Gender Roles In The 19th Century

During the 19th century, gender roles in the American society were extremely different in comparison of the roles in the 21st century. Only men could enjoy true freedom, freedom to work in factories, shops, military, vote, etc., while women were left at the house to oversee the domestic duties that once belonged to servants. What this means is that women were not truly free; free to voice their opinion, to work alongside of men, earn pay, and even vote. They were expected to be excellent housewives and nothing else. It was shortly after her husband died, leaving her with six children to raise on her own that she began to write scandalous stories that were way ahead of her time and completely unappreciated. These stories often times placed the

Because Chopin was afraid, it would never get published due to its sexually explicit nature it was not printed until 70 years after it was originally written. “Chopin knew no American magazine would touch such a celebration of “guilty love," and she at no time tried to publish it” (Toth 206). Per Seyersted writes that “sex in this story is a force as strong, inevitable, and natural as the Louisiana storm which ignites it” (Seyersted 164-185). This story is a sequel to At the Cadian Ball where two lovers from different social classes meet in Assumption for one fiery night. Chopin defies the social norms by writing a story not only about two adulterous wives, Calixta and Clarissee, but a story so sexually raw that she knew it would never be published during her life time. Chopin protagonist characters, Calixta and Alcee, are trapped behind the powerful storm that represents their passion for one another. Chopin has a history of her female characters filling the traditional she roles; Calixta is no different. In this story, she is a housewife, one who washes clothes, cook’s dinner, sews, and takes care of the children. This adulterous rendezvous is a way for Chopin again to express her radical ideals in a 19th century setting. Chopin ordinarily puts her protagonist in an unhappy relationship where the men are in a superior position over the wives.

This story is based on a Missouri wheat farm where Mildred, a 20-year-old woman from the upper class, has decided to vacation on the farm during the summer. While spending her days sitting under the porch reading her book, she notices many of the farmhands and how everyday Mrs. Kraummer would ring the bell that called the farmhands to dinner. She never looked at the farmhands because she felt as though she was above them. Chopin describes her feelings towards the farmhands as “not so very nice to look at, and she was nothing of an anthropologist” (Chopin). However, she is approached by one of the farmhands as he returns a paper that was lost in the breeze. From this moment on Mildred has on obsession for this “young, brown man” (Chopin). She begins to notice every detail about this mysterious farmhand and “signaled him out each time that he passed her, meaning to give him a condescending little smile” (Chopin). Of course the man never looked at her, and usually, this would not have upset her except for the fact that she was bored and felt that she was far more attractive then he was not to notice her. Mildred even attempts to have the man drive her to church, but when he refuses to go fishing instead, she follows him to the lake. While at the lake they share in a passionate kiss, and the man immediately runs away leaving Mildred alone. Up until this