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A Psychoanalytic and Feminist Critique of Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’Essay #1Suzanne Hardy-Smith“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin is filled with symbolism and according to a psychoanalytical view with hidden meanings. Feminist critics would also look at the hidden meaning in some of the symbols as well as how Mrs. Mallard was treated as an inferior. Within this essay, these two types of theories will be examined and similarities and differences will likewise be considered. The reader- response will all be addressed.The psychoanalytic critic comes from Sigmund Freud and the critics will look at the literary text as if it were some kind of dream and therefore will attempt to interpret the dream (Childers and Hentzi 247). Psychoanalysts will also be looking at repressed wishes and fantasies that are within the text or some modern psychoanalytic critics would also be looking at the repressed wishes and fantasies of the author (as stated by Critical Approaches, par. 3).The feminist critiques of literature became prevalent in the 1970s. French Feminist Simone de Beauvoir argued that many cultures relegate women to an inferior position in society (Howe 192). These critics will look at ways that the women are treated as inferiors and the little innuendoes that demonstrate this. While looking at “The Story of an Hour” it is also important to note the year in which this was written while analyzing this essay. This essay was written in the 19th century and the criticisms that this paper has received by feminist critics were given in the 20th century and there is a vast difference in how the author and the feminine gender critics are looking at this story. Many think that Chopin was a pioneer in her feminist thoughts (Theoretically Speaking, online).Symbolism represents metaphors comparing two things where one thing would be substituted for the other (Howe 18). Within ‘The Story of an Hour’ there are metaphors within the essay which would be interpreted by the psychoanalytic and the feminist critics, both would be examined. Some of these symbols will be similar to one another and others will be very different.The reader-response criticism is also another key thing to be watchful of while analyzing this essay. A reader’s response while reading the work will look at the work from their own life-experience. The reader will put their own interpretation on the literary work. (Howe 193).“The Story of an Hour” demonstrates how after Mrs. Mallard receives news of her husband’s death that she finds herself to be freed for an hour. At the beginning of the essay one is immediately shown that Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition, a feminist perspective would look at that as showing that women are week, inferior and therefore needs to be dependent on the man, her husband. It might also be interpreted by the reader might perceive that something horrible is going to happen to Mrs. Mallard. At the beginning of the story the main character is introduced as Mrs. Mallard, no first name has been given, therefore indicating that she is married to Brently Mallard and she is only identified as her husband’s wife. During the historic timeframe when this essay was written, women basically only had two choices, either to be married or to be an old maid. Immediately upon hearing the news of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms” (Howe 227). The feminine gender critic might look at her Grief as another sign of weakness, whereas the psychoanalytic critic could view this as the first steps of grief and an appearance of love and devotion to the husband. When she is alone a transformation begins. Many symbols are given as she then enters her own room and sits on the armchair. There is an open window, which could likely give the sense of freedom, which might also indicate a way out. The feminists might interpret the open window as an opening for her now to be away from the prison she found herself in with her dominant husband. The trees and birds are symbols of spring, which symbolizes new birth. Psychoanalytical critics could interpret this as a dream that the author actually wants to find freedom for herself. The sun is shining through the clouds indicating that Mrs. Mallard is coming out of the darkness. Chopin’s description of Mrs. Mallard as, “She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength (Howe 227) points to being put down and held back by her husband. The psychoanalytic might ask, was Chopin experiencing similar conditions? As she was sat in the armchair and felt something was coming for her, she felt powerless, another key word the feminist critics might interpret as oppression from the patriarchic dominance received from Brently Mallard. Then the words “free, free, free” came to her. The fear immediately left and she finally felt relaxed. Once again the reader’s own experiences might play into how this is interpreted. Is the reader, male or female, has the reader ever suffered similar things? Both the Psychoanalytical and Feminists reviews of this essay by Chopin see that there are symbols within the writing. Freedom with the open window, spring, the birds singing all signify a new beginning. Once again is this the own reader’s familiarities as the psychoanalyst might suggest or is this actually the joy of knowing that Mrs. Mallard is finally free from her husband’s tyranny, an escape from prison. Mrs. Mallard can now enjoy her life and no longer needs to fear, if only for an hour.BibliographyBEDFORD, St. Martins Virtual Lit. “Critical Approaches – Definition of Psychoanalytic Criticism.” 2013. Web. 1 July 2013 BLEIMAN, Barbara, Jake Lund, and Gary Snapper. "Theoretically Speaking…." (2011)., J./Heintz. G. eds., The Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary and Cultural Criticism (New York 1995) p. 247HOWE, Elizabeth A. Close Reading An Introduction to Literature. Boston. Pearson. 2010. Print. ................
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