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Dramatic Irony
Part 5
Explanation and Analysis—Calixta and Clarisse:
Calixta and Clarisse act as foils in the story, meaning that, when contrasting them with each other, readers learn more about each of them (and about the intended takeaways of the story as a whole). In the simple act of positioning Calixta as Alcée’s lover and Clarisse as his wife, Chopin is inherently encouraging readers to view them in juxtaposition.
The major difference between the women is that Calixta feels rejuvenated by sex with Alcée while Clarisse feels rejuvenated by not having sex with him. This comes across in the final section of the story (the first part in which Clarisse directly appears):
[T]he first free breath since her marriage seemed to restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while.
Directly after depicting a scene in which Calixta relives the freedom of her youth by having a sexual encounter with her former lover Alcée, Chopin writes that Clarisse relives the “pleasant liberty” of her “maiden days” by taking space from her husband and being free of their “conjugal life” (or sex life).
It is important to note that Chopin is not contrasting these two women’s experiences of sex in order to suggest that one is freer than the other. Rather, she is demonstrating that there are many ways for women to experience “pleasant liberty.” For some (like Calixta), sexual liberation leads to freedom, while, for others (like Clarisse), time away from their husbands—and the pressure to have sex—leads to freedom. In both cases, the women challenge gendered expectations by seeking happiness outside their marriages.
Related Themes:
