in the Victorian age was a major issue of dissention which inspired many literary works reflecting divergent viewpoints. The expectations of women are very clearly defined in Ruskin’s essay “Of Queens’ Gardens,” in which he discusses the specific differences and varying capabilities of men and women. Patmore’s poem “The Angel in the House” epitomizes the “ideal” woman and wife, portraying the oppressive standards inflicted upon women of that era. Virginia Woolf's essay, “Professions for Women,” directly criticizes Patmore’s “angel” for its patronizing outlook toward women. The goal of this analysis is to show the varying perspectives on the female situation in the 19th and 20th centuries.
