Henry David Thoreau famously said that “the mass of men lead lives of silent desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation." When we compare and contrast these two stories, "The Story of an Hour" and "Desiree's Baby," by Kate Chapin, we learn that this sentiment can be especially true for women. Kate Chapin uses “The Story of an Hour” and “Desiree's Baby” to boldly explore women's social inequalities in marriage and divorce. The combination of these two stories highlights that despite the presence of love, not all marriages are happy and not all divorces are sad. In "Desiree's Baby", Desiree married for love and wishes to stay married and, through no fault of her own, is forced to divorce. In contrast, “The Story of an Hour” is about Louise, who married out of social obligation and wants to divorce, but is forced to stay married. Both women are forced to follow paths not of their own choosing and to submit to the rules established by a male-dominated society. Despite society's tendency to romanticize marriage, many women find marriage to be a limiting burden; for others, marriage may be their only chance at life. Since time immemorial, society has had a long tradition of double standards in its treatment of gender roles. Men were judged more by their resources. Their business and social connections constituted their reputation and they were treated as individual persons regardless of their marital status. On the contrary, a woman's very identity depended on her bond with a man and his social position. For women, marriage and children were the only way to have a happy and meaningful life. It was unthinkable for a woman not to marry. Single women were sometimes seen… in the center of the card… showing us that the choices for women in marriage were limited and limiting in their scope and consequences. As can be seen, it was a choice between honoring the private will of the self and honoring the traditions and needs of society as a whole. Women were subject to conditions set by the householder and due to the social inequality of women as a gender class; few have fought the cord that tied them to home, hearth and husband, despite these dysfunctions. They simply resigned themselves to having no choice. Works Cited Chapin, Kate. "Desiree's baby." Heath's Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Concise ed. Boston: Houghton, 2004. 1522. Print.Chapin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Heath's Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Concise ed. Boston: Houghton, 2004 1524. Print