Chopin’s Story of an Hour and The Storm highlights critical issues on love matters. Conversely, the husband is regarded as important for a woman to be happy and successful in any love union. Chopin displays how women were despised when it came to love matters in that they fully relied on their husbands. Since women were not valued, their esteem was reduced even if they would look down on their identity (Chopin). Sadly, women relied on men whether they loved them or not. Chopin displays love uniquely, in that women live with men just for benefits thus they are forced to be submissive in all times. During the 19th century, men were more superior to women in all perspectives, including love matters. This discrimination made love look like an obligation rather than something done willingly. A relationship should be a union with freedom where both parties can make independent decisions. In normal circumstances, love and marriage should go hand in hand; however, in Chopin’s two stories, this is not the case.
Chopin greatly concentrates on feminine freedom and feels that women are not treated fairly. According to the two stories, love is expressed as a way of oppression and freedom. For instance, Louis’s adultery passion with Calixta’s is considered as oppression. However, to some extent, it resulted in a better resolution into freedom for both parties. In The Storm, Chopin displays how the discovery of passion was great up to an extent where Alcee was not willing to commit to his wife. Similarly, in The story of an Hour, Mallard never considers her love and marriage as something worthy. Normally, death is supposed to be something bad and the initial reaction should be grief. However, Louise is excited soon after the sudden death of her husband showing that the union was weak. The two stories uniquely bring the idea of love and freedom in a great manner.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Storm. 2005.
Chopin, Kate. The story of an hour. Joe Books Ltd, 2018.