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The Awakening And Story Of An Hour Analysis

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In Kate Chopin 's novel The Awakening and the short story “The Story of An Hour” feminist beliefs overshadow the value in moral and societal expectations during the turn of the century. Due to Louise Mallard and Edna Pontellier Victorian life style they both see separating from their husband as the beginning of their freedom. Being free from that culture allows them to invest in their personal interest instead of being limited to what 's expected of them. Chopin 's sacrifices her own dignity for the ideal of society’s expectations. Chopin 's sad, mysterious tone seems to support how in their era, there was a significant lack of women 's rights and freedom of expression. Edna and Louise both feel as though the lifestyle expected of them is not …show more content…

Chopin’s novel and short story provides awareness of the lack of independence and individuality that women are granted in that era. Chopin’s voices how Louise and Enda becomes accustom to living according to what the man of the house desires. “Then would be no power will bending hers in that blind persistence” (The Story of An hour). With Louise husband being gone, he would no longer interfere with her actions or even overrule what she has to say. Louise would be completely free from his authority. During that time men were of higher power and faced less restrictions. “She has abandoned her Tuesdays at home, has thrown over all acquaintances, and goes tramping about herself , mopping in the street cars, getting in after dark.”(Chopin 77). Leonce Pontellier expects Enda to be on this schedule and fulfill certain duties as his wife not knowing that the victorian lifestyle is not something she desires. While Leonce is able to do as he pleases like going to the Klein’s Club. Enda living according to his expectations does not allow her to be herself. This lifestyle also lacks individuality since it’s expected of women in …show more content…

The melancholy tone Chopin uses throughout the story implies that despite Enda and Louise seeking freedom from societal restrictions their quest for freedom will eventually end in a tragedy. Chopin expresses how Louise and Edna’s journey to freedom led them both to their death . “When the doctor came, they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.” (The Story of An Hour). Due to Louise already having a heart problem prior to her excitement of being free this whole situation became overwhelming for her since she felt so many emotions at once. This was bitter irony since everyone thought Louise died from being excited to see her husband when she really died from not wanting to see him. “She thought of Leonce and the children.They were part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul.”(Chopin 137). Even though Enda moves out she still finds her herself thinking about Leonce and her kids. Despite the fact Enda overcame a lot of personal obstacles she sees dying as the only real way out her position in

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It is no question that the ending of Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening is quite vague. What does Edna’s suicide represent? Is it a sign of triumph or an act of resignation? Regardless, there is a message that lives on even if Edna did not.

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Daily life in the Victorian era held people to many expectations on how they were supposed to live, whom to talk to, and for women, how to take care of the family. This caused some women, who were free-spirited, to rebel against the expectations and etiquette of the time. In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening Edna’s actions break society’s expectation of social norms for women in the Victorian era. In the Victorian era a wife is expected to live happily in the same house as her husband, but Edna decides that she wants to move out and into her own little house.

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The universal fact of feminism is “the struggle to end sexist oppression” (hooks) in all forms. The time period in which Kate Chopin wrote “Story of an Hour”was during the same time the Women’s Rights Movement (1840 - 1920) was happening. During this time, women were paving a way towards a more independent future, so that they may make their own choices and be treated as equals. Chopin uses symbolism to showcase how an open window can express freedom and self-discovery within a woman.

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Sources of Edna’s suicide It is unarguable that during the 19th century women were restricted from freedom and having a mind of their own. Women were always expected to live according to society’s rules. An author, who some may consider a feminist, named Kate Chopin wrote a novel titled The awakening that capture the struggle of women and expectations put on them by society. The novel features a married woman named Edna who is in search of selfhood, independence, empowerment, and freedom but would soon realize that self-happiness would not come easy when you depend on others and your expectations of life.

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She carried away with her the sound of their voices and the touch of their cheeks. All along the journey homeward their presence lingered with her like the memory of a delicious song. But by the time she regained the city the song no longer echoed in her soul. She was again alone”(Chopin 95). When Enda leaves her children behind she feels that she is not

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(42 - 43) Edna declares that she is not a possession of her husband, which in reality contradicted to the law in Louisiana in the nineteenth century. She asserts that she is alone and has the right as well as power to make decisions about her life, but Robert does not understand this concept, as he makes the decision to eventually follow societal

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This time is known as the Victorian era. This period was all about keeping up appearances, and obeying men. To the men of this time, women were nothing but something to own and breed with. Women must be pure, domesticated, and submissive. And if a woman wants more than that life she is considered an outcast.

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In “The Story of an Hour”, Louise receives the news of her husband’s death. She wept as soon as she heard of her husband’s death and after weeping in her sister’s arms she left to her room alone. While in her room, she gained an understanding of what her husband’s death meant, she could now live a worthy life without her constraining husband. This was all to great to be true, she was asked to come downstairs by her sister. As she descended, her husband walked through the door, and she died “of heart disease- - of the joy that kills”

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Kate Chopin gives insight to the manner in which on woman grieves. This is a story of grief, joy, and death in the house of Louise and Brently Mallard. Their marriage is less than ideal, Brently pushs his will on Louise, and she bends, in response. Louise

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Kate Chopin, a feminist author from the late 19th century, wrote “The Story of an Hour,” a short story detailing Louise Mallard’s depression and subsequent freedom after she hears, incorrectly, that her husband is dead. She goes on to abandon her love for him, and dies of a heart attack just as he returns home unaware (Chopin). As the story unfolds, Louise begins to display the main theme of the work: one must give up some resources in order to gain freedom. She slowly makes bigger and higher stakes decisions, all for freedom from her husband despite her love for him.

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Since the beginning of the 19th century women were expected to fully obey their husbands, and conceal emotions in order to fit into the mold of a woman. However, in Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin addresses that being a woman is “Veiled hints that revealed in half concealing” which means that the reality of being a woman is partially concealing, disguising and obscuring emotions. Kate Chopin uses the phrases “Freedom”, “Heart” and “Independence” to describe the story of Mrs. Mallard a woman with heart disease discovering that her husband has died, and facing the reality that the freedom she desires is her own. Professor Kathryn Hughes at the University of Anglia states that “The ideology of separate spheres rested on a definition of the ‘natural’

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“The Story of an Hour”: Kate Chopin In “the story of an hour” by Kate Chopin shows a different point of view about marriage. Louise depends on her husband for financial support, and he also expected a great deal for return. In the case of Mrs. Mallard money was not the issue. Since Louise was ill, she was told what to do, and never had the opportunity to make choices for herself. In the late nineteenth century was marked by feminism.

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Indeed, the supposed death of Louise’s husband engenders an ephemeral and unconfessed feeling of freedom; also, hints from the author related to this feeling are found in the text, either symbols or motifs; finally, Chopin highlights this sentiment through different writing style. The supposed death of Louise’s husband engenders an ephemeral and unconfessed feeling of freedom. Firstly, beyond Louise’s sadness lies a strong hope of revival. This hope will last during one hour, until she learns her husband is alive.

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In the end, however, at the sight of her obviously alive husband entering the house few later the shocked Louise dies. The order of events in the short story is described chronologically and certain characteristics of a drama can be identified in Chopin’s short story. Both appearances are used by Chopin in order to guide the reader through the story on the one hand and build up a certain tension within the reader himself. In the following, the three parts are analyzed on behalf of the influence Chopin has on the reader with her general use of language and

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Chopin shows how Louise felt about her marriage to Mr. Mallard, that sometimes in their relationship the was great and Louise love Mr. Mallard and other times things were hard and it made their relationship difficult and challenging. Mrs. Mallard goes to her room after hearing the news of her husband’s demise, only to find herself and who she really is. Mrs. Mallard had trouble understanding what her husband’s death would be to

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