Dongyi He
Professor Ashraf
English 130
22 October 2016
During the 18th century, it is common for young women to get marry and settle in to serve their husband as well as taking care of their children. However some women would much rather want to achieve their own goals or to have a successful career, but the society sees them that they are acting selfish, even though they have a passion for doing other activities outside of the home. Kate Chopin’s work “The story of an hour,” told a story about married women feeling free after the news of her husband’s death. However, Lawrence I. Berkove’s Fatal Self- Assertion in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” show another point of view of Kate Chopin’s story on Mrs. Mallard’s characteristic and how she is doing it for her selfish ways. Lastly is Marylynn Salmon’s work that gives insight into the rights women have during that era, along with their rights to properties. Through “The Story of an Hour”’s setting, symbolism, and theme displays women’s injustice in the late 18th century.
Living in a society where others often view women as a housewife or an object. Mrs. Mallard wanted to be independent in a time where women were looked down upon, even discriminated. As Marylynn stated that when women are married, they end up being dependent on their husband. “When women married, as the vast majority did, they still had legal rights, but no longer had autonomy. Instead, they found themselves in positions of almost total dependency on their husbands.” (Salmon) Women were already looked down upon but also to have to be in total dependency on their husband, may have taken a toll on Mrs. Mallard. Having to be told what to do constantly and others factors that may have detrimental Mrs. Mallard’s characteristic. By being a widow, she is free from having to depend on everything on her husband and finally have independent that she has long for. “She was striving to beat it back with her will-as powerless as her two slender hands would have been” (Chopin 2). Mrs. Mallard had known of the way society view women but was still willing to fight for her independence. Even when she is mention to be weak and skinny. Or when the norms of that era are where women are told to be subservient to the male, Mrs. Mallard wants to gain her independence, to live a free life. Lawerence states “Given her dissatisfaction with the best that life has to offer her and her unrealistic expectations of absolute freedom” (Berkove 158). It is unrealistic to expect full freedom during the 18th-century women are still oppressed, but it is cleared that Mrs. Mallard does know the situation she is placed in as she is striving to beat it back, always trying to take a stance even though she is not in the best state of health.
Symbolism in Kate Chopin’s work gives deeper meaning to the feminist view. By stating “There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window” (Chopin 2). It indicates a new life for her as she is no longer consider as married women but a widow. The clouds to be seen as an obstacle that may come in the way of her new life, such as those that may discriminate against women as a society may not take her serious and other issue women had to go through in the 18th century. Finally feeling some sense of freedom, she starts to feel alive. “Her pulses beat fast, and the, coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body” (Chopin 2) Gives off a sense that she may finally be herself, considering how in many dependencies is place onto her husband and autonomy. It may have relaxed her body in ways where she no longer has to please those around her. Stated as how it warmed her body, giving her a sense of life or motivation and even a new excitement for things to come. To finally have the choice of doing what she wanted to do and to “live for herself” (Chopin 2).
Some critics would not believe the story is written to be a stance on feminist but rather about a selfish decision. Lawrence states “she does about him she would be better off not being married. Her love for herself—“She would live only for herself” (Berkove 154). It is inevitable that Mrs.Mallard is to be seen as someone who is selfish because of her statement on how she would live only for herself but yet have gotten married which for most is seen as both partners having to sacrifice for both to have some happiness. But having to be in a society where the norm is to be married at a young age and to bare a child may have to influence Mrs. Mallard in ways she should be to fit into her society. It is also ingrained in our minds on how a person lives should and should not be. Thus even though she may not have a fully clear mind of what she wanted and how she should, but were to marry for the sake of fitting into her society. “Louise is not thinking clearly. Insofar as her anticipation reflects growing mental confusion and raises unrealistic hopes” (Berkove 157). It is understandable on how others would see how Louise may not be the sanest or her ideas of freedom. However, as stated before given the role she plays and the way she may have been raise in her society. It is not unusual to have unrealistic hopes as the news of her husband’s death, and the thoughts of freedom may have twisted in the way of thinking as for how it is stated Mrs.Mallard was filled with sudden excitement in her new life as a widow. Therefore, Chopin’s work can be view in different ways on her work being the story of feminism or just someone who selfish needs and have an impossible dreams.
Overall, through the setting and symbolism in Kate Chopin’s work “The story of an hour” gives a sense of women’s right during the 18th century. With Marylynn’s article giving more insight into the life, women have to go through in that period. Along with Lawrence’s article on the other point of view of “The story of an hour,” giving an example how one might question the logistics of whether it is to speak about feminist ideas. Through the setting, it provides a rational understanding of why Mrs.Mallard is the way she is. Being in a society where marrying at a young age is considered the norm would pressure most to get engaged quickly. Along with symbolism in how Mrs.Mallard was finally feeling warmed and alive to be herself, no longer being an empty shell but one that is excited about what is to come.
Annotated Bibliography
Chopin, Kate, and Kate Chopin. The story of an hour. Perfection Learning, 2001.
Kate Chopin was well known for short stories and novels; her work often deals with the feminist issue. One of her work is “The story of an hour” focus on married women who gain a new found will be free after finding out the death of her husband. This work is intended for an intellectual audience. As her work is meant to be questioned and to have a rational discussion on the meaning of the stories. Through the story of it’s setting, symbolism discuss the feminist view on the discrimination and stereotyping on women.
Berkove, Lawrence I. “Fatal Self- Assertion in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”.” American Literary Realism, vol. 32, no. 2, 2000, pp. 152–158., www.jstor.org/stable/27746974.
Lawrence I. Berkove was the author of Heretical Fictions and was the editor of The
Fighting Horse of the Stanislaus. He was also a professor emeritus of English at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. His work Fatal Self- Assertion in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” analysis Kate Chopin’s work on Mrs. Mallard’s characteristic on how she is not a feminist but is instead acting on her selfish way. As it contracted most critic’s belief about The Story of an Hour. Lawrence’s article is aimed toward readers that have already read Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour and that want to see the other views of her stories that do not understand Kate’s story as a feminist story.
Salmon, Marylynn. “The Legal Status of Women, 1776–1830.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 7 Nov. 2012, www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/womens-history/essays/legal-status-women-1776%E2%80%931830.
Marylynn Salmon is a research associate in the history department at Smith college and us the author of women and the law of property in Early American and co-author of Inheritance in America. Her work The Legal Status of Women, 1776-1830 help give more insight into married women on their legal rights and rights to property, also includes information for single and widows. Marylynn’s article is aimed at readers that do not have prior knowledge of women’s right. Compare to Lawrence’s work it gives more detail on what women had to go through in the 18th century. This help provides my research paper more comprehension on 18th-century women’s right.