In “The Yellow Drawing Room” by Mona Caird, Vanora, the protagonist, paints her entire drawing room yellow. This is met with appalling reactions from a man who is trying to court her, as he thinks that his ideal woman would be better associated with “a nice tone of grey or blue.” During the Victorian era, it was expected that women were subdued (like these colors) and that they were acting in accordance with the wants of the men in their lives. The yellow drawing room introduces the idea of “the new woman” into Caird’s short story. This is Vanora’s first mentioned deviance from the norm. Throughout the story, we learn of Vanora’s creativity and humor, both of which support her rejection of old norms and reclaiming of her domestic space.
The fact that her main act of rebellion is in the form of a drawing room which is typically used for entertaining and displaying wealth, demonstrates her rejection of the typical hosting and entertaining duties that come with Victorian associations of the domestic home and womanhood. She also rejects domesticity by knowing that she will not be happy in that environment, despite the assumption that that is what all women should need to be happy. She says that “the threat of being excluded from the realms you mention does not terrify me.” She does not care to conform to the old norms that
In addition to this, she expresses her personality and uses humor. St. Vincent even says that her “personality seemed to enwrap me as a garment.” This shows that Vanora is sure in her identity and personality and she knows what she wants. This is reflected in the reading from the Victorian Web that states that the new woman deals frankly with sex and marriage. Her confidence stands in contrast to the submissive and reserved nature that was often expected of Victorian women. Through Vanora’s character, Mona Caird critiques the restrictive past of Victorian society and advocates for a new role for women.
I agree with your analysis, and I especially loved your connection to the Victorian Web article that cites the New Woman’s frankness towards sex and marriage. However, I wonder if Vanora is completely rejecting domesticity, or simply reimagining a domestic life for herself that is not so constraining and lifeless. In painting the drawing room yellow, she somewhat implies that she is making the room her own, perfecting it for future parties she may host there with people who share her affinity for the color. Just like many of the female archetypes we have discussed in class, Vanora does not fit perfectly into the parameters of a “New Woman,” and perhaps would welcome a suitor unlike the narrator.