Ernest Hemingway: Unrealistic Expectations Of Women

American Literature
October 6, 2013

Unrealistic Expectations The beginning of the 1900s saw the development of the downtrodden American. The Industrial Revolution had forced farmers into factories and destroyed the conventions of relationships. Recreational prostitution became exercise as an excuse to keep wives happy and rampant venereal diseases ripped through the middle class. In reaction to these developments the responsibilities of women began to shift. Instead of placing the responsibility on men to stay away from vices, suddenly it was the unrealistic expectation of women to create a home so perfect that it kept men from straying. Authors of the time contributed work that offered a social commentary on the guidelines given to the women of these times. Ernest Hemingway
created a portrait of the ideal wife in “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” while Henry James in “Daisy Miller: A Study” provided a look at the consequences for a woman who did not adhere to the Victorian standard, and on the opposite side of the spectrum Kate Chopin criticized the expectations that burdened women in her work “The Storm.” A responsibility of women in the early 1900s was to act as a faithful wife. The only character in the three works mentioned who accomplished this was Helen in “Snows of Kilimanjaro.” Her husband insulted her, told her that he never loved her, and then died; but even while he insulted her Helen remained loving and faithful. At one point her husband went so far as to admit that the only thing he enjoyed was hurting her and Helen’s response was, “No, that’s not true. You liked to do many things and everything you wanted to do I did.” (Hemmingway 1025) It was not her place to get angry about unkind words from her husband; it was her job to obediently enjoy the things he enjoyed. Helen was verbally abused and lost a husband, but because she behaved as a proper wife Hemingway gave her a kind end.
Alternatively, in “Daisy Miller: A Study,” Daisy was a wild girl who kept the company of many men without the intention of settling down. She spurned the love of Winterbourne and instead hung around a stray man (one that also wanted to marry her) who she walked unabashedly in public with, arm in arm. Daisy had multiple prospects of marriage, but she did something unthinkable for the time and refused them all. The author judged the behavior and personality of Daisy by using Winterbourne’s aunt as a commentator. Winterbourne asked his aunt if she could accept Daisy (because she was beautiful and he wanted to be around her for that reason) and the aunt (who was more concerned with her behavior) concluded, “I can’t, my dear Frederick. I would if I could, but I can’t.” (James 336) Even though Winterbourne begged his aunt to approve of this beautiful girl he was so taken with she refused because, though she had money, she acted “common.” The traits that made Daisy unusual were the same traits that led to her ultimate death after an excursion to the coliseum around malaria ridden mosquitos. Because she was an atypical woman with no intent of settling down, James condemned her to a tragic death. Between these two works the character that was able to keep her good name, her life, and her wealth, was the woman who adhered to the standard and acted as a wife of the time should have. Chopin, a female author, approached the issue from a completely different angle when she addressed the desires of women in her story “The Storm.” At the time of the work, women were expected to be faithful homemakers who attended their husbands’ every need without regard for their own well-being. In her story however, Chopin created a woman who had needs that eventually let her to have affair. At first Calixta, the woman in the story, was reluctant to but she ultimately lost herself in the moment and enjoyed herself. Given the social norms, the reader would expect terrible repercussions for Calixta: a failed marriage, a lifelong sense of guilt that drove her mad, suicide; but she suffered none of these things. Ultimately, the affair rejuvenated her love for her family and gave her a much needed break. The authors of these works each had their own point to make about the expectations of women in modern American literature.
Hemingway painted a positive portrait of a faithful and obedient wife. The woman was attentive and understanding of her husband’s character flaws and because of this, she escaped the cruel fate reserved for women who did not meet the standard. On the other hand James’ character, Daisy was unrefined, presumptuous, and repeatedly snubbed the opportunity of marriage. She was too direct for the women of the time and she was too friendly to too many men. All of these things led Daisy to an unkind end. James made an example of her. Chopin however offered a critique of these unrealistic expectations of women. Being a woman herself, she understood that not everyone was capable of leading a life of shy servitude to a man. She created a female character that had a happy family and a loving husband, but who also had an affair. Chopin portrayed it as revitalizing for the character and it actually made her a better wife. She showed that the standard of the time wasn’t necessarily the only way to live. Women weren’t standard, and they had needs and desires like any other
person.

Word Count: 913

Works Cited
Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature: 1865 to the Present. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. Print.
Chopin, Kate. “The Storm.” Baym 434-437.
Hemingway, Ernest. “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” Baym 1067-1083.
James, Henry. “Daisy Miller: A Study.” Baym 327-365.