Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Throughout the course of literature the female character has often been construed as the stereotypical helpless, subservient, and troublesome figure. Often in literature as well as in life women became trapped in a marriage, living out a simple housewife persona. Even before the emergence of the 20th century feminist movement, female writers often criticized the conventional way of patriarchal society through their works. Feminist authors, such as Kate …showed first 75 words of 1188 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1188 total…and “is often anthologized as an example of Chopin’s works focusing on women’s issues.”(Bonner 100). Like many other of Chopin’s works “The Story of an Hour” was Page 5 considered so perverse and subversive that it was rejected for publishing at first. Kate Chopin showed through her words that women can be “Free! Body and soul free!”(Jacobus 234), live their lives for themselves, and not feel confined to marriage or traditional female molds.