THE WOMANLY WOMAN

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 2

THE WOMANLY WOMAN

[Written by Mary Scott, for th# ‘ Evening Star.’]

I lately read a remark to the effect that “ the womanly woman is a thing of the past.”* Moreover, the writer appeared to congratulate herself on the fact, to hail it as one more step in the great march of progress. The point of view is not original. It is rather the fashion nowadays to sneer at “ the womanly woman,” to rate her with antimacassars and family albums as relicS'Of the Victorian era. “ Women have said good-bye to all that.” It all depends, of course, on what is read into the definition. What is a womanly woman? There was at one time a very foolish conception of woman as a kind of ornamental door mat, the type of wife in which Pctruchio congratulates himself on having transformed his Katherine when she dutifully exclaims, I am surprised that women are so simple To offer war when they should sue for peace, Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway, When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.

Not content with such putting woman in her place, she elaborates the point and admonishes her friends “ to place your hands beneath your husband’s foot.” The typical doormat, in short. Yet I have always had my private doubts of Katherine. That conversion was too sudden. I have a sneaking hope that she showed a little spirit later on, even possibly heaved an experimental plate at Petruchio when ho complained about the rice pudding. Shakespeare, being a man, does not tell ns.

However, times have changed since Shakespeare’s day. Nevertheless, a certain stigma still clings to “the womanly woman.” “ Her whole duty,” I once read in an autograph book, “ is to bake, make, and mend. Her sole virtues faith, hope, and charity!” Needless to say, it was written by a man, and one, moreover, who had never been bored by such a meek and'pliant spouse, but had admired and married a lady of many parts. But why should we derogate so fine a word, why should the expression immediately call up a picture of a placid “ liaus-frau ” cooking, baking, cleaning all day, her highest pleasure to listen to her husband’s talk, her fond privilege to darn his socks? It was not so, 1 am sure, in the Garden of Eden; in fact, we are clearly led to infer by the use of the plural pronoun that Adam shared that first sartorial task. I have always wondered how he managed to remain so Olympically aoof from it ever since.

“A womanly woman ” to-day may be just as domesticated as her grandmother, but she may be so many other things as well. Out ,of the agonies endured by women during the Great War has been born the new woman—every bit as womanly as before, but in a wider conception of the term. Whether she be flying across the world alone, standing for Parliament—and getting in—founding a newspaper or running a home, she is every bit a woman—far more so than if she were still content with the selfish joys and duties of her own household, with the narrow horizon limited by her husband’s prejudices. ( But if the doormat type of woman is dead, dying also is the Amazon who sought to compete with man ori his own fields. Thirty years ago the new spirit of revolt in the hearts of women expressed itself in a wild and foolish rivalry with man. It was an impossible ambition as well as an unworthy one. Nature has set an effective veto upon such efforts; the really womanly woman has brains enough to content herself With her own sphere, realising that woman is meant to be man’s complement, not his rival in matters physical.

If we gave the full and true value of the term “womanly woman” today, it should call up a picture of such women as Gertrude Bell, Lady Astor, Vera Brittain, Jean Batten, Mine Curie. These, you may say, are the great figures of the age. Possibly, and yet by a curious coincidence, none of them is an Amazon physically. In intellect, iii devotion, in spirit, or in courage each was a Colossus, yet one and all have the qualities of feminity almost in excess. Miss Brittain’s impatience with her own appearance recurs with amusing frequency in ‘ Testament of Youth ’; her photographs show us a pretty face and childish figure, absurdly young and softer after so many experiences, so many tragedies. She had the exceptional advantage of possessing an O.S. intellect in a S.S.W. body. New Zealand is very proud oi Miss Batten, _ and affectionately stresses the petiteness of its heroine of the moment. Both Lady Astor and Miss Bell had the charming weaknesses of their sex; indeed much of the piquancy of the former’s position in the political world has been caused by the very wilfulness of her feminity. Such, we dare to say, is “the womanly Woman ” of tho post-war era. The time has long passed to argue about a woman’s brain or to compare it, either favourably or unfavourably, with that of a man. Woman has established her place once and for all in the intellectual world, and man has ceased to dispute it. She is becoming wise enough to accept her position, and to attempt neither competition nor imitation. After all, who wants a woman to be a counterpart of man? It would be a dull, menu to live by bread alone, and Ave all knoAy the feeling of discomfort and irritation that comes from too monotonous a diet. I once heard a woman say, in admitting her husband’s personal need of her, “ I don’t imagine I’m the machine, but 1 do think I may claim to be the oil that keeps it running smoothly.” it was a graceful and charming Avay of acknowledging her modest but essential mission in life.

Although our vital characteristics remain unchanged, it cannot be denied that the Great War breathed a new spirit into the women avlio suffered through it. Those who came through the years 1914 to 1918 are grimly determined and united on one point. They are not going through it again; they will not suffer through their sons Avhat they suffered through their husbands and lovers. Nor will their daughters pay the price, if it lies Avithin their power to prevent it, If Avomauhood meims anything, if the sacrifices they made Avere no Ayanton waste, they will stand for that. Such is the note that is struck in all thoughtful books written by women to-day. And who can measure the strength of such a force if it be truly united, utterly devoted? Might it not yet prove too strong lor

primitive passion, too great for Hitlerism itself ? But of course you cannot expiect men to admit it gracefully just yet. “ How splendid women are to-day 1” I heard a voting thing exclaim enthusiastically its she closed ‘ This Was My World,’ but the man to whom she spoke smiled wisely and contented himself, with the portentous quotation, “Male- and female created He them,” adding, in order to settle the point beyond dispute, “Le plus ca change, lo plus e’est la meme chose.” After that what is left to woman but to smile the Mona Lisa smile of infinite inscrutability? And that is best and oldest retort of all,