I agree with your interpretation of Nathalie’s situation in Kate Chopin's "The Kiss." You've effectively highlighted the societal pressures that impacted her choices, which were certainly shaped by the expectations of her time. It’s crucial to consider that marrying for wealth was often one of the few paths available to women for securing their future and stability. While in modern times we view relationships through the lens of love and partnership, Nathalie’s decision reflects the harsh realities women faced in the late 19th century. Your analysis underscores the conflict between personal desire and societal expectation, making it a compelling argument for why Nathalie's choices were understandable, if not entirely justifiable, given the context in which she lived.
Respond to at least one of your classmates’ posts explaining WHY you agree or disagree with their opinions. Your response should be at least 3-4 sentences long. Please write using complete sentences.
by Claire Norton
In "The Kiss" by Kate Chopin, we see Nathalie, our main character, conflicted between two men: Brantain, the man who can bring her a comfortable, wealthy life, and Harvey, the man she is truly in love with, but could not give her the comfortable life she desires. Through her actions and behavior, we can see Nathalie's confliction. Given the time period, it was normal, and even expected, for women to marry into a rich family. Take the line, "The rather insignificant and unattractive Brantain was enormously rich; and she liked and required the entourage which wealth could give her." This shows us how Nathalie doesn't truly love Brantain, she loves what Brantain has to offer. To answer the question, "was Nathalie justified in her chouces?" Yes, I think she was. By today's standards, marrying someone for their wealth is considered rude, selfish, and inappropriate. However, during Nathalie's time, that was expected of women. Marrying someone wealthy was one of the only ways back then for a woman to have a happy, comfortable life, so I think it makes sense in Nathalie's case that she was making choices based off of what would give her and her family the best life, not what satisfied her personal desires.
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