Reframing the Domestic Angel: Real Simple Magazine's Repackaging of the Victorian-Era “Angel in the House” Narrative

Abstract

In this essay, I argue that a contemporized version of the “Angel in the House” narrative is present in Real Simple magazine. I demonstrate that nineteenth-century domestic themes have been reframed in Real Simple so that the home is no longer identified as a site intended for the pleasure of men; instead, it is identified as a personal sanctuary for the contemporary woman's respite and pleasure. I contend that while this revamped notion of the domestic angel may provide the reader with agency to privilege her own needs and desires, the modified narrative nevertheless reinforces the ideological notion of separate spheres—that the home is a woman's domain.

Keywords:

• Angel in the House
• Narrative Analysis
• Real Simple Magazine
• Separate Spheres

Acknowledgments

The author is very grateful for the guidance and advice from Nancy Baym, Suzy, D'Enbeau, and Robert Rowland. Each provided invaluable feedback on various drafts of this essay. She is thankful, too, for insights of the reviewers. Their comments have undoubtedly strengthened this piece.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine E. Crouse-Dick

Christine E. Crouse-Dick is an Associate Professor of Communication Arts at Bethel College.