On Women in Chopin and Glaspell

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David Hernandez #8 September 25, 2012 ENC 1102 Essay one: On Women in Chopin and Glaspell Women suffer from numerous hardships in life. These problems can range from domestic dilemmas to not having equal rights. In the past, these issues were worse due to undermining women. Kate Chopin and Susan Glaspell depict these issues very well in their literary work. In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and Trifles by Susan Glaspell, the audience can further understand how terrible life for women was. After reading both texts it is simple to compare the lives, the relationship with their husbands, and the society both women lived in. These two women live similar lives mentally and emotionally. Women lived very differently before they had equal rights. There was a limit to what they could do or own. Usually all they could do was cook, raise children, and complete domestic chores. In the short story “The Story of an Hour”, Mrs. Mallard was the protagonist, and Mrs. Wright was her equivalent in Trifles. In each story, both women led difficult lives. They were restricted in what activities they could do. Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Mallard both have the same psychological process and share the same emotions. In their respective stories, they both feel stuck in their lives but the limitations brought on by their husbands. In their respective stories they both feel down, then happy, and sad again. They are both unhappy because their husbands trap them, then they are happy because they are free from their marriage. In the end, they are sad again because Mrs. Wright was incarcerated, and Mrs. Mallard because her husband was actually alive. The relationship the women have with their spouse was a big contribution to the terrible lives they lived. Women could not own any property at the time, or get a divorce from their husband. In patriarchal societies
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