Kate Chopin Research Paper

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“Katherine Chopin is considered one of the first feminist authors of the 20th century.” She is often given credit for introducing the modern feminist literary movement (“Kate Chopin”). Kate published more than 100 short stories, 3 novels, and one play within twelve years. In this research paper I will be discussing a few of her works; The Awakening, Desiree's Baby, Respectables Woman, and what critics have to say about her works. Kate Chopin was born to her maiden name as Katherine O’Flaherty on February 8, 1850 (Kate). Kate was born to a French mother who was a descendant of creole and aristocrats, named Eliza Farris, and her father an Irish immigrant who became a prosperous merchant, named Thomas O’Flaherty (Bloom). Kate grew up knowing …show more content…

Kate Chopin attended the Academy of the Scared. She played the piano and fluently spoke french. SHe was influenced greatly by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, George Zillio, and George Stand, but most of all influenced by Guy de Maupassant. A story by him titled “Solitude” expressed a melancholy wisdom that Kate found highly compelling and inspiring (Bloom). After she finished school she entered St. Louis society, where she met her husband, Oscar chopin (“Kate CHopin. Although she didn't start publishing her works until after her husband's death. She published more than 100 short stories, 3 novels, and one play (“Kate Chopin”). She used her home for a place where aspiring writers and artists could have a place to come work (“Kate Chopin” Research Guide to Biography and Criticism). The first true documentation of her writings was a common place book a nun assigned to her (Kate) Kate published her first poem “If i Might Be” in 1889. That same year she published two short stories “Wiser Than God” and “A Point at issue.” In 1890, she published her first novel “At Fault”, and attempted to publish “Young Dr. Goose” that year Kate) In 1893, she published published one of her most popular short stories “Desiree's baby”. In 1894, shepublised a twenty one short story collection “A Night in Acadie” published in 1897 (Kate). In 1899, Chopin published her first novel, “The …show more content…

The Awakening had a huge impact in Feminism. Many people who reviewed her story who who were male did not agree with the awakening, because the fear of there being a change in the “shifting social order”. WOmen were still having to live and uphold the stay at home mother type of roles at that time, and were increasingly starting to choose jobs and work that were outside the home. Women who were wrote during that time had and expectation to stay with “Lady like” subjects in their stories and Kate did the exact opposite of that. Although a lot of people believed the book to be banned at that time, it never was banned at all, it had just fallen into obscurity for about 70 years

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