Women In The Chrysanthemum And The Cask Of Amontillado

Throughout “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, the character Montresor is on a quest to getting revenge on a man called Fortunato, who he claims has done wrong to him. Here we see a characteristic of human beings, to take an eye for an eye thinking that it resolves the problem at hand. Montresor never tells Fortunato of his fate and Fortunato never suspects it because he’s impaired, as it was a time of the year many became drunken. Furthermore, in “The Chrysanthemum” the issue of women oppression is seen in every element that’s present in the story. We see a woman who does not have a chance of being the things she wishes to be. In both stories, the authors incorporate the use of symbols, and dialogues to create thematic connotations

As Elisa is interacting with the sales man and talking about the chrysanthemums, she has a moment where there is a sensual behavior that comes out of her. As she is on her knees, “her hand went out toward his legs in the greasy black trousers. Her hesitant fingers almost touched the cloth. Then her hand dropped to the ground” ( ). Her action here shows that she has desires and what can be inferred by this is that they are not properly met by her husband. The tinker has emotionally gotten her attention due to the fact he admires her chrysanthemum. It is taught that “… emotional sharing is… also considered to be a more common strategy for women than men to facilitate intimacy” (Erden- Imomoglu). What this means is that if a women feels more emotionally connected with a guy, she most likely will have a sexual attraction to him. Additionally, Elisa makes it known that she would like to live a life that was free. Speaking to the tinker she mentions that she wants women to be able to live as he does: she says “It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things” ( ). His reply of saying “it ain’t the right kind of life for a woman” ( ) almost makes her speechless as she realizes he is sexist. Many times women are restricted from activities because to society it is not a suitable thing for them and so they cannot make their own lifestyle

The fog is a minor symbol in the opening setting and is described as a lid for “on every side it… made of the great valley a closed pot” ( ). Women have a limit placed on them in their roles. They cannot do the things men are taught to do. Though Elisa’s husband saw that she is strong and has a gift with gardening, he still doesn’t allow her to work with him. The idea of strict gender roles are portrayed, where the man does manly work while the woman stays and be a delicate housewife (Erden-Imamoglu). The chrysanthemums symbol two parts of Elisa: her femininity and maternity instincts. As mentioned previously, by the tinker expressing interest in her flowers she opens to him by removing the clothes which hid her delicateness of a woman and shows “her dark pretty hair” ( ). The masculinity she first possesses is gone. Additionally, the way in which she takes care of her flowers is the same as a mother would for her child (ren). For her flowers, she makes sure “no aphids were there, no sowbugs or snails or cut worms” ( ). All the things that could potentially harm her plants, her children, were removed. Women like to feel that they are beautiful; however, it takes the verbal gestures of their partner or someone who cares, to allow them to reach to that point. They also possess natural motherly instincts though some will never be able to have children of their own and