Feminist Criticism In 'The Story Of An Hour' By Lois Diopon

Feminist criticism is a method of analyzing literature to exhibit how women are oppressed in society. “Feminist Criticism” written by Lois Tyson, explains the terminology and ideas associated with a feminist lens. One of the common terms is the patriarchy, which is “any culture that privileges men by promoting traditional gender roles” (Tyson 1). A patriarchy is a male-dominated society, which automatically sets women below men. Also, traditional gender roles “cast men as rational, strong, protective, and decisive; they cast women as emotional (irrational), weak, nurturing, and submissive” (1). People are taught through media and society these gender roles are the norm. It is seen as something that should be kept that way, and individuals can

Only certain types of women are seen to be acceptable choices for marriage. Though some can also end up very unhappy with their situations and have little to no say. These ideals can be seen in many pieces of literature, including “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, a short story where a woman receives that news that her husband has died. Another example is “The Yellow Wallpaper”, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, focuses on a woman is staying in a new room with a yellow wallpaper that slowly drives her insane. She sees figures in the wallpaper that become women who are attempting to escape from the paper. In the short stories “The Story of An Hour”, by Kate Chopin, and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, both authors utilize characterization to portray the idea of women feeling trapped in their marriages and their husbands, while the article “Feminist Criticism” by Lois Tyson, goes into more depth of women’s role and oppression in

Mrs. Mallard hears the news of her husband’s death, which turns into a moment of great happiness for her since she is finally freed from marriage. Though, she ends up not getting the freedom and the life she had once hoped for her husband turns out to actually be alive, and Mrs. Mallard dies instead. In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, she is also feeling held down by her husband as he doesn’t take her seriously or listen to her. Though she believes she has escaped from the wallpaper, but turns to insanity in the process. Both desperately want an actual life of freedom and liberties, yet neither quite get what they want. In today’s society, people aren’t forced into marriage as often, however some relationships don’t always turn out as planned. There are many divorced couples and many people choose to never even get married. While some gender roles are still prominent today, they are not as much as before and it is easier for women to find that separation from their husbands, when before it was something very few