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Kate Chopin Feminist Analysis

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We Are Not Damsels In Distress
To what degree do I agree that Kate Chopin was a feminist?
Before I give my answer, I will give the definition of Feminist on Wikipedia. Feminist is someone who advocates social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men .From 《The story of an hour》，I agree that Kate Chopin is a feminist author, but I can only perceive that she is an independent women and supports personal and social rights of women. Other aspects? I really don’t know.

Women in the 1800s were inferior to men in status, and lacked opportunities and legal rights. They would hear the news of their husbands’ death with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance because they relied their whole life on their husbands in a male-dominated world. However, …show more content…

Mallard said ‘free’ over and over again. She kept whispering “free! Body and soul free!” It was a thought which warmed her from inside. The author emphasized on freedom so her idea of feminism is obvious.

Kate Chopin wrote “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air.” The new spring life is a metaphor for Mrs. Mallard’ new life. Kate Chopin wanted to say Mrs. Mallard would live for herself during those coming years and achieve her own rights which she never had during her marriage by using metaphors and describing the natural environment. This also indicated Kate Chopin advocates women’s rights.

Another indication of feminism is that the author developed Mrs. Mallard’s true identity. As a reader, we were told that her name was Mrs. Mallard at the beginning. She had no identity as her own; she was just a woman that belonged to Mr. Mallard. After she was free from her marriage, she regained her true identity---Louise. Identity is a really important thing in Kate Chopin’s eyes, especially for women lived in a male-dominated

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