Kate Chopin, born Katherine O’ Flaherty, lived from February, 1850 to August, 1904. She is considered to be one of the first feminist authors of the 20th century. Married at a young age and then the untimely death of her husband altered the course of her life.
She began writing novels and short-stories of which she wrote more than a hundred. Talented and prolific, she was influenced by ‘Guy de Maupassant’s’ works. Her novel ‘The Awakening (1899)’ was widely condemned initially but the 1950’s scholars and other recognized the novel as an insightful and moving work of fiction.