Essay The Sexual Liberation of Early 20th Century

11121106 何姗 The Sexual Liberation of Early 20th Century In this semester, we have a course called “British and American Short Stories Appreciation”. By taking that class, I read three outstanding masterpieces. They are Story of an Hour, Araby and A rose for Emily. I found there is something in common for the three novels. Accordingly, I will compare these three novels respectively. In Story of an Hour and A rose for Emily, the heroes of the story are women. As for the another group, the theme of Araby and A rose for Emily are both included sexual desire and sexual fantasy under the severe social and religion atmosphere. By comparing these three novels, I find out some conclusions about the people’s attitudes towards emotional demands at that time. (1) Story of an Hour 1894, Story of an Hour was published. The novel tells us a woman who had a heart trouble heard the grievous news that his husband was passed away just now. From the text of Story of an Hour, the hero’s emotional line is from grief, exhaustion, peace, monstrous joy, her fancy, feverish triumph to extreme disappointment. We can easily find that Mrs. Mallard is never fully satisfied about her husband. She never feels to be loved, maybe. When Mr. Mallard was alive, she never enjoyed the pleasure of love from him. And now, the only man who has the possibility to fulfill her dream or desire has gone as well. I think that is the reason why she cried at first, for her dead husband, also for herself. Then, But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome. (P5)

She feels joy and excitement, which stands for not only the envision of

the new life but also the emancipation of her nature. She longs for the life which is full of pleasure, love and passion. After realizing her situation, she can not help giving free rein to her imagination. There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending her in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. (P5)

How eagerly she wants her life would be and how deep disappointment

she lives in now! Then, she thinks the action is “no less a crime”(P5), which infers she suffers a cruel and miserable life. If her husband’s conduct is like a crime, then, she is the victim to bear all these unfair treatment. At last, when Mr. Mallard came back, she just disintegrated because all her imagination has fell through. All in all, in Mrs. Mallard’s age, She prefers inhibits her inner desire, which is to be loved, rather than expressing her feeling and emotional demands freely. What’s a tragedy! (2) A rose for Emily Nearly three decades had gone, in 1930, A rose for Emily was published. It is a story about a noble lady who “gains the perpetual love”. Emily lived with her father in her childhood. After her father’s death, she led a lonely life. Then, she met a charming young fellow and fell in loved with him. However, she murdered her husband (fiance) to own him. I think Homer Barron is just the sacrificial lamb of Emily’s emotional deeds. After Emily’s father passed away, she needs a substitute to appease herself. From the novel, I can not tell how much Emily loves Homer Barron. One the contrary, I reckon it is just the possessive instinct that drives her to date with him. Because Emily is a faded gentility and she believes she has a kind of privilege in the town, she believes she can decide anyone’s fate. In addition, Homer Barron is a total stranger from the north. He is full of energy, has a good sense of humor, and can be eye-catching among people. She can’t tell the differences between love and novelty. So, she just “fell in love with him” and brought some washing things for Homer Barron. But the emotion which Emily shows to Barron is not love, even not infatuation. Emily just wants to show the people that she can master the guy, which is a signal that indicates not only she has the ability to do anything she wants to demonstrate she is still powerful but also win the battle between North and South in her district to continue keeping the noble dignity. As for happiness and pleasure, they just not that matter. For the same reason, she murdered Homer Barron when he said “that he was not a marrying man”(P48). The crazy action is not out of love, but out of a kind of self-deceiving noble dignity. Therefore, she does not gain the sweetness of love, although she slept with her husband for a long time. And The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love.(P51)