Kate Chopin's Different Take on Feminism
Bryant Hernandez
Professor Cave
English 1B
22 May 2013
In society today, the basic principle of feminism would be characterized by the advocacy of women’s rights in accordance with social, political, and economic equality to men. Although feminism may have only one denotative meaning, it is often characterized in writing from different angles with different connotative meanings — e.g. feminism during the time where women could not vote, as well as the baby boom, would be depicted differently from today’s society with it’s newfound negative connotations of women being superior to men. Kate Chopin, a renowned author known for her human sexuality and feministic perspective expresses feminine freedom in two of her short stories, "The Storm" and "Story of an Hour". Through these two short stories, Chopin describes the lives of two women who discover their freedom in times where society does not accept women as equal to men. Whereas "The Storm" illustrates sexual passion as an escape from marriage, "The Story of an Hour" portrays freedom through death from an oppressed marriage. Ultimately, both stories express the attitudes of two women’s rebirth and liberation. In "The Storm", Chopin symbolically conveys feminism through passion. Throughout the story, feminine sexuality is affirmed through Calixta and Alcee's relationship. Despite Calixta's marriage to Bobinot, she proceeds with her unacceptable behavior in society with Alcee and commits adultery. Her newfound passion determines the importance of passion in the 1890’s where many women felt they were bound. With the many restrictions that were placed on women during this period, as they were practically slaves to their husbands — figuratively speaking — finding a passion where they could vent into freedom was essential to many women’s lives. Many aspects in the story foreshadow Calixta and Alcee's sexual encounter. The storm itself described their progressing passion with the encounter of a lightening bolt and
Professor Cave
English 1B
22 May 2013
In society today, the basic principle of feminism would be characterized by the advocacy of women’s rights in accordance with social, political, and economic equality to men. Although feminism may have only one denotative meaning, it is often characterized in writing from different angles with different connotative meanings — e.g. feminism during the time where women could not vote, as well as the baby boom, would be depicted differently from today’s society with it’s newfound negative connotations of women being superior to men. Kate Chopin, a renowned author known for her human sexuality and feministic perspective expresses feminine freedom in two of her short stories, "The Storm" and "Story of an Hour". Through these two short stories, Chopin describes the lives of two women who discover their freedom in times where society does not accept women as equal to men. Whereas "The Storm" illustrates sexual passion as an escape from marriage, "The Story of an Hour" portrays freedom through death from an oppressed marriage. Ultimately, both stories express the attitudes of two women’s rebirth and liberation. In "The Storm", Chopin symbolically conveys feminism through passion. Throughout the story, feminine sexuality is affirmed through Calixta and Alcee's relationship. Despite Calixta's marriage to Bobinot, she proceeds with her unacceptable behavior in society with Alcee and commits adultery. Her newfound passion determines the importance of passion in the 1890’s where many women felt they were bound. With the many restrictions that were placed on women during this period, as they were practically slaves to their husbands — figuratively speaking — finding a passion where they could vent into freedom was essential to many women’s lives. Many aspects in the story foreshadow Calixta and Alcee's sexual encounter. The storm itself described their progressing passion with the encounter of a lightening bolt and