英美小说赏析 The story of an hour 绝对完整,高分!!!

黑龙江外国语学院

2012-2013

学年

第

1

学期

Term 1

2012-20123Academic Year

Heilongjiang International University

A Study into Feminist Consciousness of

The Story of an Hour

Abstract

：

According to interpretation of the social background of the American South at the

end of the 19

th

century and the Kate Chopin?s life experience in the illustration of the text and

analyze

the

historical

background

of

the

leading

role

?s

self

consciousness,

uncovering

American society ignored the value of women and the shackles of a free spirit. With the help of

the analysis of the writing technique, we can better understand the theme of freedom and death

in the story.

Key words:

Women

?

s consciousness; Kate Chopin;

The Story of an Hour

I. Introduction

Kate Chopin is one of American?s most important women writers of the 19

th

century. His

representative work “Awakening” is re

cognized for performance pioneer of feminist thought.

“The Story of an Hour,” published in 1894, is a boutique in Chopin?s short story.

In this novel,

a young woman learned that her husband died in a railway accident. She wept returned to the

room. Slowly,

she began to realize their soul changes: “she whispered, ?free, free, free! ?... she

know in spent a long time after the pain, she will complete her own.” Then, without warning,

she did not take the train?s husband, open the door came in. When she saw him

, her heart stops

beating. Around her everyone thinks she was happy will like this.

Is she really happy to hear

the news that her husband is dead?

This

article

is

a

feminist

novel.

Male

chauvinist

led

to

sexual

inequality,

feminism

advocates

also

should

avoid

too

extreme

tendency

(such

as

novel

transcendence

of

male

fantasy). We even western social feminism and the ultimate goal of equality for all (real sense

of equality). Not any party surpassed and superior.

II. The social background of Feminist Consciousness

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黑龙江外国语学院

2012-2013

学年

第

1

学期

Term 1

2012-20123Academic Year

Heilongjiang International University

Overall, the United States in the 19

th

century, legal, religious and traditional practices strict

restrictions on women, especially Southern women?s rights.

They could not vote, cannot make

their

voices

heard

in

the

political

sphere;

most

of

the

work

refused

to

hire

female

staff,

the

majority of women can only perform household chores; proportion of educated women is far

lower than that of men. Ethical, Southern women are more bound and repressed. According to

Southern tradition, women are the incarnation of virtue. They are full of compassion, tolerance,

patience, loyalty obedience. They are bound in the moral paradigm throne, worshiped by others.

For

married

women,

the

society

has

given

them

more

bondage.

For

example:

many

states

expressly provide that married women have no right to sign contracts, and cannot own property,

cannot even dispose of their own income. Whatever the reason, if the couple divorce, the wife

cannot get custody of the children. The perfect wife should be submissive, gentle, pious, and

therefore not suitable for the complex and volatile political and business, the best choice is a

wife, mother.

From the mid-19th century, American society has experienced ethnic conflicts,

the Civil War, the abolition of slavery and the highly developed

capitalist economy, people

?

s

thinking

has

also

happened

unprecedented

transformation.

The

women

began

questioning

traditional practices imposed on the role of a woman, issued a challenge to the values of the

patriarchal

society.

Northern

women

first

began

to

fight

for

equal

rights

to

work,

education.

They

believe

that

women

and

men

should

be

equal

access

to

political,

economic,

religious

status, which completely changed the ideological built in the male dominated society. The Civil

War

and

the

abolition

of

slavery

greatly

changed

people

?

s

ideology,

the

northern

growing

feminist movement gradually penetrated into the political and economic activities in the South,

Southern women also began to demand work and education. They called for social reform, to

get

rid

of

the

shackles

of

women

?

s

stereotypes

in

a

patriarchal

society,

against

the

rules

and

prohibitions imposed by society. More and more women with high social status are knocking at

the door to the career which a man who once ruled. Women began to move out of the shadow

of the man, in all aspects of social life as an independent individual.

Kate Chopin is a writer of this era. Of course, her feminist ideology is inextricably linked

with her family environment. She was born in 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri. His father is Irish

descent and his mother was French descent. When she was five years old, his father died in an

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黑龙江外国语学院

2012-2013

学年

第

1

学期

Term 1

2012-20123Academic Year

Heilongjiang International University

accident

when

traveling.

Since

then,

the

young

Kate,

who

lived

with

a

widowed

mother,

a

grandmother

and her

grandmother. Their wisdom, independent and strong, had a tremendous

impact for the Kate character and future creation. Kate has been gender equality in education

and

the

impact

of

feminist

ideas

in

this

family.

In

the

process

of

growing

up,

she

showed

a

strong

rebellion,

and

out

of

tune

with

the

social

requirements

for

women.

At

age

20,

Kate

married Oscar Chopin who was born in a rich family. Oscar Chopin appreciates Kate

?

s sense of

independence

and

intelligence

very

much,

doubly

respected

her

concept

of

freedom

and

equality.

Unfortunately,

proper

middle-aged,

Oscar

Chopin

died

of

malaria,

Kate

began

his

literary creation in the short-term management of her husband's legacy business and was a great

success. In her works, Kate continues to explore the idea of women liberation road, challenge

the

concept

of

equality

and

pursuit

individual

freedom.

This

freedom

is

not

just

physical

liberation,

and

spiritual

independence

and

resistance

for

the

feudal

concept

in

the

male

dominated society.

“The Story of an Hour,”

while not directly accountable to the reader the social background

of the story takes place. But from the context, we can determine Louise is a housewife in high

society,

and

In

real

life

has

always

been

to

suppress

her

individuality.

Before

she

heard

her

husband?s

death which is misinformation, she did not have the opportunity to express views on

their

marriage,

just

obedience

and

tolerant.

When

she

heard

this

rumor

which

as

the

opportunity wake her feminist consciousness. Let her know, though she loved their husbands,

but

most

of

the

time

in

her

marriage

is

not

love.

Combined

with

the

social

reality

of

the

American South in the 19th century, and

the author?s spiritual pursuit

, the sudden awakening of

her

feminist

consciousness

can

be

found

not

only

logical,

but

the

novel

is

full

of

dramatic

change, and therefore more powerful.

III.

The

Creative

Approach

of

the

Performance

of

Female

Consciousness

3.1. Use contrast to highlight the significance of Female Consciousness

Chopin

successfully

use

the

two

sets

of

sharp

contrast,

portrayed

Louise

sudden

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