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A Study into Feminist Consciousness of

The Story of an Hour

Abstract：According to interpretation of the social background of the American South at the end of the 19th century and the Kate Chopin’s life experience in the illustration of the text and analyze the historical background of the leading role’s self consciousness, uncovering American society ignored the value of women and the shackles of a free spirit. With the help of the analysis of the writing technique, we can better understand the theme of freedom and death in the story.

Key words: Women’s consciousness; Kate Chopin; The Story of an Hour

I. Introduction

Kate Chopin is one of American’s most important women writers of the 19th century. His representative work “Awakening” is re cognized for performance pioneer of feminist thought. “The Story of an Hour,” published in 1894, is a boutique in Chopin’s short story.In this novel, a young woman learned that her husband died in a railway accident. She wept returned to the room. Slowly, she began to realize their soul changes: “she whispered, ‘free, free, free! ’... she know in spent a long time after the pain, she will complete her own.” Then, without warning, she did not take the train’s husband, open the door came in. When she saw him, her heart stops beating. Around her everyone thinks she was happy will like this. Is she really happy to hear the news that her husband is dead

This article is a feminist novel. Male chauvinist led to sexual inequality, feminism advocates also should avoid too extreme tendency (such as novel

transcendence of male fantasy). We even western social feminism and the ultimate goal of equality for all (real sense of equality). Not any party surpassed and superior.

II. The social background of Feminist Consciousness Overall, the United States in the 19th century, legal, religious and traditional practices strict restrictions on women, especially Southern women’s rights. They could not vote, cannot make their voices heard in the political sphere; most of the work refused to hire female staff, the majority of women can only perform household chores; proportion of educated women is far lower than that of men. Ethical, Southern women are more bound and repressed. According to Southern tradition, women are the incarnation of virtue. They are full of compassion, tolerance, patience, loyalty obedience. They are bound in the moral paradigm throne, worshiped by others. For married women, the society has given them more bondage. For example: many states expressly provide that married women have no right to sign contracts, and cannot own property, cannot even dispose of their own income. Whatever the reason, if the couple divorce, the wife cannot get custody of the children. The perfect wife should be submissive, gentle, pious, and therefore not suitable for the complex and volatile political and business, the best choice is a wife, mother. From the mid-19th century, American society has experienced ethnic conflicts, the Civil War, the abolition of slavery and the highly developed capitalist economy, people’s thinking has also happened unprecedented transformation. The women began questioning traditional practices imposed on the role of a woman, issued a challenge to the values of the patriarchal society. Northern women first began to fight for equal rights to work, education. They believe that women and men should be equal access to political, economic,

religious status, which completely changed the ideological built in the male dominated society. The Civil War and the abolition of slavery greatly changed people’s ideology, the northern growing feminist movement gradually penetrated into the political and economic activities in the South, Southern women also began to demand work and education. They called for social reform, to get rid of the shackles of women’s stereotypes in a patriarchal society, against the rules and prohibitions imposed by society. More and more women with high social status are knocking at the door to the career which a man who once ruled. Women began to move out of the shadow of the man, in all aspects of social life as an independent individual.

Kate Chopin is a writer of this era. Of course, her feminist ideology is inextricably linked with her family environment. She was born in 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri. His father is Irish descent and his mother was French descent. When she was five years old, his father died in an accident when traveling. Since then, the young Kate, who lived with a widowed mother, a grandmother and her grandmother. Their wisdom, independent and strong, had a tremendous impact for the Kate character and future creation. Kate has been gender equality in education and the impact of feminist ideas in this family. In the process of growing up, she showed a strong rebellion, and out of tune with the social requirements for women. At age 20, Kate married Oscar Chopin who was born in a rich family. Oscar Chopin appreciates Kate’s sense of independence and intelligence very much, doubly respected her concept of freedom and equality. Unfortunately, proper middle-aged, Oscar Chopin died of malaria, Kate began his literary creation in the short-term management of her husband's legacy business and was a great success. In her works, Kate continues to explore the idea of women liberation road, challenge the concept of equality and pursuit individual freedom. This freedom is not just physical

liberation, and spiritual independence and resistance for the feudal concept in the male dominated society.

“The Story of an Hour,” while not directly accountable to the reader the social background of the story takes place. But from the context, we can determine Louise is a housewife in high society, and In real life has always been to suppress her individuality. Before she heard her husband’s death which is misinformation, she did not have the opportunity to express views on their marriage, just obedience and tolerant. When she heard this rumor which as the opportunity wake her feminist consciousness. Let her know, though she loved their husbands, but most of the time in her marriage is not love. Combined with the social reality of the American South in the 19th century, and the author’s spiritual pursuit, the sudden awakening of her feminist consciousness can be found not only logical, but the novel is full of dramatic change, and therefore more powerful.

III. The Creative Approach of the Performance of Female Consciousness

. Use contrast to highlight the significance of Female Consciousness Chopin successfully use the two sets of sharp contrast, portrayed Louise sudden awakening of feminist consciousness: The set of comparison is the different reactions of Louise and her sister Josephine and her husband's friend Richards when they heard Brently Mallard's death; The other group is the haze of death and the nature of the recovery. Louise down uncontrollably, crying in the arms of her sister when she heard the new of her husband’s death. After this, Louise alone back to the bedroom on the second floor, wearily down on the sofa, choking back tears. Slowly calmed down, she felt their feelings changed, and this change is that she never experienced or even unimaginable, Therefore

she fears awaits this slowly came over her indescribable emotions. When Louise realized that this power controls her thoughts, her instinct but it is powerless to resist. Until this power to break through her weak in defense, the issue of “freedom”over and over again crooning. At the moment, Louise’s eyes, although still with fear, but a sense of excitement gradually control her, the great joy replaced the grief of the widowed. She is happy to see that: “In the coming years, no one would live for her; she would live only for herself. Although men and women are blindly convinced that he is entitled to the personal will on others, but not let her succumb. At this point, she thinks whether well-intentioned or malicious act itself would be a crime. ” Louise heart was filled with the joy of a new life. Josephine and Richards from the beginning of the story for granted that Louise will be distraught learned the bad news, and may even heart attack, so they carefully told her the new of her husband’s death. When Louise to shut him in a room, alone taste suddenly sprouted enormous happiness, Josephine is kneeling before the closed bedroom door begging Louise opened the door, the fear of accidents. When Brently Mallard returned, Richards hurried to stand in front of him, and want to avoid a huge surprise might bring Louise damage. Everyone’s expectations and the actual situation of Louise formed a strong contrast, strongly criticized the traditional concept of bondage and oppression for women.

The other group is the haze of death and the recovery of the nature. Chopin on the one hand with the concise and accurate language portrayed misinformation death generated the leading role emotional ups and downs. On the other hand, through the open window reproduce spring vitality sight. After the crying, the storm of grief gradually in the past, and Louise alone back to the room, occasionally sobbing, dull eyes staring out of the window. In this case, the author describes: “She could see in the open square before her house the tops

of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrow s were twittering in the eaves.” Such a cheerful voice, fresh smell and vivid color posed picture, with the Louise’s physically and mentally exhausted in stark contrast. Therefore, recovery with a new life in nature implies the awakening of feminist consciousness, like nature cannot resist the spring. For free life desire to break through her struggle and repression, control of her mind and body, to her over and over again issued a “free”crooning. At this moment, the shadow of death has vanished. Usher in a bright future which gets rid of the shackles, the desire for freedom of life, as well as pray for the n ew life. When this disillusionment due to her husband’s unexpected return, tragedy will inevitably occur.

. Use irony to reveal the price of the female consciousness Chopin use irony to reveal the theme of freedom higher than life twice in his novel. First of all, Louise for her husband's death from sadness to joy, emotions change from mourning from happiness for her husband "back from the dead" constitutes the irony of traditional morality. Early to hear the bad news, her reaction does not like the vast majority of women in society as “immediately collapsed, unable to accept the reality”, but immediately cried, then pour in the arms of her sister. Later, Louise insisted going back to her room. When Louise was faced with the natural world that is full of vitality, she initially filled with fear, and then infinite joy waiting for free time. Finally, faced with the unexpected her husband’s return, Louise emotions once again into great sorrow. Author though the leading role’s location change, portray her emotional world’s changes, ironically prevailing social and moral oppression for women.

More ironic is the doctor’s diagnosis of the cause of death of Louise heart attack caused by a huge surprise at the end in the novel. Thus, in addition to the leading role, the other characters in the story, without exception, that Louise had to have a happy family. The great sorrow of the loss of her husband has made her unable to extricate herself, the suddenly regained her again bear a strong stimulus, bittersweet emotions change kill her. This conclusion is a great contrast to the Louise inner world, wonderful satire the ruthless social reality.

IV. Conclusion

Kate Chopin's short stories in a creative approach greatly influenced by the contemporary French writer Maupassant, story short, concise text. “At first glance, the novel’s language and narrative contradictions, and the plot of the story is usually sudden reversal at the end, giving unexpected sense. However, this sudden turn is often the crowning touch.” “The Story of an Hour” is one of the typical representatives. The theme of her novel mostly reflects the call for freedom and the pursuit of self. In the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the “deviant” thinking far beyond the social. Even in the women's liberation movement has experienced 100 years later, we found that the female consciousness implied in Chopin's works are still coincides with the pulse of the times. No doubt, the interpretation of her works has a negligible practical significance.

References:

[1] Unknown. (2001). Kate Chopin. Retrieved November 21, 2001, from

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[2] Unknown. (2010). The Story of an Hour. Retrieved October 17, 2012, from 04f80c