In her story, “The Story of An Hour”, Kate Chopin states that, “She said it over and over under the breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes.” Basically, Chopin is saying that women could not freely express their own beliefs or have any freedom of speech in fear of being punished. Mrs. Mallard realizes that she will finally be free from the oppression, but then realizes that her actions can be considered unnatural and therefore punished if demonstrated. Charlotte Perkins Gilman states, “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal-having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition.” (pg.768). Gilman’s point is that women in the late 19th century were not allowed to write or have any sort of independence because of the patriarchal oppression they lived in. Gilman is showing that she would have to write in secret because of the fear of having to face ‘heavy opposition’ from her male dominant figure. In her story The Awakening Chopin states, “Painting” laughed Edna. “I am becoming an artist. Think of it!” “Ah! An artist! You have pretensions, Madame.” “Why pretensions? Do you think I could not become an artist?” “I don’t know you well enough to say. I do not know your talent or your temperament. To be an artist includes much; one must possess many gifts-absolute gifts-which have not been acquired by one’s own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul.” In other words, Chopin believes that Edna is showing capacities that would have been deemed ‘unnatural’ by becoming an artist and could get punished by her husband or society. Many women were not allowed to express themselves in their daily lives unlike men because of the patriarchal system they lived
In her story, “The Story of An Hour”, Kate Chopin states that, “She said it over and over under the breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes.” Basically, Chopin is saying that women could not freely express their own beliefs or have any freedom of speech in fear of being punished. Mrs. Mallard realizes that she will finally be free from the oppression, but then realizes that her actions can be considered unnatural and therefore punished if demonstrated. Charlotte Perkins Gilman states, “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal-having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition.” (pg.768). Gilman’s point is that women in the late 19th century were not allowed to write or have any sort of independence because of the patriarchal oppression they lived in. Gilman is showing that she would have to write in secret because of the fear of having to face ‘heavy opposition’ from her male dominant figure. In her story The Awakening Chopin states, “Painting” laughed Edna. “I am becoming an artist. Think of it!” “Ah! An artist! You have pretensions, Madame.” “Why pretensions? Do you think I could not become an artist?” “I don’t know you well enough to say. I do not know your talent or your temperament. To be an artist includes much; one must possess many gifts-absolute gifts-which have not been acquired by one’s own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul.” In other words, Chopin believes that Edna is showing capacities that would have been deemed ‘unnatural’ by becoming an artist and could get punished by her husband or society. Many women were not allowed to express themselves in their daily lives unlike men because of the patriarchal system they lived