Literary notes about Domesticity (AI summary)
The term "domesticity" in literature is multifaceted, embodying both praise and criticism, often reflecting cultural attitudes and gender roles. In some works, domesticity carries a dual meaning, at times being equated with drudgery or confinement—as Chesterton criticizes it as dull and tame, suggesting that such a narrow view of home life may inhibit higher pursuits [1, 2, 3]. Conversely, other authors depict domesticity as a source of comfort and identity, exemplified by characters who find satisfaction and purpose within their household roles, whether through the lively bustle of family life [4, 5] or even through an unconventional affection that infuses the domestic sphere with personality [6]. In certain cultural critiques, as seen in discussions of Bushido, domesticity is both a desirable commitment and a constraint, highlighting its role in shaping personal and societal values [7, 8, 9]. Ultimately, the diverse literary uses of "domesticity" reveal its capacity to function as a symbol of both nurturing stability and stifling monotony, reflecting the complex balancing act between personal satisfaction and societal expectation [10, 11, 12].
- When domesticity, for instance, is called drudgery, all the difficulty arises from a double meaning in the word.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - But of all the modern notions generated by mere wealth the worst is this: the notion that domesticity is dull and tame.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - THE EMANCIPATION OF DOMESTICITY IV.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - Fanny was clearly happy and busy in her new sphere of domesticity, but no doubt he had his lonely hours.
— from The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories by H. G. Wells - Now I go in for domesticity, and look after my family.”
— from The Happy Prince, and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde - They had decided that with economy they could still afford the apartment, which Tom, with the domesticity of an elderly cat, had grown fond of.
— from This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald - These seeming contradictions—Domesticity and Amazonian traits—are not inconsistent with the Precepts of Knighthood, as we shall see.
— from Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe - Self-renunciation, without which no life-enigma can be solved, was the keynote of the Loyalty of man as well as of the Domesticity of woman.
— from Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe - Domesticity guided their education.
— from Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe - And it is seriously true to say of a woman, in education and domesticity, that the freedom of the autocrat appears to be necessary to her.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - Jacky sighed, said, “Len, I do think you might explain,” and resumed domesticity.
— from Howards End by E. M. Forster - Numberless modern women have rebelled against domesticity in theory because they have never known it in practice.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton
