The Role of Women in the Story of an Hour and the Diamond Necklace

¶ … Women in 2 Stories Studied

The Female's Role in "The Story of an Hour"

The 19th Century is on record as one where male dominance and authoritarianism was the order of the day. Women were mainly passive and subservient. However, towards the end of the century, women started questioning their assigned roles and responded swiftly to the sex battle that was common during that period in a number of ways. They revolted and wanted to take action aimed at changing the perspective of the society. The new woman frowned at the traditional woman. There emerged female authored literature that addressed exuberance and despair. It brought to the fore the dreams of victory and the defeat of violence. This is well illustrated in the fiction of Kate Chopin, one of the top American authors of the 19th Century. According to Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar who were literacy critics, the oscillation between despair and extremes of exuberance is well depicted in Kate Chopin's literature "The Story of an Hour" (Robinson).

In order to be able to fully understand Chopin's message, readers must envision the tradition of the Victorian society in which Kate lived. This was a society that clearly defined the gender role. Looking at Louse Mallard, one of the characters in the book, the author uses a woman who suddenly discovered a new life after the death of her husband. Ironically, Kate depicts Louise's independency as a doomed fantasy because such freedom was actually unrealistic for the 19th Century woman.

In this book, Chopin clearly outlines the importance of a woman's identity other than her main role as a man's wife (Robinson).

In this story, Chopin addresses female identity issues in the 19th Century. They were married and belonged to their husbands. In the beginning of the story, she is referred to as Mrs. Mallard; however, once the husband returns home, she is referred to as "wife." Her real name is not known until late when her husband dies and she is free from the bondage of marriage. During this period (19th Century), a woman assumed the role of her husband upon marriage and became property of the man. The women did not realize that they lost a certain part of their self upon getting married even if they were loved by their husbands (Eportfolio).

According to Chopin, women of the nineteen century were never happy in their marriage because they felt that marriage was like a cage that led to loss of freedom. They were under their husbands' instructions and had to obey everything from their husbands. Mrs. Ballard felt that she had been caged by her husband. Chopin points out that Mrs. Mallard believed that marriage as an institution had a cruel intention and it was no less than a crime. When Louise learns of her husband's death, she becomes happy because she attains psychological and physical freedom (Eportfolio).

Chopin uses irony to describe Mrs. Mallard's vulnerability position in the marriage. The statement, "Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble" is used to bring out two meanings (Chopin 158). Chopin mentions both her medical and spiritual condition. She is ill with worry, unhappiness, depression, and lives a miserable marriage life. She is afflicted both physically and psychologically. When she learns of her new situation, she sighs with relief and says that it is over, and that she is happy since she is free. Her husband's death releases her from depression. It is also ironical at the end when the author says that Mrs. Mallard died of heart attack -- she was killed with joy (Chopin 160).

It can be interpreted that her weak heart gave in upon realizing her husband had not died. The man suddenly shows up to the lady's dismay. It is apparent that she died from a combination of disappointment and shock when she sees her husband who suddenly takes away her freedom and excitement. Mallard cannot handle the thought of going back to the prison, that is, marriage. She succumbs to the fear of being taken back to bondage since the reappearance of her husband can only mean that she would be a wife again; she would lose her newly found identity and, indeed, freedom. She would resume living for her husband instead of enjoying her own life. She would become a stooge that only implements the orders and directives of her husband. This is too much for her. She has nothing and has lost everything at the same time. She is unable to reconcile herself with the fact that she has to go back to her old life (Eportfolio).

"The Story of an Hour" gives an idea about women's identities and the struggles in the late 19th century marriages. Women who got married had to surrender their freedom to cage marriage. Chopin chooses to use Mrs. Mallard as an example to illustrate how women lived unhappily in their marriages. They were depressed and led a miserable life. All they hoped for was that one day, they would get the freedom to fight and win a war against the male chauvinism and dominance (Eportfolio).

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant presents Madame Loisel as "one of those beautiful and beguiling young ladies conceived, as if destiny had bungled over her, into a group of artisans." As indicated by him, she does not need anything as an identity as far as "common delicacy," "natural style," and "deftness of mind" that could "put a ghetto young lady on a level with the most astounding woman in the area." She is aware of her magnificence and is in the conviction that with her identity she could be in the middle of any world class gathering (Fonseka).

She appears to have had her education in a chic school where she met the rich Madame Forestier as a schoolmate. Her education has given her presentation to the styles in vogue in the present world class of France. In the wake of leaving school, even on a constrained scale, she appears to have been proceeding with her association with her school companions like Madame Forestier. She is constantly disappointed by her powerlessness to bolster her thoughts affected by their way of life. She doesn't have the material requirements to stay aware from them (Fonseka).

As a design cognizant, grandiose lady, she generally tends to long for the rich furniture, the traditional engineering, the charming climate, the warm and generous social milieu, and the heavenly suppers that constitute the extravagant way of life of the present French first class. The records, as often as possible, made by the Breton worker young lady of her encounters of such flawless spots in her every day routine bother her disappointment. This generally makes her vibe repugnance about living in her particular circumstance (Fonseka).

She is only a casualty of the materialistic estimations of that French society. There she feels disengaged when she can't stay aware from the world class. She tends to take a gander at neediness as a condemnation. The education that had supported the majority of her qualities is likewise in charge of her disappointment. Quality of character remains a lacuna in her education. It had isolated her from her common society and has transformed her into a rebel in struggle with her own particular family and environment. Stranded in social chaos, Madame Loisel endures perpetually anything (Fonseka).

This story by Guy de Maupassant is obviously an arraignment of class refinement in his time that kept numerous men and ladies in interminable disappointment by setting hindrances in their endeavors of connecting with whom they appreciated. As the essentials of class personality, one perceives an arrangement of conditions like riches, material success, scholarly accomplishments, masterful notoriety and prestige, political influence, highborn genealogy, or bravery at war (Fonseka).