Class 12 English Lesson 2 Story: A Respectable Woman: Kate Chopin Literature Section

 

Lesson 2 Story: ‘A Respectable Woman’ by Kate Chopin

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Author of the Story

Kate Chopin was an American novelist and short-story writer. Her first novel, “At Fault,” appeared in 1890 and her second novel, “The Awakening,” in 1899. She wrote more than 100 short stories and among them, ‘Desiree’s Baby’, ‘Madame Celestin’s Divorce’ and ‘A Respectable Woman’ are more anthologized than others. The language in her novels and short stories is full of sexual implications and her novel ‘The Awakening’ was criticized for its sexual frankness and the publishers refrained from publishing it. 

Characters of the Story

·         Mrs. Baroda as a main character

·       Gouvernail: Journalist, a college friend of Mrs. Baroda's husband. His name in French means a rudder, a tiller, with the implication that he is someone who knows the direction, who understands where things are headed. ...

·         Gaston Baroda: Mrs. Baroda's husband.

The Theme of the Story

The short story ‘A Respectable Woman is structured around the character of Mrs. Baroda and her inner conflict as she finds herself attracted to her husband’s friend. The conflict follows the pattern of classical fiction and moves from exposition to rising action and then to climax and resolution.

Summary of the Story

The story ‘ ‘A Respectable Woman‘ was written by Kate Chopin. She was an American novelist and short-story writer. The language in her novels and short stories is full of sexual connotations and her novel ‘The Awakening’ was criticized for its sexual frankness and the publishers refrained from publishing it. Later in 1950, the novel ‘The Awakening’ was reinterpreted and she was praised for depicting modern sensibility. The story ‘A Respectable Woman is taken out from her collection ‘The Awakening and Other Short Stories (2005)’.

At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Baroda annoyed after listening to her husband is going to call his friend Gouvernail for a few weeks or days on the plantation. Because she wanted some rest after working hard all winter. After listening to it, private conservation was held with her husband. Mrs Baroda had listened to Gouvernail many times but never met him due for some reason. She formed an image of him in her mind. She pictured him tall, slim, cynical; with eyeglasses and his hands in his pockets. So, she didn’t like him. But Gouvernail was far different from her image. He was slim enough, but he wasn’t very tall nor very cynical; neither did he wear eyeglasses nor carry his hands in his pockets. She liked him when she met him first. But she didn’t know why she liked him. To this point, Gouvernail didn’t show any traits of character. 

He sat in the shade of the pillar and listened to Gaston’s experience with sugar plantations with smoking. She was puzzled about Gouvernail because of his abnormal behaviour. Gouvernail felt complete satisfaction and relaxed after the air touches his body which was swept from the sugarcane field. He didn’t show any eagerness to go to kill grosbeaks (a type of bird) and fish when Gaston proposed doing so. He also didn’t show any action when a dog was coming to him to bite. Gouvernail was a person who was quiet, mute, unfriendly, secretive, and wanted to live separately. He was opposed to her husband, Gaston.

Gouvernail’s personality puzzled Mrs Baroda. Indeed, he was a lovable, inoffensive fellow. So, she liked him. In this mood, she left her husband and Gouvernail and walked along the batture thinking that Gouvernail paid no attention which irritated her. She asked her husband when Gouvernail was going. Her husband was a little shocked. He asked her if Gouvernail had not given her any trouble. She told him that he was not like others, he always lived separately. He was not interesting. Her husband told her that he had called him to the plantation to take a rest from his busy overwork schedule. So, he didn’t want any commotion on him. After that Mrs Baroda told her husband she was going to her Aunt, Octavia’s, and called her only when Gouvernail went back.

On that night, she went and sat alone upon a bench that stood beneath a live oak tree at the edge of the gravel walk, thinking about Gouvernail. She thought about why she was so confused, and what was the intention with Gouvernail. She had no answer to it. After some time she listened to the footsteps of Gouvernail. Gouvernail came and sat beside her on the bench and gave her a white scarf that was given by her husband ‘Gaston‘. Gouvernail talked to her in a murmured voice that was not unpleasant to hear. Mrs Baroda knew that his periods in the reserve were not constitutional, but the result of his moods. He talked of the old college days when he and Gaston had been a good deal to each other; of the days of keen and blind ambitions and large intentions. But Mrs Baroda paid no attention to his voice. She wanted to touch him with the sensitive tips of her fingers upon the face or the lips in the night. She wanted to draw close to him and whisper against his cheek. Mrs Baroda wanted all these. But social conviction pushed her away to do it. She thought that she was a respectful woman. It was not good to betray Gaston, her husband. After that, she left Gouvernail alone on the bench and came home.

She wanted to tell all her madness to her husband but she couldn’t do it being a respectful woman. This also shows that she was not only a respectful woman but also a very sensible one. Now, she knew that there are some battles in life that a human being must fight alone. Mrs Baroda took a morning train to the city before arising Gaston. She did not return till Gouvernail had gone from under her roof. She returned home when Gouvernail had departed.

After some months, Gaston again wanted to invite Gouvernail to his plantation but he didn’t do it because of his wife. He thought that his wife would become angry. However, before the year ended, she proposed to her husband to invite Gouvernail to visit again. Her husband was surprised and delighted with the suggestion coming from her and said that he was glad to know that finally she overcame her dislike of his friend and kissed her lips. In the replay, she said that she had overcome everything and this time she would be very nice to him.

Understanding the text: Answer the following questions.

a.      Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm?

Mrs. Baroda was unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm because she was looking for a period of unbroken rest after having worked hard in winter.

b.     How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s expectations?

She had unconsciously formed an image of Gouvernail in her mind but it was wrong. She hoped him to be tall, slim, and cynical with eyeglasses and hands in his pockets. However, he was slim enough but he wasn’t very tall nor cynical; neither did he has glasses nor kept his hands in his pockets.

c.      How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband?

Mrs. Baroda gets Gouvernail less sociable than her husband. She discovered none of the traits found in him as assured by her husband before his arrival.

d.     Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits?

Mrs. Baroda tried to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits by suggesting him be more social, talkative, and adaptable to a new situation.

e.      How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail’s character?

Gaston disagrees with his wife on Gouvernail’s character when she told that Gouvernail was shy, less sociable, and less interesting.

f.       Why is Gaston surprised by his wife’s expression toward the end of the story?

Gaston is surprised by his wife’s expression towards the end of the story because she proposed to herself for his second visit telling him that she will treat him nicely. 

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