Kate Chopin was an American feminist fiction writer and a woman ahead of her time. He lived in the socially conservative nineteenth century, but in his stories he wrote about unconventional characters, particularly women, who caused others to question his morality. Similar to the female characters in her stories, Kate Chopin was an independent woman. She often smoked cigarettes or walked the streets unaccompanied; these practices were considered unusual for a nineteenth-century woman to do ("Katherine Chopin"). One critic points out that many of Chopin's stories are characteristic of "independent heroines" and their marital relationships (qtd. in Hicks). “The Story of an Hour” and “The Tempest” are two feminist short stories by Chopin that focus on women and their views on marriage. "The Story of an Hour," published in 1894, highlights woman's self-affirmation when the protagonist, Louise Mallard, rejoices after learning of her husband's death. Unlike most women who may have reacted, Mrs. Mallard does not listen to the story of her husband's death "with a paralyzed inability to accept its meaning", implying that her relationship with her husband was troubled. After all, she isn't shocked by the prospect of being alone. On the contrary, she rejoices when she realizes that she no longer has a husband to impose on her (Hicks). She imagines "a long procession of years that would absolutely belong to her." She would no longer have to sacrifice herself for her husband. She is "free, free, free!" Kate Chopin suggests that marriages in the nineteenth century were dominated by men and women oppressed. By the end of the 19th century, men held most of the power in marriages. Women were uneducated and were only trained in housework. Yo...... middle of paper......&docNum=H1420046600>.Chopin, Kate. "The Storm." About, Inc. 2006. August 2, 2006 library/bl-etexts/kchopin/bl-kchop-thestorm.htm>. ---"The story of an hour." Short stories. 2003. August 2, 2006 com/short-stories/indexframe.html>. Hicks, Jennifer. "An Overview of 'The Story of an Hour'". Short stories for students. 1997. Storm Research. 02 August 2006 edu:2048/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&dcoll=gale&locID=txshracd2563&c=1&ste=47&DT=Criticism&n=10&frmknp=1&docNum=H1420007762>. "Katherine Chopin." Contemporary authors online. 2003. Contemporary authors. 02 August 2006vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=txshracd2563&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=1&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=U13671193&n=10&docNum=H1000017855&ST=Kate+Chopin&bConts=16303>.