"She was a bit of a Mrs Warren"

Posted by Masakim on February 07, 2002

In Reply to: "She was a bit of a Mrs Warren" posted by Patty on February 07, 2002

: Does the phrase "she was a bit of a Mrs Warren" have anything to do with rabbits and their habits? Meaning & origin? Thanks. - Patty

It has something to do with _Mrs. Warren's Profession_ by G.B. Shaw.

Emma Goldman wrote in _The Social Significance of the Modern Drama_ (Boston: Richard G. Badger, 1914; The Gorham Press, Boston, U.S.A.):

MRS. WARREN is engaged in a profession which has existed through all the ages....
But it was left to modern times to make of Mrs. Warren's profession a tremendous social factor, ministering to the needs of man in every station of life, from the brownstone mansion to the hovel, from the highest official to the poorest drag.
Time was when the Mrs. Warrens were looked upon as possessed by the devil,-lewd, depraved creatures who would not, even if they had the choice, engage in any other profession, because they are vicious at heart, and should therefore be held up to condemnation and obloquy. And while we continue to drive them from pillar to post, while we still punish them as criminals and deny them the simplest humanities one gives even to the dumb beast, the light turned on this subject by men like George Bernard Shaw has helped to expose the lie of inherent evil tendencies and natural depravity