Washington Irving's "The Wife": Anti-feminist Literature or a Declaration of Patriotism? (Journal #3)

http://nadhnada.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...  ~Susan Polis Shutz

http://www.quotegarden.com/light.html 

After reading Washington Irving’s short story “The Wife,” my first response was that it is primarily a story that promotes patriarchy and traditional gender roles, something that I am not a fan of. (My friends call me a bit of a feminist). However, after relating the story to William Ellery Channing’s exclamation that “America shall take a place, by its authors, among the lights of the world (477),” I see Irving’s piece in a different light. While I do detest Irving’s comments on women, specifically how they are “the mere dependent and ornament of man” (526) and “helpless and beloved beings” (526), his story reflects the nationalistic values and spirit of the period, such as joy in the face of instability and vital strength through support and unity. America was building itself basically from the ground up when Irving’s story was written in 1819. Establishing a stable and renowned nation was important to the American people after the Revolutionary War, as was creating a unique identity separate from the many nations from which its citizens had come, especially from Britain. “The Wife” reflects not only America’s values of a patriarchal society, but it is also a message to the world, clearly stating that though they are in a time of instability as a nation, the joys and vitality that freedom has brought are an “unutterable felicity” (530). This is particularly illustrated in Irving’s story by his description of his friend’s wife after she had spent her first day in economic adversity: “She was in a pretty rural dress of white; a few wild flowers were twisted in her fine hair…her whole countenance beamed with smiles—I had never seen her look so lovely” (530). The wife’s purity (symbolized by her white dress), vitality, and jubilant embrace of the simple delights of her circumstances are all direct reflections on America’s attitude. “The Wife” is certainly a “manifestation of a nation’s intellect” (477) and profoundly answers Channing’s call by establishing a basis for American literature and professing the heart of America through the written word to the world.