The Analysis of Feminism in A Cup of Tea

The Analysis of Feminism in A Cup of Tea

A Cup of Tea was written by Katherine Mansfield, a prominent modernist writer of short fiction. Her stories focus on moments of disruption and frequently open rather abruptly. In many her stories, she shows her attitude towards feminism by using a great deal of ironic andexaggerating sentences, which leads a humorous sense as well as a profound meaning to her stories.

A Cup of Tea tells us a short story about a young lady from upper class and a girl beggar. When the fashion and rich lady Rosemary went out of the antique shop, she met with a girl beggar, who asked her for a cup of tea. Instead of giving her money, Rosemary brought her back home, aiming to model the plots of the fiction and drama. However, when her husband Philip went back home, he deliberately phrased the beauty of the girl beggar and invited her to have a dinner, which irritated Rosemary. Finally, Rosemary sent the girl out by three pounds. In the ending of the story, Rosemary asked her husband whether she was beautiful.

In the beginning of the story, the author gives us a typical protagonist——Rosemary, a wealthy woman from upper class. She lives a happy and rich life with her husband. “She was young, brilliant, extremely modern, exquisitely well dressed, amazingly well read in the …”“But if Rosemary wanted to shop she would go to Paris as you and I would go to Bond Street.”“I want those and those and those.” The author uses the above exaggerating description and direct speech to show us how hypocritical and artificial Rosemary is. In that society, as a woman, she has no independence and she has to show off by shopping and well dressed.

In the short story, we can greatly feel the thought of feminism from three points. The first one is about the little box in the antique box. Rosemary was attracted by the exquisite little enamel box which cost twenty-eight guineas. Though twenty-eight guineas is not a big deal for her family, Rosemary hesitated and left. “Twenty-eight guineas.Even if one is rich…”The sentences reflect the main reason: in that society, female has independence and property. Rosemary has to completely depend on her husband. Without the permission of her husband, she will have no money to buy the little box. As Rosemary didn’t buy the box, she was deeply upset.

“”Rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, spinning down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new-lighted lamps looked sad. ” The above description shows how upset Rosemary was as she didn’t but the little box. However, what actually causes her unhappiness is that she can do nothing but to abide to the regulations of the male-center society, though Rosemary may not know the true reason.

The second one which proves the feminism is the event that Rosemary helped a girl beggar. At the beginning of the story, it seems that Rosemary can buy lots of things and owns a lot of money and her husband adores her very much. However, when her husband got back home and found that she brought back a girl beggar, he was angry. “Explain. Who is she? What does it all mean?”“But what on earth are you going to do with her?”“You’re quite mad, you know. It simply can’t be done.”From all the direct speech from Philip, we can clearly know that actually Philip is the authority of the family. Rosemary hardly has rights to make any decisions. And later, in order to send the girl out, Philip uses the jealousy between women and overstates the beauty of the girl on purpose, which quite surprises Rosemary and finally she sent the girl out. Thus, we know that male is the real authority of the society.

The third one is the climax of the story. When Rosemary heard her husband’s phrase on the girl’s beauty, she was surprised and threatening. Then she quickly sent the girl out. After the girl beggar left, Rosemary deliberately had a new makeup. “Rosemary had just done her hair, darkened her eyes a little, and put on her pearls.”She was so eager to assure her position in her husband’s heart. “Do you like me”“am I pretty?” The question Rosemary asked quite well shows us the position of female in that society. Female has to use their appearance to attract male and depend on them. Appearance is greatly important to the women, as it is women’s tool to please their husbands. From that, we can feel a gap between man and woman at that time.

Though the story is short and humorous, Katherine Mansfield ironicallyreflects the cruel reality and unfairness towards women in that time.