| Hailed as a feminist writer by modern critics, Chopin did not consider herself a feminist by nineteenth century traditional standards. She, instead, was an individual who was willing to challenge the cultural norms of her day by writing with unique artistic style and by focusing on non-traditional themes. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the author Kate Chopin was not a feminist by definition, but she was a writer who broke social norms and expectations of the culture of nineteenth century America.; The work of Chopin was banned for decades and her writing was unknown to the American literary tradition until 1969 when Per Seyersted published Chopin's biography and some of her works. Since that time, her work has been examined, celebrated and has influenced the American Literature Canon. From a comprehensive review of literature available, the works and life of Kate Chopin demonstrate that she was a woman before her time. |
