Extended essay on Katherine Mansfield

3) Discuss the ‘pervading themes of loneliness and alienation’ that run through many of Mansfield’s short stories.

Throughout many of Katherine Mansfield’s short stories themes of loneliness and alienation frequently appear. It is more so elements of loneliness and alienation as opposed to themes, for the stories remain all very descriptive and different from one another, with these elements being used in different ways.
Through the course of this essay the elements of loneliness and alienation will be discussed and revealed, while paying particular importance to their significance through Katherine Mansfield’s short stories.
To be able to explore these elements I will use three of some of her most acclaimed short stories: ‘Frau Brechenmacher Attends a Wedding’, ‘The Woman at the Store’ and ‘The Little Governess’. All of these strongly pervade the elements of being lonely and alienated in various ways, extending from the physical and emotional loneliness of ‘The Woman At the Store’, to the doubtful ‘Little Governess’, alien to her experience.

As it is the oldest of the three of these stories I shall start exploring the story of ‘Frau Brechenmacher Attends a Wedding’. Frau B. wife of Herr B. are to attend a wedding of a friend of theirs. As they are getting ready the house is quite chaotic, with Herr B demanding various clothes and eager to rush off. On arrival at the party Frau B unfortunately is already quite embarrassed as someone points out to her that her skirt is undone at the back with her petticoat showing, much to everyone’s amusement. With Herr B sitting with his colleagues, Frau B is left to sit to socialise with the other women of the town. The women, excluding Frau B, nastily comment on the bride’s character and reputation as she had brought her out-of-wedlock child along to the festivities. The bride remains outside of the fun as the women who critically observe her reaffirm that she