Viswant Duddumpudi
Professor J. Mignano Brady
EGL 102
4/24/2014
Romanticism: an adulterous act or an artistic
act
Romanticism signifies a fascination with youth and
innocence, a question of authority and tradition in order to imagine better and
to acquire a stronger awareness of change. It is an artistic, literary, and
intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th
century. Romanticism and sexual relations are clearly evident in the short
story “The Storm” by Kate Chopin and “Interpreter of Maladies “by Jhumpa Lahari.
Both the writers use the concept of romanticism throughout their work. The
movie The last of Mohicans directed by Michael Mann is a great work of
romanticism. The theme of Romanticism in "The Storm” , “Interpreter of
maladies” as well as in the movie ties in with the characters and symbols to allow
the writers and the director to express
their opinions on sexuality and romance. In both the stories an exciting and
short romantic relations take place between the characters.
In Kate Chopin’s time traditional male-controlled
notions about women and sexuality believed sexual passion a negligible aspect
of women's lives. Chopin boldly addresses a woman's sexual desire in her short
story "The Storm." The author uses the theme of sexual desire to tell
a story that is used to supplement the author's opinion. Chopin also uses
different symbols and characterizations to her benefit. The characters of the
storm allow Chopin to create her own scenario in which she can express her
views. The main characters of the story are Calixta and Alcee. The pair is
forced together by the so-called storm (Chopin 117). Both Calixta and Alcee
upon being trapped in the house feel calm and alone after many years. This
calmness is like the silence before the storm. Old memories refresh a bottled-up
passion from their youth. The subtleness fuels an emotional and romantic manner
to let Calixta and Alcee make love to each other. In the story, Alcee mentions
that he was always unable to control his desire for Calixta (Chopin, 118). Literature,
being a time constrained form of art, storm is a piece from the end of 19th
century where family and relations were given high priority. Calixta is a woman
who is suppressed and bonded to her husband. As she sets her self-consciousness
aside, she finds herself refreshed and happy (Chopin, 119).Alcee being a man
who is separated from his wife is looking for a relationship. Upon having a
romantic relation, he feels very comforted and accompanied. Romanticism in this
story is not just an adulterous act. It is an act that has changed the life of
a person. In the end, just like how everything gets settled after the storm,
everyone was happy and led their own life. Fresh sexuality and desire stomp
through their lives just like the storm rages through a single day.
Romanticism works throughout the story “Interpreter of
Maladies.” The whole story is based on the characters Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das
who romanticize one another. The story starts as Mr. and Mrs. Das visit India.
The family hires Mr. Kapasi, a taxi driver, to guide their trip. Mrs.Das and
Mr. Kapasi get to know each other by asking each other "How about telling
each other something we've never told before"(Lahiri).Mr. Kapasi finds
Mrs. Das to be a perfect mate for companionship. He fantasizes an intimate
relation with her. He neglects the fact that she is married and has children
and romanticizes about her. Mrs. Das also wants to rely in Mr. Kapasi for his
support on her marital issues and future life. She views him as a role model
and blocks out everything else just like Mr. Kapasi. She doesn’t even notice
that he is awkward with her personal desires, and he tells her he won’t give
her advice on that.
Classic American Romanticism
has qualities one can relate to such as youth and innocence, forces of nature,
purity, intuition, and understanding to paths of higher truth. In the movie The
last of Mohicans directed by Michael Mann and based on James Fenimore
Cooper's novel, romanticism can be said as a main theme. The movie takes
place during the French and Indian war in 1757. The story is about a dying
tribe called the Mohicans in which only two are left and one adopted white man.
These three men refuse to enter the militia for Britain in 1757 as they want
freedom. In return the British colonel asks them to escort his daughters from
Albany to the safe place, i.e. their father’s place at the fort. Duncan, being
one of the two Mohicans falls in love with Cora, the colonel’s daughter. Duncan
wishes to marry Cora, but she feels only friendship for him. Parallel to the
story, Duncan’s feelings and romance with Cora clearly show the theme of
romanticism.
In conclusion, both stories
and the movie share a major theme of romanticism and/ot sex driven. Every
character has exciting and short romantic relations between each other and
tries to cope up with their emotions and inner feelings.
Work citations
1. Lahiri, Jhumpa (1999).
Interpreter of Maladies.
Houghton Mifflin Company, New
York, New York.
2. Chopin, Kate. "The
Storm: A Sequel to 'The 'Canadian Ball'." Kate Chopin: The
Awakening and Selected
Stories. New York: Penguin, 1984. 281-86.
3. The Last of the Mohicans. Box
Office Mojo. March 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
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