friction essay

Parthiv Patel1

Parthiv Patel

David Norman

Engl 1102

January 30th 2019

The Story of an Hour and Feminism

The author, Kate Chopin believes women lack the freedom and selfhood due to resistance from the patriarchal society. She shows the destructive authority of men and the fear establishes a sense of worthlessness applied to females of that century. From the start of the story, Mrs. Mallard wishes to face self-admiration and liberty but the forces of patriarchal pull her down. She is not in the capacity to succeed since she is a woman and will be suppressed (Chopin, p.530). Even though she is scared for freedom, selfhood, and independence in a male democracy, she anticipates being free. Based on Mrs. Mallard attitude on marriage, it is clear that she equates it to losing freedom. In the story, she thinks “I need not hate any man, he cannot hurt me, I need not flatter any man, and he has nothing to give me. So imperceptibly I found myself adopting a new attitude towards the other half of the human race (Woolf, p.43-44).”

Looking at the marriage that is based on the 20th century, it is founded on patriarchy. The power of the patriarch succumbs her in a way that is not easy to state what will suit a woman and that the woman will be provided the chance to consider what makes her happy. It is clear that Brently controls Mrs. Mallard`s life and identity Her room`s settings showed a sign of new life filled with energy. She could see with an open square her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air (Chopin,p.530). Mrs. Mallard was not in a position to create a conducive world for herself until her husband’s death. When she hears of her husband’s death, she prefers to free herself from the responsibility of her life. She feels to depend on her own efforts and it is more crucial for her own role compared to be a mother or a wife.

The story by Chopin shows a suppressive relationship between Mrs. Mallard and Brent where the woman’s personal aspirations are shuttered. Mrs. Mallard is at the center of the action in the story showing the role of liberty to be crucial. Women need to be permitted to have the chance to enhance their thoughts, feelings, senses, and emotions to liberate themselves from marriage and society. Mrs. Mallard short-lived freedom is not enough to support her dream through the perception of a new woman since a woman cannot think of freedom and other personal possession for herself as long as she is committed to the sanctity of marriage. The freedom acquired after Brent`s death is limited to isolation. She discovers that self-liberation and control, with the two she comes to the realization that there is no place for her in a patriarchal society. The increased liberty leads to a loss of relation to the patriarchal society around hence Kate shows that the sharp definition of a woman makes a serious claim for freedom of selfhood where she tries to break the definitions of patriarchy in her own mind.

Bibliography

Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” The Heath Anthology of American Literature.

Ed. Paul Lauter et al. 3 ed. Vol.2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print

Woolf, Virginia. “A Room of One1s Own.” Grafton. London.P.

Grafton. London. P. 34-68, 124, 1977. Print