A Respectable Woman

Gouvernail is also a major character in Chopin’s 1896 short story “Athénaïse.” Read that story and discuss how (or whether) its portrayal of Gouvernail indirectly illuminates “A Respectable Woman.”

Chopin famously said that she was not a feminist, at least not as it was defined during her lifetime. Despite this, her writings are frequently considered early feminist fiction. Evaluate and discuss why this is the case.

What is the relationship like between Mr. and Mrs. Baroda? Discuss their interactions. What effect does this have on Mrs. Baroda’s identity as “a respectable woman,” and on the story as a whole?

Dialogue does not form a two-way conversation between Gouvernail and Mrs. Baroda. Even when Gouvernail speaks to her using dialogue, his words are almost more of a monologue, commenting on the world rather than engaging an interlocutor. How does this use of dialogue influence the dynamic between these two characters? Why do you think Chopin writes their interactions the way that she does?

If commitment to her husband makes Mrs. Baroda a “respectable woman,” what would she be if she pursued her extramarital passion? An “unworthy” woman? An independent woman? A courageous one? Does Chopin imply a value judgment on this point, or is it just as ambiguous as the story’s ending?

How would the story change if it were narrated by Mrs. Baroda in the first person? This would obviously alter the story’s ambiguity, but how could it affect the themes and symbolism?

Is there an antagonist in “A Respectable Woman”? Why or why not?

Chopin has been praised for her use of literary elements from Realism, Romanticism, and Naturalism. Which of these literary movements is reflected most in “A Respectable Woman”? Cite textual examples.