Kate Chopin is a woman who has been called one of America’s most influential and “essential” (Kate Chopin: Her Novels and Stories) authors. With her works spanning a few decades, covering several matters of social issues, it is no wonder that she has been dubbed such. Her influence has reached far and wide, with criticisms and aesthetic readings being written about her works in multiple countries and languages (Frequently Asked Questions). One of her most notable and popular works, “Desiree’s Baby”, a short story written in the fall of 1892 and published in the early months of 1893, is one such example which exhibits the amazing writing talents of Chopin. Within the work, a woman named Desiree, after being found and adopted, has grown up with
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There are countless examples of such sexism and misogyny throughout American, English, and numerous other literary forms. From authors like Ernest Hemingway and his novel, A Farewell to Arms, Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain, to Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, sexism within literature was something that had been explored before. Chopin’s depiction of sexism and chauvinism within her short story is not too different. It is not anything about Desiree other than her physical appearance that entices Armand enough to propose a marriage in spite of her lack of status (Chopin). Desiree is seen as an object, something to show off and be envied for owning her, rather than as the human being she is. Even Desiree’s own adopted mother sees her as an object that could brighten up a home, noting that the estate she has since moved to after her marriage could use the “the gentle presence of a mistress” (Chopin), implying that Desiree’s sole skills might include that of being a homebody, as would be expected of a woman during the time period. The inclusion of sexism within the short story is not happenstance. Chopin’s “writing was greatly influenced by her family’s circumstances and the strong women who raised her. She was also influenced by the radical and critical changes that were happening for women in the society around her. Not only were women fighting for the right to vote during first wave feminism, but also for the same freedom granted to males throughout the nineteenth century” (Vandermoss). This provides another example of how the work has maintained its importance and pertinence throughout the years. While the fight for women’s rights was gaining traction during the 1800s, it was still quite a new idea and the oppression of women was still heavily enforced. The dominant misogynist mindset that governed society has lost some of its influence over time but has
There are countless examples of such sexism and misogyny throughout American, English, and numerous other literary forms. From authors like Ernest Hemingway and his novel, A Farewell to Arms, Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain, to Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, sexism within literature was something that had been explored before. Chopin’s depiction of sexism and chauvinism within her short story is not too different. It is not anything about Desiree other than her physical appearance that entices Armand enough to propose a marriage in spite of her lack of status (Chopin). Desiree is seen as an object, something to show off and be envied for owning her, rather than as the human being she is. Even Desiree’s own adopted mother sees her as an object that could brighten up a home, noting that the estate she has since moved to after her marriage could use the “the gentle presence of a mistress” (Chopin), implying that Desiree’s sole skills might include that of being a homebody, as would be expected of a woman during the time period. The inclusion of sexism within the short story is not happenstance. Chopin’s “writing was greatly influenced by her family’s circumstances and the strong women who raised her. She was also influenced by the radical and critical changes that were happening for women in the society around her. Not only were women fighting for the right to vote during first wave feminism, but also for the same freedom granted to males throughout the nineteenth century” (Vandermoss). This provides another example of how the work has maintained its importance and pertinence throughout the years. While the fight for women’s rights was gaining traction during the 1800s, it was still quite a new idea and the oppression of women was still heavily enforced. The dominant misogynist mindset that governed society has lost some of its influence over time but has