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Feminist notes on kate chopin the story of an hour
Feminist notes on kate chopin the story of an hour
Feminist notes on kate chopin the story of an hour
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In her short story, Chopin writes about a woman who has been oppressed by her husband for so long that she does not know what it feels like to be free. The woman loves her husband very much, but seems to rejoice upon hearing of his demise as a result of a train crash. Many would find her delight to be
She, herself, testified that, "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself” (Chopin 64). This attitude of focusing of herself shows how she put those who needed her most behind her desires.
This line from the story extends the importance of a woman's independence from others. The impact is that women will feel the power and liberty to live their own lives for themselves, free of control. There is a call to action with these lenses in order to get women to take back their slice of society. “There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature,” Chopin(3). This brings to light that women don’t have to listen to someone just because they impose their free will on them.
Chopin is a forward thinking author who wrote for women and minorities. Racism and gender bias are problems that have continued to persist in our society despite activism attempting to rid our world of it. Identity is another problem many people have trouble muddling through. Chopin tackles relevant issues she witnessed in her lifetime of racism, gender bias, and identity issues utilizing the literary elements of foreshadowing, irony, symbolism, figures of speech, misleading of the reader, imagery, and setting; the literary devices assist in emphasizing the expectations Armand feels he must live up to because of the responsibility of his wealthy, powerful name by exacting a harsh rule on his slaves, commanding absolute supremacy over women, and casting away the wife and child he supposedly
Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” is set in the late 1800s – a time when women were considered inferior to men. Women had traditional roles as wives and mothers. In this 19th century patriarchal society, Chopin shows us Louise Mallard, the main character, who does not comply with the female gender norms of the Victorian period. When Louise learns about the death of her husband, her reaction and the reaction of her sister and the doctor tell us a great deal about gender stereotyping during this time. Louise Mallard is described to us as “firm” and “fair.
In the mid to late 1800’s women are viewed as homemakers, “Men demonstrate their dominance over women by generally confining them to the devalued registers of the home and the kitchen” (Brightwell 37). This is an era of raging patriarchy, if a woman is devoting time to something other than raising a family, she is looked down upon. Chopin emphasizes this through the social contrast between
Chopin uses symbols in order to show that Mrs. Sommers was poor in the past vs. how she turned out after celling dozens of shoes and making a fortune. Kate Chopin (Having all that money made her restless and wakeful with anticipation 1). When the story was written in the 1800s the audience was unfamiliar with the independence of women Chopin introduced that in her story be telling the people that you can have your independence by reading and understanding the concept of the story. Finally Chopin explores the stereotypical female role within her short story.
Chopin makes her strong statement in this quote from the story. Mrs. Mallard has no one to answer to but herself, and she feels liberated that her husband can no longer control her. During the late nineteenth century, women quite frequently had to suppress themselves to the will of their husbands, or to some other man who had a significant amount of control over their lives. Chopin successfully uses vivid imagery, point of view, and irony that gives a different view of marriage that is not typical of today.
In the article, “The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin an American writer states, “She did not stop to ask if it were not a monstrous joy that held her” (Chopin 517). Implying that she felt the joy of grasping her freedom. This particular statement interests me the most since I know the moment of feeling free. To clarify, having permission was a huge deal for my parents, until the end of high school. Realizing how much I matured, they let me express my freedom without restrictions, resulting me to be free as Mrs. Mallard.
Kate Chopin reveals how language, institutions, and expected behavior restrain the natural desires and aspirations of women in patriarchal societies. In 1894, when this story was formed, culture had its own structure on marriage and the conduct towards women. Gender roles play a major role throughout our history. They would decide whether a woman in colonial times would be allowed to join the labor
Kate Chopin, a famous author from the American Realism period, writes the reality of the financial pressures that surrounded the women of the 19th century. She writes the story of Mrs. Sommers, a poor mother of many children, and her struggles finding freedom in the judgemental society she lives in. Mrs. Sommers was wealthy, but recently entered a life of poverty due to harsh times. When faced with financial decisions of her family 's wants and needs, Mrs. Sommers hastily spends all the money she has on herself rather than her children who need new clothes. The setting of this story is a large city with department stores and many attractions which play into Mrs. Sommers’ temptations later on in the story.
Kate Chopin informs the reader of an important note about Mrs. Mallard: “And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not” (Para. 15). This woman was not a woman of companionship; she would thrive on being single. However, considering the story’s setting, she would have hit rock bottom if she never chose to marry. Failing to find a husband could have resulted in her living in poverty and dying in extremely poor conditions.
Being a woman in the 1700s, it is your duty in society to be a good wife and mother to your family, however since Mademoiselle Reisz does not have a family of her own she chooses to follow her passion, being an artist. This becomes her only responsibility, since she is an artist she "must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies" (139). It takes true courage for her to follow her passion of being a pianist, women of this time are looked down upon for not being a mother or wife. Mademoiselle Reisz finds more importance in being true to herself and her passions rather than the passions society wants for her. While her reasons for courage are based on the time period this story takes place, there are still woman today who receive scrutiny for not having children or not wanting to get married.
The story also argues that freedom is a very powerful force that affects the mental or emotional state of a person. Chopin argues that only through death can one be finally freed. The author makes strong, yet subtle statements towards humanity and women’s rights. Through subtle symbolism, Kate Chopin demonstrates how marriage is more like a confining role of servitude rather than a
Kate Chopin was an independent woman even while being married to her husband she walked alone through the city of New Orleans, and she argued with others about politics and social problems which were also not normal for a woman to do around the 1880’s. Her husband later died and though she mourned his death she embraced this independence even more. Chopin wrote about the life and the people of Louisiana (since she moved there after her husband 's death) and focused most of her writings on love, marriage, women, and independence. In the short story “The Story of an Hour” Chopin introduces the themes of freedom/Independence, the oppressiveness of marriage, and mortality through these three themes Chopin depicts the struggle of women during the 1880’s.
