Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty (February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904), was an American author of short stories and novels. She is best known for her exploration of themes relating to womanhood, identity, and the dynamics of the human condition within the socio-cultural confines of the late 19th century South. Chopin's writing career unfolded in the post-Civil War era, a period marked by its ...