Kate Chopin is an American author famous for her short stories and novels. Chopin was a woman ahead of her time. She sparked controversy with the way she portrayed women and marriage in several of her works, such as “The Awakening”, “The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour”. She was an independent thinker who fought, with words, for individuality among women. Many say that she laid the foundation for feminism. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. “There was a revival of interest in Chopin in the late 20th century because her concerns about the freedom of women foreshadowed later feminist literary themes” (“Kate Chopin”). “The Story of an Hour”, with
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Kate Chopin is from the Victorian Era. Men dominated society in the Victorian Era. The most important thing a woman could do was get married. Even then, getting married was not really a choice, it was as if it were a necessity for survival. “Barred by law and custom from entering trades and professions by which they could support themselves, and restricted in the possession of property, woman had only one means of livelihood, that of marriage” (Kent 86). Once a woman got married, it was as if her rights, property, and even identity failed to exist. She became whatever her husband wanted her to be. Maybe that is why Kate Chopin stepped outside the boundaries of what most authors were writing during that time; to make a statement for women …show more content…
I believe her use of symbolism, diction, and theme is more than enough textual evidence to support the claim that she was feminist before feminism had even come about. She used the symbol of an open window to represent Mrs. Mallard’s new life. She used the word free repetitively in one line to show the unhappiness that may have been present in the marriage. The whole underlying theme of the story was feministic. The woman was tired of being tied down by the rules society had for marriage, and so in my opinion, no, it was not so wrong that she feel free and a bit relieved when she realizes her husband had died. Similar to “The Story of an Hour”, “The Awakening” and “The Storm” crossed the boundaries society had set. Chopin revolutionized the way women were portrayed in writing with her exceptional use of a variety of symbols, metaphors, and feministic
Kate Chopin is from the Victorian Era. Men dominated society in the Victorian Era. The most important thing a woman could do was get married. Even then, getting married was not really a choice, it was as if it were a necessity for survival. “Barred by law and custom from entering trades and professions by which they could support themselves, and restricted in the possession of property, woman had only one means of livelihood, that of marriage” (Kent 86). Once a woman got married, it was as if her rights, property, and even identity failed to exist. She became whatever her husband wanted her to be. Maybe that is why Kate Chopin stepped outside the boundaries of what most authors were writing during that time; to make a statement for women …show more content…
I believe her use of symbolism, diction, and theme is more than enough textual evidence to support the claim that she was feminist before feminism had even come about. She used the symbol of an open window to represent Mrs. Mallard’s new life. She used the word free repetitively in one line to show the unhappiness that may have been present in the marriage. The whole underlying theme of the story was feministic. The woman was tired of being tied down by the rules society had for marriage, and so in my opinion, no, it was not so wrong that she feel free and a bit relieved when she realizes her husband had died. Similar to “The Story of an Hour”, “The Awakening” and “The Storm” crossed the boundaries society had set. Chopin revolutionized the way women were portrayed in writing with her exceptional use of a variety of symbols, metaphors, and feministic