Female Sexuality Desire in Chopins The Storm Essays

Female Sexuality Desire in Chopins The Storm In Kate Chopins time traditional patriarchal notions about women and sexuality deemed sexual passion a negligible, even improper, aspect of womens lives. Yet Chopin boldly addresses a womans sexual desire in her short story The Storm. This story shockingly details a torrid extramarital sexual encounter between Calixta and Alcee` in the midst of a raging storm. While this story line could have been presented in a traditional light, perhaps as a lesson about the evils of uninhibited female sexuality, Chopin maintains a non-judgmental stance by refraining from moralizing about the sanctity of marriage or impropriety of Calixtas actions. In failing to condemn and even†¦show more content†¦The brief description of the brewing storm and the close, humid heat emanating from and surrounding Calixta establish an almost palpable sensuality early in the story. This conceit of the storm continues throughout much of the story with the storms crescendo symbolizing a climax in Calixta and Alcee`s sexual encounter. At first, the obvious desire between the pair is sublimated into a nervous tension, and the effort to restrain their physical longing for the sake of social mores is paramount. Calixta exclaims, If this keeps up, Dieu sait if the levees goin to stan it, which is symbolically indicative of the growing force of their passion and the weakening of their resistance before that passion. A blinding bolt of lightening breaks the lovers nervous tension, much as it splits through the air and strikes the chinaberry tree. This violent crash precipitates Calixta and Alcee`s first embrace and kiss, and the affair that ensues vividly matches the progress of the raging storm. The storm reaches a crescendo, which Calixta views as a delightful counterpart to their passionate love-making, for, they did not heed the crashing torrents, and the roar of th e elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms (284). To make the parallel between the storm and Alcee and Calixtas affair particularly evident, Chopin consistently uses this conceit until the end of the encounter, for the thunderShow MoreRelatedThe Storm by Kate Chopin1238 Words   |  5 Pagesabout whatever she sees. Kate has many Wonderful stories such as, (The Storm, Desiree’s Baby, A Pair of Silk Stocking, A Respectable Woman, and The Story of an Hour). There is one story in particular that catches my mind which is â€Å"The Storm†. 0In Kate chopins era, women are seen as nothing more than a wife and have to stay with their husband for life. Chopin shows a dramatic scene between Alcee and Calixta during the time of a storm that is passing by. Chopin states a non judgemental spot about refrainingRead MoreThe Unique Style Of Kate Chopin s Writing1603 Words   |  7 Pagesstyle of Kate Chopin’s writing has influenced and paved the way for many female autho rs. Although not verbally, Kate Chopin aired political and social issues affecting women and challenging the validity of such restrictions through fiction. Kate Chopin, a feminist in her time, prevailed against the notion that a woman’s purpose was to only be a housewife and nothing more. Kate Chopin fortified the importance of women empowerment, self-expression, self-assertion, and female sexuality through creativityRead MoreKate Chopin s The Storm1623 Words   |  7 Pages Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm† Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"The Storm† was written almost at the same time as â€Å"The Awakening,† but the author has not dared to publish it. The story encompasses deep social problems important for the nineteenth century, including women’s rights and women’s sexuality. The plot of â€Å"The Storm† is sequel to â€Å"At the ‘Cadian ball,† published almost six years earlier, although the characters have obtained different features and behavioral patterns. Kate Chopin was born in 1851Read More The Writing Style and Beliefs of Kate Chopin Essay example2035 Words   |  9 Pagesdared to write her thoughts on topics considered radical: the institution of marriage and womens desire for social, economic, and political equality. With a focus on the reality of relationships between men and women, she draws stunning and intelligent characters in a rich and bold writing style that was not accepted because it was so far ahead of its time. She risked her reputation by creating female heroines as independent women who wish to receive sexual and emotional fulfillment, an idea unheardRead MoreLeo Haines. Professor Capozzi. Research Paper. April 29,1518 Words   |  7 Pagesthe theme of feminism in her stories, â€Å"The Awakening†, â€Å"The Storm†, and â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† where she illustrates the use of the feminist movement and where she describes women’s sexualaity in her writings. During Kate Chopin’s time, feminism was not much different than it is today. Most feminists wanted the same thing, which is basic equality, but Kate was often ridiculed for her opinion that all women just had the same thing, desires and dreams. Kates writing work was mainly determined by observationsRead MoreNurse2025 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å" Common Themes Found in Kate Chopins Short Stories Kimberley J. Dorsey Stevenson University English 152, Writing About Literature 152-OME1 Charlotte Wulf November 14, 2010 Abstract Many of Kate Chopin’s short stories share the common themes of female oppression. The females in her stories are trying to find a way to escape their oppression and have a sense freedom and individuality. TheyRead MoreStory of Nature Desire: The Storm by Kate Chopin1288 Words   |  6 PagesKate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm†: Story of Nature Desire Naturalism is about bringing humans into the â€Å"natural world†. We, as humans, are seen as aspects of nature collectively not separate like they once were. â€Å"Naturalism holds that everything we are and do is connected to the rest of the world and derived from conditions that precede us and surround us. Each of us is an unfolding natural process, and every aspect of that process is caused, and is a cause itself † (â€Å"A Guide for Naturalism†). Humans areRead More`` The Chrysanthemums `` By Kate Chopin1359 Words   |  6 Pagescertainly changed. In Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm† and John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, both written approximately during the 19th century, the characters of both stories depict unfaithfulness in their marriages. Through the use of the plot, imagery, and the 19th century time period, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"The Storm† depict a revolutionary era in which women not ac cept their sexual desires but act on it. In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Steinbeck’s use of imagery paints his female character, Elisa AllenRead More The Awakening by Kate Chopin Essay2440 Words   |  10 Pages Kate Chopin is one of the first female writers to address female issues, primarily sexuality. Chopin declares that women are capable of overt sexuality in which they explore and enjoy their sexuality. Chopin shows that her women are capable of loving more than one man at a time. They are not only attractive but sexually attracted (Ziff 148). Two of Chopin’s stories that reflect this attitude of sexuality are The Awakening and one of her short stories â€Å"The Storm†. Although critics now acclaim theseRead MoreResearch Paper on Kate Chopin and Her Works2380 Words   |  10 Pagesauthor was alienated from certain social circles in St. Louis. The novel also contributed to rejections of Chopins later stories including, The Story of An Hour and The Storm. The heavy criticism that she endured for the novel hindered her writing. The male dominated world was simply not ready for such an honest exploration of female independence, a frank cataloguing of a womans desires and her search for fulfillment outside of the institution of marriage. Chopin, fatherless at four, was

How are characters presented as disturbed in Macbeth,...

It is important to be able to define what ‘disturbed’ actually means in order to answer this question to a high standard of explanation. Disturbed is an adjective and it is the showing of symptoms of mental illness, severe psychosis and neurosis. It is also useful to consider the audiences of each poem or play to elaborate on explanations. Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is set during the eleventh century is about the emotional manipulation of individuals and the lust for power and the upmost authority over a victorious Scotland featuring an Elizabethan audience whereas Robert Browning’s poems, Laboratory and My Last Duchess, is about the overcoming of jealously and betrayal set during the Victorian era with a Victorian audience.†¦show more content†¦The fact that Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to commit sacrilege is, without saying, disturbing because the King (especially at that time) is Gods representative and killing God just to achieve power is so insane that you could argue that she is ‘demon possessed’. Macbeth and the poem Laboratory are both similar in terms of the unusual language used, â€Å"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow†, a quote by Macbeth in his final soliloquy, in act five, scene five, before to his soliloquy Lady Macbeth had committed suicide which was inevitably an act of sin and therefore ‘the afterlife’ would be spend in hell for eternity â€Å"Weld jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here†, which meant Macbeth and Lady Macbeth (at least Macbeth) were both aware that they had committed felonies during their current life including sacrilege giving the idea that Macbeth was aware of his wrongdoings telling us that Macbeth was not psychotically weak but instead attempted to improvise the situation so at least he had something to live for. This also gives the audience sympathy for Macbeth because he is able to rationalize his opinions an d justifications. The persona uses similar unusual language to Macbeth â€Å"And her breasts and her arms should drop dead!† Stanza six, the repetition of the connective ‘and’ in the Macbeth and the Laboratory poem is used to emphasis their feelings and emotions. In addition to this the

The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic Free Essays

R. Griffin Professor Terry HIST 101 26 May 2010 The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic To this day, there have been few governmental declines comparable to that of the Roman Republic. Once a thriving republic with an established system of government, Rome was the first society in which any free citizen could have a say, directly or indirectly, in governmental actions and decisions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic or any similar topic only for you Order Now For years, this stability of the government corresponded to several conquests, and the future of the Republic appeared to be very bright; however, increasing economic, social, and political issues tore apart a government, which appeared to be flawless. The events that directly led to Rome’s relapse from a thriving republic years ahead of its time, with divided power and stability, to a chaotic system of government consisting of dictators and frequent turmoil provide a clear example of the misuse of power by several individuals. This research will explain the events and circumstances that directly lead to the decline of the Roman republic. By 287 B. C. Rome had created a governmental system years ahead of it’s time. Rome modified this political system several times over the years in order to deal with internal conflicts and managed to establish a complex, yet organized government. The Romans had a clear concept of executive authority, embodied in their word, imperium, or ‘the right to command’† (Spielvogel 117). Atop the chain of command were the two consuls and praetor. These elected officials served one-year terms, with the consuls having a military focus and the praetor having a political focus. A s the Roman republic expanded, pro-praetors and pro-consuls, who previously served as consuls and praetors, were also appointed to govern the Roman provinces. Furthermore, Administrators, or officials with specialized duties helped assisting the Consuls and Praetor. Quaestors were in charge of overseeing financial affairs. Aediles supervised the games. Also, Censors were appointed to gather an assessment of the population. The main purpose of establishing this position was to aid in formulating taxes. A major modification that solidified Rome as a governed republic was the addition of the senate. It consisted of three hundred advising elders who served life-long terms. Since they did not have legislative authority, they could not make laws. Finally, the Centuriate Assembly contained high ranking Roman army officers functioning in a political role. â€Å"By any reasonable standards the constitution worked smoothly. There was no interruption in the annual election of office holders, and not a single Roman is known to have been killed, or even injured, in political violence during the period† (Millar 2). The Roman population consisted of the Patricians and Plebeians, with the plebs being the majority. The Plebeians, who were underprivileged and poor, opposed the aristocratic patricians because they did not have the same rights as them. Moreover, the patricians controlled the entire government, and the hard-working farmers and small landowners of the plebeian group could not hold office and have someone to represent them politically. When the plebs became tired of the inequality of the government they essentially went on strike and left Rome. â€Å"The patricians, realizing that they could not defend Rome by themselves, were forced to compromise. Two new officials known as the tribunes of the plebs were instituted. These tribunes were given the power to protect the plebeians from arrest by patrician magistrates. Moreover, a new popular assembly for plebeians only, called the council of the plebs, was created in 471 B. C. † (Spievogel 118). This allowed the plebs to make governmental proposals, but they still did not have a true voice in the government. For the next two hundred seven years, more rights were granted to plebeians, and â€Å"by 287 B. C. all Roman citizens were equal under the law, and could strive for political office† (Spievogel 120). By now the republic had adopted the Plebiscite, which were laws created by the plebs. For the next one hundred fifty-four years, the Roman Republic thrived, making several conquests, while also establishing allies. Rome and its neighbors of the Italian peninsula were seemingly in a constant feud, which eventually led to a series of battles and wars and â€Å"by 267 B. C. the Romans completed their conquest of southern Italy. After crushing the remaining Etruscan states to the north, Rome had conquered all of Italy, except the extreme north, by 264 B. C. † (Spievogel 120). Rome also established many allies along the way: â€Å"To rule Italy, the Romans devised the Roman confederation in 338 B. C. Under this system, Rome allowed some peoples (especially the Latins) to have full Roman citizenship. Most of the remaining communities were made allies† (Spievogel 120). With the use of these allies and the powerful Roman army, the Romans faced little opposition in conquering Italy. In the course of their expansion throughout Italy, the Romans pursued consistent policies that help explain their success. The Romans excelled at making the correct diplomatic decisions†¦. Though firm and even cruel when necessary, rebellions were crushed without mercy† (Spievogel 120). Incorporating similar strategy that they used in conquering the Italian peninsula, the Romans success continued in their conquest of the majority vast Mediterranean islands and coastlines. Among these conquests were the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, Spain, Macedonia, Carthage, and Pergamum. At this point, almost the entire Mediterranean Sea was controlled Roman Republic, while the government and military continued to be run effectively, But things would soon change. According to Spievogel, due to a snowball effect of social, economic and political issues the decline and fall of the Roman Republic began around 133 B. C. As previously stated, the plebeians and patricians were eventually made equal in all aspects of Roman government and livelihood; however â€Å"the magistracies and senate were increasingly controlled by a relatively select circle of wealthy and powerful families – both patrician and plebeian – called the nobles. From 233 – 133 B. C. , eighty percent of the consuls came from twenty-six families† (Spievogel 134). The voice of the public was becoming muted, which is always a gateway to rebellion and uprising. Like most civilizations before them, the Romans were built on agriculture and farming by individual landowners. These farmers made up the majority of the Roman army as well. â€Å"In order to win the Punic wars, Rome had to increase the term of military service to six years. Now when the soldiers returned after many years of service abroad, they found their farms so deteriorated, that they chose to sell out instead of remaining on the land† (Spievogel 136). The aristocrats also began to accumulate this land and hired slaves to produce a variety of crops that the independent farmers couldn’t compete with. Farmers continued to lose money and property. Consequently, the cities became crowded with these ex-farmers, serving as day laborers. â€Å"This new class of urban proletariat formed a highly unsustainable mass. Thus Rome’s economic, social, and political problems were serious and needed attention† (Spievogel 136). Tiberius Gracchus wanted to fix the growing problem of landless farmers in Rome, thinking it would solve many of the issues causing Rome’s decline. When he was elected as one of the tribunes of the plebs, he passed a bill whereby the government would divide the public land, used by large landowners, among the landless farmers. â€Å"Many senators, themselves large landowners whose estates included tracts of public land, were furious, and a group of them took the law into their own hands and assassinated Tiberius† (Spievogel 136). The death of Tiberius marked the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic. For the next one hundred years, the chaotic Roman government saw more assassinations, dictators, and rebellions. An excerpt from â€Å"Julius Caesar† reads, â€Å"Our first glimpse of Caesar’s Rome shows the tribunes, whose ancient office had been established to protect the people against the nobility’s arrogance, now apparently forced to defend the republic against the people themselves† (Blits 42). Although Rome revolutionized government with a complex, and effective system that is still used as a basis for many governments, it proved to be vulnerable to increasing economic, social, and political issues, which brought about the republics destruction. These events that directly led to Rome’s relapse from a thriving democracy years ahead of its time, with divided power and stability, to a chaotic system of government consisting of dictators and frequent turmoil provide a clear example of the overzealous quest for and misuse of power by several individuals. Sources Blits, Jan H. â€Å"Caesarism and the End of Republican Rome: Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene I. † The Journal of Politics 43. 1 (1981): 40-55. JSTOR. Web. 25 May 2010. Millar, Fergus. â€Å"The Political Character of the Classical Roman Republic, 200-151 B. C. † The Journal of Roman Studies 74 (1984): 1-19. JSTOR. Web. 25 May 2010. Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2009. Print. How to cite The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic, Papers