Introduction
Gender roles have evolved in the patriarchal society as economic and political revolutions spread worldwide. The changing roles exposed women to suffering and oppression, while men were given the power to control the world.
Kate Chopin grew up in the 1890s, a time when patriarchy and gender inequality were at their peak, and women were fighting for their rights. The male-dominated society reduced women to being homemakers and servants to their husbands. Most marriages during her time were oppressive, and the women suffered silently. Her work, “The Story of an Hour,” has stood the test of time because it expresses the internal struggle of women as they navigate their way to freedom.
Andrew Marvel did not openly fight against patriarchy; however, his poems highlighted women’s suffering and helped them recognize their power in society. He grew up in England in the 1960s as a politician known for his intellect and wit. He was unhappy with how women were limited by the patriarchal society and lobbied for more rights for them. His poem “To His Coy Mistress” critiques how limiting societal expectations can affect women’s lives and jeopardize their quality of life. This paper analyzes how the two works share the theme of time, imagery usage, and the impact of feminism on patriarchy.
Kate Chopin
Author
Kate Chopin is a celebrated American author who wrote numerous works on women’s experiences in a masculine society. Chopin lived between 1850 and 1904, and her work, “The Story of an Hour,” focused on inspiring women to rise against oppression and liberate themselves (Chopin 4). Chopin began writing fiction in 1890, and most of her work was used to inform and shape feminist movements. She was married to Oscar Chopin, with whom she had five children (Paudel 98).
It is essential to note that patriarchy was highly prevalent in the 19th century, and her writings were therefore considered controversial as they challenged the norms considered superior (Regmi 87). As the feminist movement gained momentum and the fight for gender equality intensified, her works of fiction became handy in encouraging women to stand up for their rights.
Work of Fiction: “The Story of an Hour”
Kate Chopin’s fiction shares the story of Mrs. Louise Mallard’s oppressive marriage. She receives news that her husband has died in a train accident. The news of her husband’s death brings unfathomable grief, and she retreats to her bedroom to mourn (Regmi 79). However, the sadness soon gives way to freedom as she realizes that she will now live a life of freedom. The protagonist’s feelings of freedom suggest that she was previously oppressed in her marriage and unhappy (Paudel 97). She realized that the house’s four walls had imprisoned her, and the marriage had limited her from living a free life. Her joy of freedom, however, is short-lived when her husband returns.
Andrew Marvell
Author
Andrew Marvel is an English politician and poet known for his academic excellence. He lived between 1628 and 1678, and his work, “To his coy Mistress,” was published posthumously in 1681 (Christinawati 33). In addition to the poems, he wrote essays and political satires to express his views on how the world treated women at that time. Although he was not involved in feminism and the fight for gender equality, his writing contains a nuanced concern and understanding of the issues affecting women.
In his view, in most of the work, women were objectified and used as objects for male satisfaction. Women were worth more and could lead a better life if the male-dominated society did not deny them growth opportunities (Marvell 3). The women had the potential to do better, but society limited their aspirations due to the assigned gender roles.
Work of Poetry: “To His Coy Mistress”
The poetic work by Andrew Marvell reflects the gender roles of the 17th century. The seductive poem is written to woo an unknown woman for satisfaction and pleasure. At the time of the writing, society expected all women to be chaste, obedient, submissive, and always ready to serve the male demands (Regmi 76).
On the other hand, the men were expected to be sexually aggressive, assertive, and dominant. The speaker in the poem urges the person to seize the opportunity to enjoy love and pleasure before time runs out (Arifuddin et al. 65). As the persona advances his love interest, he takes advantage of how time passes. He wants them to enjoy the sport while there is still time. The level of conviction in the poem reveals the latent power women had, which was yet to be fully realized.
Analytical Comparison Between the Two Works
The two works differ in form and the message presented. Chopin addresses the audience directly on the suffering women face in marriages through the life of the protagonist (Chopin 6). On the other hand, Marvell indirectly shows the women’s power through a man’s continuous begging for affection. The two authors employ similar stylistic devices and convey the theme of time. In each of the works, the authors encourage the audience to make the most of their time to achieve their full potential.
Shared Themes
The theme of time and the unpredictability of life is evident in both works. Mrs. Louise discovered that her marriage was oppressive only after she heard about the death of her husband, and the hour of grief gave her a sigh of relief and freedom. She had been in an unhappy marriage, and self-discovery took a long time; she could not recognize her worth. However, before she could enjoy her freedom, her husband resurfaced, which made her succumb to a heart attack (Chopin 4). Had she realized the oppressed in time and set herself free, she could have lived on her own terms and enjoyed life.
However, her failure to grasp the essence of time and the unpredictability of life left the world with a sense of nostalgia, as she had failed to fulfill her heart’s desire. In the poetic work, the persona stresses the argument that time is of the essence and that they should enjoy the sport while there is still time (Marvell 2). The arguments are rooted in the idea that time moves quickly, and people must seize it before it is too late.
Shared Technique
The shared technique for the two works is an allusion, where Chopin and Marvell represent real issues affecting people in society. Chopin suggests that women should fight for their rights and strive for happiness. Despite the gender inequality experienced in patriarchal society, women are urged to stand up. Mrs. Mallard’s perceived freedom, which only came after the death of her husband, alludes to the fact that countless women are in marriage unions where they cannot live on their own terms. When women can liberate themselves from social slavery, they may lead better lives.
Similarly, Marvell relates women’s fight for freedom to numerous mythological aspects in the poem, which can be used to explain how time must be spent wisely. The Ganges River, Biblical floods, and Humber River flow freely and make use of their time to enjoy the moments life provides (Arifuddin et al. 59). The persona sees himself in a situation like the rivers if the love of his life agrees to participate in the sport with him.
Shared Historical Context
Gender roles and patriarchy are among the most common issues in the context of time. Both works were produced during the patriarchy, when women did not have the power to live life on their terms. Most were forced into marriage and became captives, unhappy in their homes, where they were treated as enslaved people. In Chopin’s work of fiction, she illustrates the limitations women had in the 19th century, where they were not allowed to lead a free life and pursue their dreams. The patriarchal and societal expectations made women objects for men’s happiness.
Despite being tied down by gender roles, Mallard sees a ray of hope and freedom after the death of her husband, signifying the highly needed freedom among the women (Christinawati 39). In the poem, the author employs different perspectives to convey the need for a much-needed reevaluation of gender roles in the discourse. The persona attempts to utilize the concept of time to persuade his dream of winning the love of his life to accept him. He further argues that his desire requires their love to transcend all external forces.
Literary Analysis Discussion
Imagery is figurative language that describes a given type of work visually. It is the literary device that is evident in both works’ content. Chopin uses the device to show the protagonist’s emotional state. When she shuts herself in the bedroom, the house’s four walls represent captivity, where her marriage deprived her of her freedom.
After hearing about her husband’s death, the window was wide open, representing the freedom coming her way (Paudel 4). While the closed door shuttered the hopes and the inability to see beyond the traditional feminine roles in the house, the opening was a new ray of hope and self-confidence, allowing women to eliminate the limitations placed on them.
Marvell also employs imagery to convey the man’s desire while persuading the woman. The persona uses the device to offer a vivid description of the feelings. For example, the first stanza portrays the desires as a vast desert of eternity, indicating that his desire is profound (Christinawati 41).
Such a yearning could only be cushioned by the lady, supposedly the love of his life (Arifuddin et al. 63). The author uses the sun to illustrate the changing nature of time and encourages the woman to give in to his demands while there is still time. Imagery is used to help the audience understand the message of maximizing time and urging them to seize the moment to avoid missing out on pleasure.
Conclusion
Kate Chopin and Andrew Marvel are renowned authors and poets of the 19th and 17th centuries. Both works analyze the emerging trends of their time and write about the issues affecting people. Chopin’s work focuses on women’s activism and how the patriarchal society denied women the opportunity to lead happier lives. Mrs. Mallard feels relieved when her husband dies, meaning that the marriage is toxic and a threat to her safety.
The poet appreciates that patriarchy has taken over the world, but women have hidden power that leaves men begging. The works have shared themes, techniques, and historical context, which makes them proper avenues to challenge the patriarchal society for limiting women and making them live below their potential.
Works Cited
Arifuddin, et al. “Carpe diem in Andrew Marvell’s poem “To His Coy Mistress.” Journal of Language vol. 4, no. 1, 2022, pp. 58–65.
Chopin, Kate. The Story of An Hour. Joe Books Ltd, 2018.
Christinawati, Moses Glorino Rumambo Pandin. “Andrew Marvell’s Poems Viewed from the History of the British Colonizer Perspective.” International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, vol. 8, no. 9, 18 Sept. 2019, pp. 31–43.
Marvell, Andrew. “To His Coy Mistress” and Other Poems. Courier Dover Publications, 2016.
Paudel, Kishor. “Existential Angst in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” NCC Journal vol. 4, no. 1, 2019, pp. 97–99.
Regmi, Diwakar. “A Study of Sexism in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of An Hour’.” Lumbini Journal of Language and Literature vol. 3, no. 1, 2022, pp. 69–76.