The Treatment of Women in The Story of an Hour and the Awakening - Research Paper Example

In great thoughts, she reveals the position of women within the male dominated society as well as, how women achieved liberation. In fact, the two critical readings of Chopin’s reveal challenges encountered by female characters within the society surrounding them. Being a feminine writer, Chopin displays her thoughts on women’s defiance in the society. The writer wrote women stories and although she does not view herself as a feminist, she was much interested on the civilization that came into place (Chopin 20).

This was freedom to express ideas and thoughts, which was not regarded in the past centuries. With this in mind, the aim of this paper is to discuss the treatment of women in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour and the Awakening.” In discussing, the paper will briefly discuss each story and connect it to the subject of discussion. According to Chopin (1), “The Story of an Hour” is a story that presents an episode of a life of Mrs Mallard outlining how she learnt about her husband death.

It is a short story published in 1894, and since then it has been emulated by its great teaching on the treatment of women. This story reflects the author’s thoughts on the marriage role in women’s lives along with the protagonist. In her story, she highlights how Louise Mallard felt immense freedom soon after his husband died. While his husband was alive, Mrs Mallard felt she would live for him, and after his death she regain her life back again. With no doubt, Mrs Mallard response towards her husband death is strange where unlike other women who mourn their husband‘s death she seem to be content with its occurrence.

In analyzing motives of such behaviours, the author indicates how women respond to their husband’s death but Mrs Mallard’s scenario seems different. From this text, it is obvious that the woman had undergone a lot of oppression from the husband such that her husband’s death brought joy to her heart, as this was the end of suffering. Probably, her husband was a tyrant while Mrs Mallard was fair and considerate to her husband in their marriage commitment. Mrs Mallard possessed some strength that presents the characteristics of female characters.

Women are strong, considerate, and fair and regardless of their strengths, they tend to undergo a lot of oppression from men. Mrs Mallard is a perfect example who felt her husband was a dictator and this contributed to her celebrating his death. At this point, it is obvious to consider the novel remarkable in the way it presents female characteristics as portrayed by Mrs Mallard and female oppression as portrayed in her marriage that went through haywires of mistreatment. According to Cliff Notes (1), “The Awakening” is a novel by Kate Chopin published in 1899.

The novel explores on a strong of a woman’s desire to live a life of purpose. The sacrifice to that purpose makes the woman encounter many conflicts with her family and friends. Mrs Pontellier is the character used to show women position as her story captures readers’ attention of how women were treated and viewed. The story accounts this woman is a strong woman beyond recognition despite having a husband who commanded and controlled her. The author depicts how Mrs, Montpellier encountered intimidations as often she thought her husband was the obstacle of her discovering her true identity.

From this story, the author depicts some of the social