What does marriage mean to you? In “The story of an hour,” written by Kate Chopin and “The yellow wallpaper,” written by Charlotte Gilman shares some of the same thoughts on what a marriage should be. Both of these stories have some similarities and differences. The stories are similar in that each contains a controlling husband and the wives are facing a form of illness, as well as feelings of low self-worth. Both of the women feel imprisoned in their world but the difference is how they gain their freedom. A similar theme in both of these stories is the leading role of the husband in these marriages. The wife in both instances is largely a secondary actor whose arc and circumstance is decided by that of her husband. The husband plays the part of bread winner and decision maker. Whether through omission or an assumed role of that time period, it is implied that the wife in the story of an hour doesn’t work. Gilman addresses the issue of the wife’s lack of employment directly. “So I take phosphates or phosphites-whichever it is- and tonics, and air and exercise, and journeys, and am absolutely forbidden to “work” until I am well again” (221). Being the provider and decision maker lends itself to the husbands’ feelings of control. However the husband seems not to see himself as controlling or stifling, but as benign and caring. “He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction. I have a schedule prescription for each hour in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more” (222). Both wives seem outwardly accepting of their husbands controlling and dominant behavior. However, inwardly both chafe at the yoke they find themselves living under. They ... ... middle of paper ... ...de that once called to her and seemed so vibrant and alive now seems less comforting than the dingy yellowness of her cell. “For outside you have to creep on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow.” (228) Although these stories have some of the same similarities in that each contains a woman who feels imprisoned. The forms of their prison however are different. One is actually enclosed in both a room and in some aspects her own mind. The others prison is more one of life circumstances and her lack of power in the shaping or deciding these. Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Paper." Nicholas Delbanco, Alan Cheuse. Literature Craft & Voice : Fiction. New York: McGraw hill, 1892. 221-228. Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Nicholas Delbanco, Alan Cheuse. Literature Craft & Voice: Fiction. New York: McGraw Hill, 1892. 13-14.
The setting of these two stories emphasize, on visually showing us how the main characters are based around trying to find freedom despite the physical, mental and emotional effects of living in confinement. While on the other hand, dealing with Psychology’s ugly present day behavior showing dystopia of societies views of women during the time period they lived.
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Introduction to Literature: Reading, Analyzing, and Writing.2nd ed.
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of the Hour” and Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is viewed from a woman’s perspective of the nineteenth century. They showed the issues on how they were confined to the house. That they were to be stay at home wives and let the husband earn the household income. These stories are both written by American women and how their marriage was brought about. Their husbands were very controlling and treated them more like children instead of their wives. In the nineteenth century their behavior was considered normal at the time. In “The Story of the Hour” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” both women explore their issues on wanting to be free of the control of their husband.
In the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the role of a woman in society is one of domestic duties. Jeenie, the protagonist’s sister-in-law, is a great example of this. The protagonist is forbidden, by her husband, to “work” until she is well again, so Jeenie steps in and assumes her domestic identity of a woman and wife. The protagonist calls her “a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper” and says she “hopes for no better profession” (Gilman 343). Jeenie clearly has no aspirations outside the confines of her domestic role. The protagonist herself worries she is letting her husband, John, down by not fulfilling her domestic duties. She says “it does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way” (Gilman 342). Besides the domestic role, which she is unable to fulfill, the protagonist plays the helpless, fragile, role of a woman where she is deemed incapable of thinking for herself and is reduced to acting more or les...
The characters in the short stories; “Story of an Hour,” “Sweat,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” felt an overwhelming sense of oppression which lead them to a feeling of desperation to gain their own individual freedom. They took extreme measures to gain more independence by sacrificing their dignity, mental stability and their lives. The concept of being "free" in the sense of not being bound by a one’s husband is a repeated theme in these stories. The female characters loved and adored their husbands but were torn between satisfying their own individual aspirations and their husband's expectations.The women portrayed in these short stories are all torn between striving to appease the societal expectations of being a traditional wife and
In the short stories “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Story of an Hour” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Kate Chopin, the authors illustrate the burden women have to carry during the Victorian time. During this period, men believe that their wives should not have the power to make their own decisions. Instead, men often treat their spouse as a child; therefore, they unintentionally take over their wives’ lives. The two authors have a similar feminist idea that women should control their own lives even while keeping family roles.
The short story, “The Story of an Hour”, by Kate Chopin is about a woman who feels oppressed by her own marriage, which at the time, most women could relate to as they didn’t have much freedom around her time period. Chopin’s diction and imagery is seen throughout the story and shows us a little of what marriage for women was like at the time.
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Perrine's Literature: Structure Sound & Sense. 11th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2010. 541. Print.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Booth, Alison and Kelly J. Mays, eds. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. New York: Norton, 2010. 354-65. Print.
Marriage can be seen as a subtle form of oppression, like many things which are dictated by social expectations. In Kate Chopin’s The Story of An Hour, Louise Mallard finds herself in distress due to the event of her husband’s death that makes her question who she is as a person. The author cleverly uses this event to create the right atmosphere for Mrs. Mallard to fight against her own mind. As the short story progresses, we see that Mrs. Mallard moves forward with her new life and finds peace in her decision to live for herself. This shows that marriage too is another chain that holds oneself back. Not wanting to admit this to herself, Louise
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." The Norton Introduction To Literature. Eds. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 7th Ed. New York, Norton, 1998. 2: 630-642.
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Heritage of American Literature. Ed. James E. Miller. Vol. 2. Austin: Harcourt Brace Jovanich, 1991. 487. Print.
Marriage sometimes refers to the happiest time for each couple. However, marriage can lead women to having depression. In the story “The yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, published in 1892, the author is giving out a point of view that women often get depression from their spouses. Gilman is a famous feminist, who believes that women should receive the same privileges as men. In the story, the woman was being controlled by her husband John. John was a doctor and he was educated enough to tell his wife what she needed to do for her sickness; however, she could not argue with her husband because she was not smart enough to reject his decision. Since the sickness has made this woman become a weak person, she also couldn’t fight against her husband in physical ways. The time period of this story was nearly 1800, so the woman in the story must have the idea of male domination. This traditional idea has made this woman afraid to stand up for herself. At the end of the story, the depression has made this woman become mentally insane and respect is one major theme of this story.
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 4th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: St. Martins, 1997. 12-15.
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Eds. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson, 2010. 261-263. Print.