In all of Kate Chopin's short stories, she emphasizes a "new" woman. This is significant because everything else we have read so far this semester has been written by white (with the exception of Douglass), "old school" men, with traditionally chauvinistic attitudes towards women . Chopin breaks the mold by being the first female author we have read, and by using a bold writing style that challenges traditional societal values about women.
The first two pages of "At the 'Cadian Ball" contain three examples of a bold, strong women. When describing Calixta, Chopin describes a fight Calixta was involved with another woman about a lover, which culminated in them swearing at
and hitting each other on the steps in front of a church in Assumption, "till the cure himself was obliged to hasten and make peace with them."(623) I think even today people would be very surprised to see that. Chopin uses this example to emphasize the sexuality of these two (and all) women, and by placing the fight at the church, she shows that walls of historic attitudes towards sex and sexuality are being broken down.
On the next page, there are two examples involving Clarisse that show a "new" woman. The first is Clarisse's reaction after Alcee comes in from the field, all sweaty and manly, and "clasped Clarisse by the arms and panted a volley of hot, blistering love-words into her face."(624) Clarisse gives the "ladylike" reaction by saying "Monsieur!", as though she is disturbed by this, although she is not. Clarisse looks at Alcee "full in the eyes, without a quiver. Alcee's hands dropped and his glance wavered before the chill of her calm, clear eyes."(624) Chopin reverses traditional gender roles by describing both Alcee and Clarisse in two ways. At the start, Alcee is this traditional manly, powerful, confident man and Clarisse is this proper lady who is taken aback by Alcee's outburst. But after this, we see that Clarisse is the more confident and more powerful figure. She never takes her "calm, clear eyes" off of Alcee's, but he drops his hands and looks away. She puts on the front of what a "lady" is but Chopin wants us to see her as a confident, empowered, smart woman.
Chopin goes on to describe Clarisse not being able to sit still and watch Alcee pack up and leave for the Ball. She watches him go, but "her impatience and anxiety would not be held in check."(624) She goes outside and talks one of the slaves into telling her where he went and then taking her there. This is a woman who knows how to get what she wants. She goes up there, and Alcee leaves right away, without even knowing why-"He would have followed [Clarisse's] voice anywhere."(625) She uses her beauty, and whatever else is attractive about her, to achieve her goals. No one can say no to her.
Calixta, not to be outdone, works over another man after Alcee ditches her for Clarisse. Feeling rejected, she falls back on the guy who has always loved her, Bobinot. He has always wanted to marry her, and she tells him that if he asks her, well, she won't say no. Bobinot is overjoyed, and can't speak, but finally Calixta "held out her hand in the business-like manner of a man who clinches a bargain."(628) Chopin here is comparing her to a businessman to show that she is smart and powerful. She won't even give poor Bobinot a kiss. She is playing him like a fiddle. Chopin wants us to see that woman can definitely use a man's desire against him. Yes, both these men got what they wanted in the end, but there is a huge power game going on that they don't even know they're playing.
I dont think that many of the writers we have read so far would have enjoyed Chopin's "new" woman, particularly John Smith, Jefferson, and Fitzhugh. These men had very traditional views of the world, and I don't think they would have appreciated Chopin's writing, particularly in "The Storm" that is overtly sexual and shows no repercussions for having an affair. I guess that's mostly the reason that story wasn't published until the 19600s. Chopin herself is one of these new women, she challenged the stereotypes of what a woman could be and pushed to the edge of what she could get away with publishing.
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3 comments:
Matt, I am glad that you brought up this recurring image of a "new woman" in Chopin's work. I thought about it, and came to the conclusion that this idea was a sign of the times. The historical time I think played an important role in the idea of a new woman. Chopin wrote her works after the civil war and most likely after reconstruction. The new woman could have been the product of a new social order in the South. The decrease population of men after war could be one explanation. But I think that the new woman is more a reflection of the new social hierarchy. The old plantation order was replaced by the rapid change into a more modern society. Women could make a place for themselves in this society and I think that Chopin exposed this in her writing. She showed us, the reader, that there were woman who took advantage of the situation and made a place for themselves in society.
Matt,
I feel that Chopin writes in this “new” woman sort of style in order to show that she herself is not the “typical” woman. I think that she wanted to show that she was different and unique. Chopin wanted to leave her mark on the world with this radical style of thought. Chopin wanted to show that women were not just puppets acting in a play, but that they were individuals just like men, capable of having intelligence, doing work, having and displaying emotions of passion (as in “The Storm”) and even inferiority (as in “Desiree’s Baby”).
I like how you included the example of Calixta fighting on the church steps which certainly demonstrates an assertive, bold woman. This public display was definitely revolutionary for that time. I also agree that the old “traditional” men writers would probably not approve of Chopin’s writing or her portrayals of Calixta and Desiree, for this would go against all of their morals and current standards that women were held to. Approving of this writing would also condone Chopin’s thought process, as well as the actions of her female characters. I believe Chopin was aware of this however, and probably wanted to cause a stir in order to shed light on women as a whole, in this new manner.
I really like how as a guy you can talk about how empowered the women were during this time period. The way that Chopin talks abut women and how they make act ladylike and dumb but really are not. I like that she showed how women know how to give a man what he wants even though she knows that it may take her down a few knotches. It just shows that women are comfortable with where they stand during this time. I also like how you brought up the incident at the church, this just shows that women will do anything for the man that they love. Most women of this day and age would never act like this. Women now-a-days don't act lady-like at all. It was nice to read of strong women and the way they control their own lives.
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