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About Author
Kate Chopin, original name Katherine O’Flaherty (1851- 1904) was an American novelist and short-story writer. She was born and brought up in St. Louis and lived in New Orleans after getting married to Oscar Chopin. Her first novel At Fault appeared in 1890 and the second novel The Awakening in 1899. She wrote more than 100 short stories and among them, ‘Disiree’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 connotations and her novel The Awakening was condemned for its sexual frankness and the publishers had refrained from publishing it. Later after 1950, her works were 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).
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.
Characters:
1) Gaston-husband of Mrs. Baroda
2) Mrs. Baroda – wife of Gaston
3) Gouvernail-college friend of Gaston (journalist)
Summary
The story “A Respectable Woman” was written by Kate Chopin. She was an American novelist and short-story writer. 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 moves from exposition to rising action and then to climax and resolution.
Gaston said to Mrs. Baroda that he was going to call his friend Gouvernail for a week or two on the plantation. After listening to her husband, she was sad because she wanted some rest after working hard all winter. Gouvernail was a man she had heard much of but never seen. He was her husband’s college friend and now a journalist. Then she unconsciously formed an image of him in her mind. She pictured him tall and slim with eyeglasses; and his hands in his pockets. She didn’t like him.
But Gouvernail was far different from her image. He was slim enough, but he wasn’t very tall; 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. But Gouvernail didn’t show any traits (character) and sat mute before her chatty eagerness. His manner was courteous toward her. He sat on the shade of the pillar and listened attentively to Gaston’s experience about sugar plantations with smoking. She was puzzled about Gouvernail because of his abnormal behavior. Gouvernail felt complete satisfaction as the air swept across the sugarcane field touching his body. He didn’t care to fish and showed any eagerness to go out and kill grosbecs (a type of bird) when Gaston proposed doing so.
Gouvernail’s personality puzzled Mrs. Baroda but she liked him. Indeed he was a lovable, inoffensive (not harmful) fellow. So she liked her. Gouvernail paid no attention to her which irritated her. In this mood, she left her husband and her guest alone together. One day, she asked her husband when Gouvernail was going. Her husband was a little shocked and asked her that Gouvernail gave no trouble to her. Then she told him that Gouvernail was not like others. If he was like others, she had to plan for his comfort and enjoyment. But he always lived separately. He was not interesting. Her husband told that he called Gouvernail on the plantation to take a rest from his busy overwork schedule. So, he didn’t want any disturbance on Gouvernail. After that Mrs. Baroda told her husband that she was going to city in the morning to have her spring gowns fitted and She would sit at her Aunt Octavie’s. She also warned him not to call her until Gouvernail went back.
On that night, she went and sat alone upon a bench of oak tree thinking about Gouvernail. She thought that why she was so confused. After some time, Gouvernail came and sat beside her and gave her a white scarf which was given by her husband ‘Gaston’. Gouvernail talked to her in a murmured voice. 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 dark night. She wanted to draw close to him and whisper against his cheek. But social conviction pushed her not to do it. She thought that she is a respectful woman. It is not good to betray Gaston, her husband. After that, she left Gouvernail there alone and she came home.
She wanted to tell all his folly to her husband but she can’t do it being a respectful woman. She thought 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 in the morning. She did not return till Gouvernail was gone from under her roof. She returned home when Gouvernail 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 herself proposed to her husband to invite Gouvernail to visit again. Her husband was surprised and delighted with her suggestion. He said that he was glad to know that finally she overcame her dislike toward Gouvernail. She replied that she had overcome everything and this time she would be very nice to him.
Understanding the text
Answer the following questions
1. Why was Mrs. Baroda unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm?
Ans: Mrs. Baroda was unhappy with the information about Gouvernail’s visit to their farm because she wanted to take some rest after working hard all day in winter.
2. How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s expectation?
Ans: Mrs. Baroda had expected that Gouvernail should be tall, slim with eyeglasses and his hands in his pockets. But Gouvernail was far different from her expectation. He was slim enough, but he wasn’t very tall. Neither he wore eyeglasses nor carry his hands in his pockets. She liked him when she met him first.
3. How does Mrs. Baroda compare Gouvernail with her husband?
Ans: Mrs. Bardoa thinks Gaouvernail is obviously attractive, calm, and lovable but he is not interesting, adaptive, friendly, and funny like her husband, Gaston. She couldn’t find any brilliant and promising qualities about him like her husband. Her husband is talkative and expressive but he is silent. Despite his courtesy, Mrs. Baroda finds Gouvernail unsociable in comparison to her husband because he does not pay attention to her.
4. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda try to change Gouvernail’s solitary (lonely) habits?
Ans: Mrs. Baroda tried to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits because she wants to make Gouvernail more talkative, interesting, and friendly. She tried to change Gouvernail’s solitary habits by drawing his attention to her but she did not get success.
5. How does Gaston disagree with his wife on Gouvernail’s character?
Ans: Mrs. Baroda says that Gouvernail is not friendly, talkative and interesting. She further says that he is shy and wants to live separately. But Gaston disagrees with his wife and claims that Gouvernail is remarkable, talkative, friendly, and sociable figure and she should treat him like the way she did before.
6. Why is Gaston surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story?
Ans: Gaston is surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story because she herself proposed to her husband to invite Gouvernail to visit again before the year ended which Gaston has never expected from her.
Reference to the context
1. What is the cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind? What role does Mrs. Baroda ‘being a respectable woman’ play in the story?
Ans: The attraction towards Gouvernail is the main cause of conflict in Mrs. Baroda’s mind. She wanted to touch him with the sensitive tips of her fingers upon the face or the lips in the dark night. She wanted to draw him close to her and whisper against his cheek. But She controls her urges (a strong desire) thinking her as a respectable woman. Perhaps she is afraid of what the society might think of her.
2. Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.
Ans: Gouvernail is a journalist who is busy with his job. He is slim enough. His manner is courteous towards others. He is quiet, unfriendly, and wants to live separately. He is not interesting. Indeed he is a lovable, inoffensive (not harmful) fellow. Mrs. Baroda likes him but Gouvernail pays no attention to her which irritates her. But Gaston is talkative and friendly. Gaston is sociable but Gouvernail is not as sociable as Gaston since he does not pay enough attention to the people around him.
3. Why does Mrs. Baroda not disclose (show) her feelings towards Gouvernail to her husband?
Ans: Mrs. Baroda seems to be attracted to Gouvernail but she does not disclose her feeling towards Gouvernail to her husband because she is a sensible and respectful woman. She has a fear of society’s conviction (belief). She is well aware that society would view her action as inappropriate and unacceptable behavoiur for a married woman. She has also a fear that this may ruin her marital relationship with husband.
4. The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. After reading these three sentences, how do you analyze Mrs. Baroda’s attitude towards Gouvernail?
Ans: The last three sentences of the story bring a kind of twist. Mrs. Baroda liked Gouvernail but due to the fear of society and fear of loss of her respect she didn’t want Gouvernail to come in their house. But last she proposed, wholly from herself, to have Gouvernail visit them again. She said to her husband, “I have overcome everything! You will see. This time I shall be very nice to him”. After reading this I think Mrs. Baroda has overcome the fear of society. And now, she will not control herself and will flow with her emotion. I think she will do everything what her heart wants to do with Gouvernail as she has said that she will be nice to him. In another point of view, we can say that she has overcome her feelings and emotions towards Gouvernail and will be normal to him
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