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Adultery In Kate Chopin's 'The Storm'

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In the short story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin that was written at the end of the nineteenth century, the protagonist, Calixta is described to be as an noble, attractive housewife who is married to Bobinot, but still has intense feelings with her former lover Alcee Laballiere. She committed adultery with Alcee, and she does not feel any guilt toward her actions. If anything, when her husband and son, Bibi, came home, she was even more cheerful than the beginning of the story. In the 19th century, when people committed adultery, they usually get punished for it, such as being condemned. It was odd that Calixta or Alcee did not get killed for their crime they committed together. Throughout this short story, Kate Chopin focuses on the relationship …show more content…

The third chapter brings Bobinot and Bibi home to Calixta in a joyful mood as she “had clasped Bibi and was kissing him effusively” (Chopin 108). They both are greeted by Calixta’s presence as she is pleased to see them return safe and sound and not drenched by the storm, and is excited that her husband brought home shrimp for dinner. When they are seated at the table eating dinner, in the final line of the third chapter, “they laughed much and so loud that anyone might have heard them as far away as Laballiere’s” (Chopin 108). Calixta acted like nothing ever happened between that time her son and husband were gone. According to Allen Stein who wrote, he thinks “it is not hard to see that many might say all has turned out well for them despite Calixta’s transgression” (7). When Bobinot and Bibi came home, they were afraid that Calixta would be angry with them being dirty and not presentable, but she had no desire in the world to care about it. Calixta’s mood changed by from “an overscrupulous housewife” to a woman who is excited to see them come home and “clasped Bibi and was kissing him effusively” (Chopin 108). Bibi and Bobinot do not have any clue of why Calixta is like that, but they are pretty satisfied with her cheerful …show more content…

Therefore, Kate Chopin focuses on the relationship between Calixta, the noble housewife, and Alcee, her old lover, by reuniting without anyone knowing, Calixta’s son and husband coming home to a happy wife and mother, and both of them not getting caught by cheating on their spouses. When Calixta and Alcee reunited together, they had did not have any care in the world, and it was risky that they could have been caught in the act. It is ironic when the thunder storm started right when Alcee showed up; however, the storm became stronger and that made him come inside Calixta’s house, and the woman sexuality was shown to be constraint as represented by the house chores Calixta performs. Chopin confirms the relationship between Calixta and Alcee’s unlawful experience together, but is not unaware of the dangers to which it may lead. Not only did Calixta commit adultery, but after it happened, her husband and son came home and she acted like nothing happened. They both are greeted by Calixta’s presence as she is pleased to see them return safe and sound and not drenched by the storm, and is excited that her husband brought home shrimp for dinner. Finally, the last claim is Alcee is married to Clarisse; as a matter of fact, he is just as guilty as Calixta. Calixta and Alcee did not get condemned for their guilty actions, which mean they both will

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