The culture of a society often can define the habits of its citizens, especially relating to the subjugation of women. Traditional perspectives of the proper roles of women have pervaded cultures for millennia, yet several influential figures have challenged these gender norms, namely Kate Chopin, author of controversial novel, The Awakening, and several short stories.
Literature often played an influential role in defining the culture around women. In Roman mythology, the portrayal of Medusa, a woman cursed by the goddess Minerva, has shifted dramatically over time. In the original narrative, the god Neptune sees the beauty of Medusa and, wanting it for himself, rapes her in Minerva’s temple. Furious that her temple had been defiled, Minerva blames Medusa for her rape and curses her to live as a terrifying snake-headed monster whose gaze turns men to stone. In an article for The Atlantic, English professor Elizabeth Johnston reflects on Medusa’s punishment, concluding that “In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control, and Medusa herself has long been the go-to figure for those seeking to demonize female …show more content…
For example, in her short story “A Pair of Silk Stockings,” Chopin depicts a woman named Mrs. Sommers who finds herself with a sum of money and decides to invest the money into her own indulgences. Through this narrative, Chopin emphasizes her belief in the rightful economic independence of women. Even her representation of a female protagonist was seen as rebellious at the time, but by displaying a woman who handled her own finances and with great care no less, Chopin challenges the concept that women ought to submit themselves to men and instead shows that women possess both the capacity and the right to economic
Literature often played an influential role in defining the culture around women. In Roman mythology, the portrayal of Medusa, a woman cursed by the goddess Minerva, has shifted dramatically over time. In the original narrative, the god Neptune sees the beauty of Medusa and, wanting it for himself, rapes her in Minerva’s temple. Furious that her temple had been defiled, Minerva blames Medusa for her rape and curses her to live as a terrifying snake-headed monster whose gaze turns men to stone. In an article for The Atlantic, English professor Elizabeth Johnston reflects on Medusa’s punishment, concluding that “In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control, and Medusa herself has long been the go-to figure for those seeking to demonize female …show more content…
For example, in her short story “A Pair of Silk Stockings,” Chopin depicts a woman named Mrs. Sommers who finds herself with a sum of money and decides to invest the money into her own indulgences. Through this narrative, Chopin emphasizes her belief in the rightful economic independence of women. Even her representation of a female protagonist was seen as rebellious at the time, but by displaying a woman who handled her own finances and with great care no less, Chopin challenges the concept that women ought to submit themselves to men and instead shows that women possess both the capacity and the right to economic