‘A RESPECTABLE
WOMAN’
-KATE CHOPIN
PRESENTED BY
NISHA BHANDARI
NISHA CHAUDHARY
A Respectable Woman
- A single phrase which summarizes the entire story,
- It provides insights to the plot and the central conflict of the story,
- Also raises question on who to call a respectable women.
AUTHOR
Kate Chopin
Katherine O’ Flaherty
(Feb 8 1850 -Aug 22
1904)
- American author
- known for her exploration of feminist themes and her
portrayal of women’s struggle in nineteenth century.
- born in St.Louis, MIssouri
- After marrying Oscar Chopin moved to louisiana where
see observed the social dynamics of the time which
greatly influenced her writing.
- Her works often challenged the societal norms and
expectation place on women during that era.
- Her novel ‘The awakening’ tell the story of a married
woman who explores her identity and freedom.
- Her work caused controversies
Society in late 19th century
-Patriarchal
- Gender inequality
-Rigid expectations on women
-Traditional gender roles where women were viewed as a wife and a
mother with limited opportunities for education and employment.
- Property of a man
- Expected to conform to the ideals and submit
- Idealized femininity
- Appearance
-
woman
Women throughout the history have been viewed as this ideal
being,who is pure, giving ,kind to others, selfless, delicate, modest.
Traditional gender roles have often assigned women the responsibility of
maintaining the household, raising children, and supporting their husbands.
These roles have reinforced the expectation that women should prioritize
the needs of their families and communities above their own desires and
ambitions.
Thus, having their own desires was seen as something abnormal and out of
oddinary.
sexual desires
Comparing the view on sexual desires of society on men vs women it is as
far opposite as possible.
In 19th century, it was more acceptable for men to have sexual desires
and it was often associated with masculinity.
In contrast, it was taboo and was considered sinful for the women and it
was often oppressed, and even gynecologist of the time designed
operations and treatments to treat their sexual needs as ‘disorders’.
Themes
Conflict between societal expectations and personal desires.
-Person’s Identity
-Desire Vs Restrain
-Preconcieved NOtions
-Societal norms and freedom
Setting
-The story is set in the late nineteenth century when societal
expectations for women were rigid.
- The story takes place in a wealthy household in Louisiana, reflecting
the social and cultural context of the time.
- THe setting contribute to the tension between societal norms and
personal desires and add depth to te story.
Summary
“A respectable woman” is a short story by Kate Chopin, first published in
1895.The story revolves around Mrs. Baroda, a women of high standing who is
married to Gaston Baroda. They lead a comfortable life in Louisiana. The story
begin when Gaston invites his highschool friend, Gouvernail to stay with them.
Initially, Mrs Baroda shoes uninterest to the Gouvernail but as time progresses
she get strangely attracted to Gouvernail. This attraction confuses her and as a
‘respectable women’ she has no intention of betraying her husband.The story
concludes with Mrs Baroda deciding to leave temporarily and return only after
Gouvernail left their home. It is an open ending story and allows the readers to
have their own understanding to it.
Characters
Mrs. Baroda
- Main character Of the story
- a wealthy,respected woman who conforms
to societal expectations at that time. 1. External respectability
- A respectable woman, a conventional wife.
2 Internal conflicts
All that changes after she realizes her
attraction towards her husband’s friend, 3. Desire for freedom
Gouvernail.
4. Self-reflection
She undergoes an inner conflict between
her desires and societal expectations and 5. Ambiguity and Growth
norms which challenges her identity as a
‘respectable woman’.
Change in times
Mrs.Baroda’s character also signifies the changes in women’s right as
between the time period of 1900s, women started for the right to vote
and began to speak more openly about their rights. Her character growth
signifies emerging sense of individuality and desire for independence.
Gouvernail Mr. Baroda
-Gouvernail is shown as a laid-back and Husband of Mr.Baroda and a fiend of
quiet person, contrasting with Mr. Gouvernail from college.
Baroda more sociable nature. - He is described as kind,caring, with
- He is depicted as a slim,attractive, a more extroverted and sociable
and inoffensive, with no significant personality compared to Gouvernail.
intentions and desires.
-He is surprised by his wife’s changing
Gouvernail’s character symbolizes attitude towards Gouvernail as she
temptation and desire, particularly for initial didn’t like him.
Mrs.Baroda. -He disagrees wit his wife’s negative
perception of Gouvernail.
Mrs. Baroda initially forms a image of
himas a tall,slim and cynical man and is Mr.Baroda character serves as a
not impressed with this image but as contrast to Gouvernail and plays a role
the story progresses her perception of in highlighting Mrs.Baroda’s internal
GOuvernail changes,and she begins to conflicts and changing feelngs.
develop feelings for him.
PLOT
1 Exposition : Intro to character and setting .Mrs.
Baroda and her husband are to receive a guest .
2.The rising action : Gouvernail’s stay, following
Mrs. Baroda’s changing attitude towards him.
3.Climax :when she realizes her overwhelming
physical desire and attraction for Gouvernail.
4. Falling Action : Mrs Baroda leaving early in the
morning where she stays until Gouvernail is gone.
5. Resolution: Mrs Baroda telling her husband that
she has overcome her reservations and is ready to
welcome him back. Shows acceptance of her
complex emotions and hints at her willingness to
confront them,and open-ended conclusion .
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
► Chopin uses Realism and Ambiguous Ending to tackle Themes of ;
► The Search of Female identity
► Identity and Self-Discovery
► The Allure of the unknown .
► Desire and Repression
► Marriage and Fidelity
► Individual vs. Societal Norms
► Emotional Complexities
LITERARY DEVICES
► Irony – Title
► Symbolism - Mrs. Baroda's Shawl: The shawl represents comfort, protection,
and the societal norms.
► Foreshadowing - Early hints suggest Mrs. Baroda's attraction to Gouvernail and
her subsequent struggle. Her initial discomfort and fascination with him
foreshadow her eventual emotional turmoil.
► Imagery - Vivid descriptions of the setting and characters helps to make the
story more realistic and rich .
► Paradox - Mrs. Baroda's simultaneous attraction to and repulsion from
Gouvernail creates a paradox .
► Narrative Perspective - The story is told from a third-person limited point of
view, showing Mrs. Baroda's thoughts and emotions only .
Symbols
► The white scarf that Gouvernail brings to Mrs. Baroda at the request of her
husband is a physical reminder of her marriage and her role within it.
► The Garden: The garden in the story symbolizes temptation and the natural
desires that Mrs. Baroda experiences.
THE CHARACTERS NAME ;
⮚ Mrs. Baroda: The name "Baroda" could be linked to the French word
"baroudeur," which means a fighter or adventurer.Though her real name isn’t
revealed throught the story.
⮚ Gaston Baroda: Gaston's name may derive from old French origins meaning
"guest" or "stranger." This aligns with his role in the story, as he introduces an
outsider into his house.
⮚ Gouvernail: His name means "rudder" or "helm" in French, which could
symbolize his role in steering Mrs. Baroda's emotions and thoughts in a new
direction.
PRESENT RELEVANCE
► Gender Roles and Societal Expectations - The exploration of gender roles and
societal expectations continues to be a pressing issue today.
► Feminist Perspectives: The story is often examined through a feminist lens,
exploring how it highlights the constraints and expectations placed on women.
► Cultural Critique: The story can be seen as a critique of the cultural norms that
limit individual freedom, making it relevant in a modern context where there is
ongoing debate about societal norms and individual rights.
► Psychological Insights: The detailed exploration of Mrs. Baroda's inner life provides
psychological insights about paradoxical human emotions .
► "A Respectable Woman" remains highly relevant in the modern era due to its
exploration themes related to gender roles, individual desires versus societal
norms, marriage, fidelity, identity, emotional complexity, and power dynamics in
relationships.
