angel in the house

• coventry patmore şiiri.
  
  man must be pleased; but him to please
  is woman's pleasure; down the gulf
  of his condoled necessities
  she casts her best, she flings herself.
  how often flings for nought, and yokes
  her heart to an icicle or whim,
  whose each impatient word provokes
  another, not from her, but him;
  while she, too gentle even to force
  his penitence by kind replies,
  waits by, expecting his remorse,
  with pardon in her pitying eyes;
  coventry patmore şiiri.
  
  and if he once, by shame oppress'd,
  a comfortable word confers,
  she leans and weeps against his breast,
  and seems to think the sin was hers;
  or any eye to see her charms,
  at any time, she's still his wife,
  dearly devoted to his arms;
  she loves with love that cannot tire;
  and when, ah woe, she loves alone,
  through passionate duty love springs higher,
  as grass grows taller round a stone.
  
  kendini evine, kocasına ve çocuklarına adayan itaatkar, düşünceli, mükemmel kadın portresini çizer. ilk yazıldığı zaman (19. yy) çok ilgi çekmese de virginia woolf bir denemesinde "killing the angel in the house is part of the occupation of a woman writer" yazınca ünlenmiştir. yani diyebiliriz ki ironik bir şekilde virginia olmasaydı coventry çoktaan unutulup gitmişti..