Research Paper on Kate Chopin and the Feminism in Her Works

Licano 1 Maria Licano Mrs. Hummel Ap English 08 27 April 2012 Kate Chopin: Feminism in Her Works â€Å"Love and passion, marriage and independence, freedom and restraint.† These are the themes that are represented and worked with throughout Kate Chopin’s works. Kate Chopin, who was born on February 8, 1851, in St. Louis, was an American acclaimed writer of short stories and novels. She was also a poet, essayist, and a memoirist. Chopin grew up around many women; intellectual women that is. Chopin said herself that she was neither a feminist nor a suffragist; she was simply a woman who took other women intensely seriously. Chopin believed women had the ability to be strong, individual, and free-spirited. She herself reached out, in†¦show more content†¦(Harris). Men were superior; many saw women as no more than property. â€Å"No, I only think of you as cruel, as I said the other day. Maybe not intentionally cruel; but you seem to be forcing me into disclosures which can result in nothing; as if you would have me bare a wound for the pleasure of looking at it, without the intention of healing it† (Chopin). The protagonist of her novel The Awakening, Edna, acted quite the opposite of the way a ‘real woman’ of Chopin’s time should act. Critics/ scholars of Chopin’s day responded to her work by labeling her novel, The Awakening, as â€Å"vulgar, morbid, and disagreeable. Willa Cather, who would become a well known twentieth-century American author, labeled it trite and sordid† (Koloski). Readers and reviewers condemned Chopin’s subjects such as, adultery, female sexuality, and miscegenation. The reason behind all of this criticism is because the critics â€Å"expected to read a novel in descriptive language, colorful characters, and the sights and sounds of Louisiana Creole life. Instead of local color however, critics were shocked and dismayed at Edna’s behavior and considered Chopin’s novel morbid and lacking literary value. In most cases, critics were at loss to explain th e reasons why an artist with Chopin’s undisputed literary talent would contribute to what one reviewer called â€Å"the overworked field of sex fiction† (Seyersted 219)†. (Sprinkle). Chopin was awfully hurt by all of theShow MoreRelatedLeo Haines. Professor Capozzi. Research Paper. April 29,1518 Words   |  7 PagesLeo Haines Professor Capozzi Research Paper April 29, 2017 Kate Chopin Kate Chopin was a famous author of short stories and articles. Kate was born on February 8, 1850, in St. Louis Missouri, and she grew up speaking English and French. After her husband has passed in 1882, and that is when her writing career launched. In most of her novels and stories her characters are bilingual, also known as fluent in two languages. 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