Proto-feminist ideas in Chopin’s The Storm

The storm is used symbolically to anticipate a feminism era where women in the society will be set free from the chains of being viewed as sexual objects. It is doubtless that the proto-feminist ideas are presented in Chopin’s “The Storm” through the characters feelings, emotional expressions and the subjugation of the female gender through the judgmental males eyes and After reading the short story, one of the most outstanding proto-feminism idea presented in this short story shows how women had devoted to undermine the patriarchal roles which have been set in the society. The author through some of the characters has challenged the constructed roles of women which are the demands and expectations of the male dominated society. Throughout the story, it is Calixta who embodies the characters to challenge as well as undermine the patriarchal ideologies about women.

Although Calixta has submitted to the societal set roles as a mother and wife, her rebellious actions serves as a possibility through which the patriarchy was undermined as she sought to fulfill her desires through what is termed as “discreet transgression” (Stein 47). On the other hand, a marriage relationship between Calixta and Alcee is impossible given the socio-economic differences between them. As result, Calixta is forced to settle for Bobinot who was appropriate for her class. The society was clearly segregated between the haves and the haves-not. It is apparent that the life choices of women in the story were only confined to the issue socio-economic status and the view of women as inferior to men. Kirby (99) states that it was economically and morally for Bobinot and Calixta to marry. In order to free herself from the rigid societal norms on women, Clarisse once again found taking a moment of “breath since she was married” (Chopin 7).

Equally similar, women in the story are have been subjected to some forced choices which makes their sexual selection a problem and end up depicting them as mundane as well as unfulfilling beings. Women in this case, are restricted to their house chores and only play the roles of a housewife and mothers. They have no role in making decisions for their desires which are only repressed by the male society. For instance, Rennemo (55) questions the sexual selection of women in the short story in regards to issues such as their sexual modesty and inferiority. In the way the author describes Bobinot and the language used in the text, it is easy to see that, Calixta exerted some fear upon her husband and in an instance, it see like that the husband was oppressed.

For instance, as a result of the fear of his wife reaction, Bobinot “Then, prepared for the worst—the meeting with an over-scrupulous housewife, they entered cautiously at the back door” (Chopin. This is the same reason why Bobinot brought her wife a can full of shrimps which might have been to ease her rage. However, there is a great contrast by the author between Bobinot and Alcee who is portrayed with more characters of a man. In her marriage with Bobinot, it is doubtless that Calixta is in total control. In conclusion, Kate Chopin in “The Storm” has provided several ideas based on the proto-feminist aspects to challenge a society which was dominated and controlled by men. The male domination diminished the roles, feelings and desires of women whereby they are expected to conform to the patterns of tradition.

As result, the search for place where they can quench their thirst and free themselves from the shackles of the tradition, women had to kick away the set norms; they had to be rebellious and defiant. Moreover, as enumerated above, the life choices were not only based on their gender (as women) but also on socio-economic status thus forbidding affairs between individuals from different economic status. As indicated above, the rich were for the rich which was the main reason why the relations between Alcee and Calixta was bound to end and Calixta would go back to the husband her social status deserves. Kirby, Lisa. “So, the storm passed…: Interrogating Race, Class and Gender in Chopin’s At the Cadian Ball” and “The Storm. ” Ostman, Heather. Kate Chopin in the Twenty-First Century: New Critical Essays.

Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars, 2008.