Compare and contrast "The Story of an Hour" with "A Cup of Tea." How are they related and how are they different?

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and Katherine
Mansfield's "A Cup of Tea" both feature female protagonists and develop feminist themes,
but the contrasts between the two stories are very
evident.

Louise Mallard in Chopin's story and Rosemary Fell
in Mansfield's narrative are women whose identities are defined by their marriages. Each
woman lives in the shadow of her husband, dependent upon him and subject to his approval
or disapproval. There is no evidence that Louise or Rosemary pursues any activity of her
own that fosters or fulfills a sense of individuality. In Chopin's story, Louise is not
even afforded a given name in the narrative until her status changes from married woman
to widow.

Beyond these similarities, significant
differences exist. Louise Mallard, when she learns her husband is dead, experiences
initial shock, but as the news settles into her consciousness, she feels an enormous
sense of freedom. For her, marriage has ben the enforced negation of her own will, a
prison of obligation. For one hour, until she hears the news that her husband is still
alive, Louise belongs only to herself and dreams of all the hours to come when she will
continue to own her own life.

Unlike Louise Mallard,
Rosemary Fell is a willing prisoner. Wealthy, spoiled, and superficial, she lives in a
fine home and fills her hours shopping with her husband's money to distract from her own
emptiness. Occasionally, Rosemary senses the truth about her life but avoids dealing
with it:

There
are moments, horrible moments in life, when one emerges from shelter and looks out, and
it's awful. One oughtn't to give way to them. One ought to go home and have an
extra-special
tea.

The
conclusion of each story emphasizes the nature of each woman's bondage: Louise dies from
shock and despair when she learns she is still a married woman, while Rosemary
essentially begs her husband Philip to tell her she is pretty.