Kate Chopin

This volume is a biography of American author of short stories and novels, Kate Chopin (1850-1904). She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century. Born in St. Louis, Chopin eventually moved to Louisiana when she married. Left a widow with six children in 1882, she turned to writing for her livelihood, and she was successful until the publication of her controversial novel The Awakening in 1899. This novel is the story of a woman who relinquishes the traditional female role by having an extramarital affair and seeking independence. The author attempts to capture the essence of a woman whose writings veiled the undercurrents of her remarkable life. From the high society of St. Louis to the backwaters of Cloutierville, Louisiana, Chopin was a keen observer and skillful raconteur of the unfolding relationships of men and women. She boldly touched upon topics rarely treated in mainstream literature, and she was ultimately castigated for this.