At Fault E-Book

Kate Chopin

• Herausgeber: Kate Chopin
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty (February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904), was a U.S. author of short stories and novels. She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of the feminist authors of the 20th century of Southern or Catholic background, such as Zelda Fitzgerald.From 1892 to 1895, she wrote short stories for both children and adults that were published in such magazines as Atlantic Monthly,Vogue, The Century Magazine, and The Youth's Companion. Her major works were two short story collections, Bayou Folk (1894) and A Night in Acadie (1897). Her important short stories included "Désirée’s Baby," a tale of miscegenation in antebellum Louisiana (published in 1893),[1] "The Story of an Hour" (1894), and "The Storm"(1898).[1] "The Storm" is a sequel to "The 'Cadian Ball," which appeared in her first collection of short stories, Bayou Folk. Chopin also wrote two novels: At Fault (1890) and The Awakening (1899), which are set in New Orleans and Grand Isle, respectively. The characters in her stories are usually inhabitants ofLouisiana. Many of her works are set in Natchitoches in north central Louisiana.Within a decade of her death, Chopin was widely recognized as one of the leading writers of her time. In 1915, Fred Lewis Pattee wrote, "some of [Chopin's] work is equal to the best that has been produced in France or even in America. [She displayed] what may be described as a native aptitude for narration amounting almost to genius."

Leseprobe

At Fault

Kate Chopin

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Part I

The Mistress of Place-du-Bois.

At the Mill.

In the Pirogue.

A Small Interruption.

In the Pine Woods.

Melicent Talks.

Painful Disclosures.

Treats of Melicent.

Face to Face.

Fanny’s Friends.

The Self-Assumed Burden.

Severing Old Ties.

Part II

Fanny’s First Night at Place-du-Bois.

“Neva to See You!”

A Talk Under the Cedar Tree.

Thérèse Crosses the River.

One Afternoon.

One Night.

Melicent Leaves Place-du-Bois.

With Loose Rein.

The Reason Why.

Perplexing Things.

A Social Evening.

Tidings That Sting.

Melicent Hears the News.

A Step Too Far.

A Fateful Solution.

To Him Who Waits.

Conclusion.

Part I

Chapter 1

The Mistress of Place-du-Bois.

When Jérôme Lafirme died, his neighbors awaited the results of his sudden taking off with indolent watchfulness. It was a matter of unusual interest to them that a plantation of four thousand acres had been left unincumbered to the disposal of a handsome, inconsolable, childless Creole widow of thirty. A bêtise of some sort might safely be looked for. But time passing, the anticipated folly failed to reveal itself; and the only wonder was that Thérèse Lafirme so successfully followed the methods of her departed husband.

Of course Thérèse had wanted to die with her Jérôme, feeling that life without him held nothing that could reconcile her to its further endurance. For days she lived alone with her grief; shutting out the appeals that came to her from the demoralized “hands,” and unmindful of the disorder that gathered about her. Till Uncle Hiram came one day with a respectful tender of sympathy, offered in the guise of a reckless misquoting of Scripture-and with a grievance.

“Mistuss,” he said, “I ‘lowed ‘twar best to come to de house an’ tell you; fur Massa he alluz did say ‘Hi’urm, I counts on you to keep a eye open endurin’ my appersunce;’ you ricollic, marm?” addressing an expanse of black bordered cambric that veiled the features of his mistress. “Things is a goin’ wrong; dat dey is. I don’t wants to name no names ‘doubt I’se ‘bleeged to; but dey done start a kiarrin’ de cotton seed off de place, and dats how.”

If Hiram’s information had confined itself to the bare statement of things “goin’ wrong,” such intimation, of its nature vague and susceptible of uncertain interpretation, might have failed to rouse Thérèse from her lethargy of grief. But that wrong doing presented as a tangible abuse and defiance of authority, served to move her to action. She felt at once the weight and sacredness of a trust, whose acceptance brought consolation and awakened unsuspected powers of doing.