Feminist critics have frequently used "The Story of an Hour" to show negative

aspects of the "patriarchal" ideology. Per Seyersted, Chopin's biographer, in his Kate
Chopin: A Critical Biography, adopting a biographical approach, relates Chopin's life
to her stories. Seyersted asserts that the "reason why editors turned down a number of
her stories was very likely that her women became more passionate and
emancipated". He maintains in his Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography (1969) that
"The Story of an Hour" is "an extreme example of the theme of self-assertion".

In the short story, Chopin reveals an important problem women faced in

marital relationships. In "The Story of an Hour" she described the idea that women
were oppressed through unhappy marriages. Through this idea, she wrote that
marriages were institutions that set up barriers upon women. Husbands held the
power and often imposed their will onto their wives. The wives had no other choice
but to bend to the husband's will. Even if the husband were gentle men, women had
no sense of freedom or individuality and were low to men. Unfortunately, women had
no control over their lives, they were slaves whose only main priority was to live for
their owner (husband) rather than themselves. Thus, it brought an unhealthy balance
between both in society and marriage.

Louise was an example of an average housewife who had no choice and

freedom. I guess Kate had connection with the story and the main character. When
Louise felt a moment of sadness of her husbands death and then have it replaced with
happiness, this shows how truly Kate felt when she heard the news of her husbands
death. Even though, "The Story of an Hour" is a fiction story, it speaks vivid about
the life of women in the late 19th century.

In William Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily,' the protagonist, Emily, feels
oppressed by her position in patriarchal society.

The story is told from one of Emily's neighbors who describes the men as
being dutiful and the women as gossiping housewives.

The town has a long tradition of placing its residents in gender-specific roles,
including a former mayor who "fathered the edict that no Negro woman should
appear on the streets without an apron." The same mayor makes a deal with Emily's
father regarding a loan in exchange for future taxes that "only a woman could have
believed," leaving the impression that women are thought to be gullible, less
intelligent, and belonging in the kitchen.

The town also prescribes gender roles to the men, as it is assumed when
Emily's house starts to smell after Emily murders her romantic interest, it must be the
fault of the man-servant, Tobe. The ladies claim, "Just as if a man--any man--could
keep a kitchen properly." Emily and her household show a degree of feminism by
balking at the traditions that society has assigned to each gender.

Throughout Emily's childhood, her overprotective father stands between Emily

and the outside world, placing her "in the background, her father a spraddled
silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of
them framed by the back-flung front door." For this reason, the town blames him
when Emily ends up single and alone. They cannot imagine any other reason why
Emily would not have found a man and settled down per her obligation as a woman.
From this perspective, when her father dies, her neighbors imagine Emily's grief and
denial of her father's death comes because "with nothing left, she would have to cling
to that which had robbed her."

Still, the expectation is that she finds a man that her father would have
approved of. When she begins to see Homer Barron, people are concerned and think,
"Poor Emily. Her kinsfolk should come to her." It is assumed that Emily is unable to
make decisions for herself and needs someone to step in for her after the loss of her
father. Emily has other ideas.

While the expectations are for Emily to do as she is told and continue the
family traditions that have been set forth by her father, Emily does not behave as
expected. When city officials come to her for her taxes, Emily throws them out,
saying, "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Tobe! ...Show these gentlemen out."

The town further attempts to rein her in by shaming Emily's decision on whom
to date. Despite the town's reaction to Homer Barron, Emily "carried her head high
enough" and "demanded more than ever the recognition of her dignity as the last
Grierson." Some of the ladies in town send the Baptist minister to set her straight, but
after one visit, he never returns.