The Angel in the Attic; The Madwoman in the House

“…the monster-woman, threatening to replace her angelic sister, embodies intransigent female autonomy” (Gilbert and Gubar 819)

How does one begin a discussion about something as complex as feminism? How about a controversial video by Madonna?



While there are many issues to explore in this video, I will focus on the relationship between the old lady and Madonna and the ambiguous crash in the final scene.

First, I’d like to point out that there are only 3 women portrayed in this video: the old lady, Madonna, and the waitress. Next to the old lady and the chubby waitress, Madonna becomes the most beautiful character in the video. This is significant because in this context, she represents the ideals of beauty in popular culture. Throughout each scene, she violently deconstructs all the notions that have repressed her as a female. She is in effect becoming the antithesis of the “angel in the house.”

To understand the significance of the old lady in the video, it is important to consider what she represents. Upon close examination, it becomes clear that the old lady is solely dependent on Madonna. She is only there for the ride; thus, she represents the traditional notion of the female as the “angel in the house.” In 1865 John Ruskin affirmed that the “woman’s power is not for rule, not for battle, and her intellect is not for invention or creation, but for sweet orderings of domesticity” (816). Clearly, then, Madonna takes on the opposite role, destroying these oppressing ideas one at a time. To escape or protest suppression, “Women must kill the aesthetic ideal through which they themselves have been ‘killed’” (812). So why does Madonna bring this poor old lady for this violent ride?

I argue that the old lady’s participation (albeit not actively) is crucial since she is the representation of female oppression. Madonna wants, perhaps even needs her to witness this destruction. After she crashes into the car with the 3 men, Madonna even takes a moment to make sure the old lady’s glasses are securely placed over her eyes, clearly illustrating the importance for the old lady to see what is happening. She does not want her to be blinded by a patriarchal society anymore.

Madonna’s aggressive and brutal behavior places her in the “monster-woman” category. If the traditional representation of the ideal woman has been the “angel in the house,” then “the mysterious power of the character who refuses to stay in her textually ordained ‘place’ [generates] a story that ‘gets away’” from the creators (819). In this video, Madonna is this mysterious power. The most vital part of this is that she places herself in that position; she is able to escape the “angel in the house” phenomenon by stepping out of the predictable, expected, and traditional role of the passive female.

Now, let’s consider the ambiguous ending of the video. I will argue that there are at least two different ways to analyze the ending. One is to argue that the deadly crash at the end implies the death of the “monster-woman.” Some people may say that this rebellious new role for woman is unattainable, and that the crash represents the impossibility for women to escape their traditional roles.

Another analysis, and one that I will argue is more powerful, is that the deadly crash is the final act of empowerment for Madonna. It is not clear whether Madonna or the old lady die, but I wonder whether that’s important, anyway. The key point here is that Madonna was able to give this traditionally repressed old lady (who represents the everywoman) her last hurrah. In fact, she assists in her death by euthanasia.

The old woman represents someone who is considered useless in our society and Madonna helps her end her life. Because Madonna is in the car herself, however, this act is subversive. Does this suggest that Madonna, the “monster-woman,” and the old lady, “the angel in the house,” are in fact the same person? Are they simply different versions of the same self?

Finally, I want to discuss the actual crash itself. It is especially important to note how the car crashes. The car crashes into a pole – why is this important? The pole could be viewed as a phallic symbol; in this case, then, Madonna actively destroys the symbol of patriarchy. Hence, the crash is not the death of female empowerment, but the beginning of it.

Works Cited:
Gilbert, Sanda and Susan Gubar. "The Madwoman in the Attic." Literary Theory: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
812-25. Print.