Role of Women in Society (the Story of an Hour and a Rose for Emily)
The Role of Women in Society
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” written in 1894 and William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” written in 1930 are two stories that show major roles of women in society. Although the two stories have a different perspective of the women due to their era, they both give a great explanation of how the women were and how they were treated by other people during their time. The women in both of the stories explain how they perceive each of their own roles and how they cope with their own situations, which are much different and alike from our society today.
For many years women have tried finding their place in society, which is hard when males are usually perceived as the leaders or ones who control their wives. In “The Story of an Hour” Chopin explains the freedom of a once married woman, and how much she enjoys her freedom from being married, this story is based on the role of women in marriage and relationships. In the scene where Mrs. Mallard believes that her husband is dead after receiving the shocking news “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same” (Chopin 106), this sentence explains that Mrs. Mallard takes it in differently than most other women do when they find out that their husband has died. For a while, Mrs. Mallard is sad but only when she was alone “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her” (Chopin 106).
When Mrs. Mallard had abandoned herself she caught herself whispering over and over again the words “Free, free, free” (Chopin 107). This sentence showed that Mrs. Mallard was finally free “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring of life” (Chopin 107). The words “New spring of life” show that Mrs. Mallard had a new spring in life which symbolized freedom. “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself” (Chopin 107), this
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” written in 1894 and William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” written in 1930 are two stories that show major roles of women in society. Although the two stories have a different perspective of the women due to their era, they both give a great explanation of how the women were and how they were treated by other people during their time. The women in both of the stories explain how they perceive each of their own roles and how they cope with their own situations, which are much different and alike from our society today.
For many years women have tried finding their place in society, which is hard when males are usually perceived as the leaders or ones who control their wives. In “The Story of an Hour” Chopin explains the freedom of a once married woman, and how much she enjoys her freedom from being married, this story is based on the role of women in marriage and relationships. In the scene where Mrs. Mallard believes that her husband is dead after receiving the shocking news “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same” (Chopin 106), this sentence explains that Mrs. Mallard takes it in differently than most other women do when they find out that their husband has died. For a while, Mrs. Mallard is sad but only when she was alone “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her” (Chopin 106).
When Mrs. Mallard had abandoned herself she caught herself whispering over and over again the words “Free, free, free” (Chopin 107). This sentence showed that Mrs. Mallard was finally free “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring of life” (Chopin 107). The words “New spring of life” show that Mrs. Mallard had a new spring in life which symbolized freedom. “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself” (Chopin 107), this
Cited: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. 7th ed. Kirszner Faulkner, William. The Story of an Hour. 7th ed. Kirszner and Mandell, 2010. 115-122. Print.