ipl-logo

Comparing Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening

1228 Words5 Pages

“And moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul…the brave. The soul that dares and defies.” That is a quote of Kate Chopin, an American realistic author of short stories and novels such as “The Story of an Hour” and The Awakening. Chopin is now considered to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century. Chopin lived most of her life during the Realistic period, 1865 through 1910, and wrote Realistic works. Realism is characterized as having characters that reflected their region, gender, class, and age, accurate representation of the middle class at the time, and defined by the author’s use of characterization in each character behaved, thought, acted, reacted, and just lived. All works of Realism are character driven and show a cross-section of American life that had not been portrayed before. Literary works such as The Awakening and “The Story of an Hour” are …show more content…

After learning of her husband’s death, Louise Mallard confines herself in a room in her house and, “Into this [armchair] she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul” (Chopin 630). Louise’s “exhaustion” seems to compress her. By confining herself to one room, her tiredness is constricting her and “press[ing] down” on her soul. She cannot escape from this exhaustion or the terrible news about her husband. And able to enjoy some rights, as a widow. Ironically, a few moments later, “[Louise Mallard] collapse[s] of a heart attack when [her husband] walks through the door” (Hacket 83). After only an hour or so of freedom, Louise dies when she sees her presumably dead husband standing alive in their doorway. This reveals the cross-section of how women felt that they were not equal to men in “The Story of an

Show More
Related
1369 Words | 6 Pages

Unsurprisingly, this article discusses the emotions in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” S.S. Jamil shows the irony in stereotyping women as overemotional, when the conventional roles Louise Mallard lives in force her to suppress her emotions. Jamil suggests that this is the cause of Louise’s heart trouble, since psychological health does affect physical health. The self-assertion that Louise discovers is permission to be herself, since emotions are a substantial part of who we are. The narrative of this article paints Louise as the victim and society as the culprit.

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

Louise Mallard who is married, she is also a protagonist, central figure and the person whom all the other characters revolve. It seems like she understands the proper way for women to behave and her internal thoughts and feelings are anything but correct. At the beginning of the story, we find out that she suffers from a heart problem which indicates the range to which she feels that marriage has oppressed her. The moment of awakening comes to her when she realizes she is free to be her own woman. She receives news of her husband’s death and at first she spends an hour in planning of the possible, not grieving as anyone

Read More
842 Words | 4 Pages

Individuals all around the world today face obstacles that challenge their strength and integrity. Someone’s ability to persevere through obstacles ultimately builds their moral character. Moreover, an individual’s capability to turn themselves into the person they have always desired to be can be life-changing. Human beings can discover who they genuinely are in a variety of ways. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the main character Edna Pontellier awakens in life with bravery and a sense of exploration, which, in due course, alters her perspective on life and grants her independence.

Read More
1794 Words | 8 Pages

Tabitha Schlatt Honors English II Mr.Williams March 6, 2023 Romanticism to Realism in American Literature “She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world,” professes author Kate Chopin about her feminist protagonist, Edna Pontellier, in her groundbreaking novel The Awakening. This highly controversial literary piece shocked its audience since women during the early nineteen hundreds were restricted by sexist social expectations. Chopin’s unprecedented character wants to be more than a housewife and proclaims so with pride. The rise of the feminist movement sparked the American Literary Realism period noted for the new Naturalistic ideals such as heredity,

Read More
1474 Words | 6 Pages

Kate Chopin was an American writer known for her stories about the inner lives of sensitive, daring woman. The Awakening was widely condemned. Critics called it morbid, vulgar, and disagreeable, but after the 1950’s, it was rediscovered and praised for its truthful depictions of women’s lives. She was a mother of six. She lost her father early and was raised in an all-female household so she had a strong sense of female independence.

Read More
1125 Words | 5 Pages

Written by Kate Chopin, many of her works cross boundaries of what women were supposed to write like back then. Writing and publishing a novel such as The Awakening was very hazardous back in the nineteenth century. When first published, this novel was heavily frowned upon by most people. However, times have changed and this novel is now gaining all the positive publicity that it deserves. This novel shares many themes and motifs, mostly surrounding feminism, especially in the South, which people did not appreciate back then.

Read More
820 Words | 4 Pages

The most renown story by Chopin, The Awakening, is what gave her a title in the late 1890s. The book was a shock to almost everyone who read it as it was not like the standards of living or methods of lifestyle. Critics called out its overuse of adultery, morbid nature, and highly disagreeable at times during the book’s timeline. Because the book follows a main female protagonist, it highlighted her stance on women-based subjects, femininity and opening up women's desires and needs as most women were suppressed during these times. The main theme of The Awakening is about “a tale of a young woman (Kate Chopin) who is struggling to find her true self and her artistic ability”, better known as a kunstlerroman.

Read More
1397 Words | 6 Pages

Kate Chopin’s writing often consists of topics not necessarily thought as acceptable by her society. During Chopin's time women often remained home receiving credit for nothing at all. Women often were presumed as having no true value. Through her writing, Chopin gives women a new role in life. Her stories give a view into the daily struggles women go through.

Read More
291 Words | 2 Pages

The editors and the publishers asked the authors to maintain the level of morals of the society in their books. Kate Chopin affected two major movements in the 1890’s and 19th century. She had a huge impact on the Literary Realism Movement because of her novels “The Awakening” which is centered around realistic feelings and the isolation felt by her character’s when exploring their inner desires. Realistic authors view the problems of governing power as debatable and reformable . Character’s such as Edna in “The Awakening” debated the power of their husbands over their personal desire.

Read More
1386 Words | 6 Pages

I can understand why this book is considered so important in the development of the feminist canon. Equally, I know why it was so widely rejected during Chopin’s era. After reading this novel entirely, I feel disappointed to state that Kate Chopin is just an okay writer. The themes of her stories that I have read and this book just really solidifies her main cause in life; To be a voice to the woman like her characters who she read about.

Read More
940 Words | 4 Pages

In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” demonstrates the personal growth of the dynamic protagonist Louise Mallard, after hearing news of her husband’s death. The third-person narrator telling the story uses deep insight into Mrs. Mallard’s thoughts and emotions as she sorts through her feelings after her sister informs her of her husband’s death. During a Character analysis of Louise Mallard, a reader will understand that the delicate Mrs. Mallard transforms her grief into excitement over her newly discovered freedom that leads to her death. As Mrs. Mallard sorts through her grief she realizes the importance of this freedom and the strength that she will be able to do it alone.

Read More
1200 Words | 5 Pages

In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, after hearing the news of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard’s emotions did not portray sadness or despair instead she was relieved and rejoiced. Even though Mrs. Mallard admits that her husband was kind and loving, she feels joy after hearing the news of her husband’s death that she will no longer be known as Mrs. Mallard. Although it was acknowledged in the story that Louise Mallard loved Bentley Mallard, we can tell by the statement “had never looked save with love upon her,” (Chopin, 1894), the favor was not returned. The main theme we see in this story is the oppression of marriage. Death of her husband shows that Mrs. Mallard finally has freedom.

Read More
913 Words | 4 Pages

Literary Analysis “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin introduces us to Mrs. Mallard as she reacts to the sudden death of her husband. Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard’s emotions as sad, yet happy that her husband has been killed. Kate Chopin’s “ The Story of an Hour” argues that when a person is controlled and made to live under another person their mental state of mind is affected. The story also argues that when that person is freed from the controlling person their true self can finally be achieved. Kate Chopin portrays these themes by the use of character development; plot control, and irony throughout the story.

Read More
828 Words | 4 Pages

Louise’s victory in accepting her husband’s death is a feeling that she now cannot live without. The ultimate death of Louise Mallard is one that represents physical and emotional defeat. In this dramatic short story, Chopin uses imagery to sew together a tapestry of emotions all encompassed in an ill-stricken widow. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.”

Read More
676 Words | 3 Pages

“There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. ”(Chopin 169) Louise soon realizes what this strange feeling as she goes through the roller coaster of emotions trying to decipher what exactly she is feeling.

Read More

More about Comparing Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening

Related Topics

Open Document