For much of the 19th century, 'The Angel in the House' was one of the most popular poems in the English language, praised for its tender lyricism and moral purity. Today, its portrayal of idealized femininity and patriarchal norms can be read as a window onto the gender politics of the Victorian era. This edition features the original text of the poem, along with critical essays that explore its literary, social, and historical significance. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.