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Readers who see Chopin’s development of Alcée over the course of the two related stories may note that he is a man easily swayed by desire. In his work and duties as a provider, he is diligent and successful. Yet when it comes to women, Alcée’s mind is easy to change even before he marries Clarisse. This behavior continues in “The Storm.” The letter Alcée writes after his afternoon with Calixta shows that, while he loves Clarisse, he has adjusted to his wife’s absence. Although her absence may be one reason he finds himself drawn again to Calixta, his attraction to Calixta’s particular beauty and passionate disposition has already been established.
Alcée’s inconstancy is part of his nature, and he does not much concern himself with consequences. Adept at self-justification, Alcée is unconcerned about his brief affair with Calixta and rationalizes the fact that he does not miss his wife by saying that he only wants what is best for her well-being. For all this, however, the tryst that occurs during the storm reveals Alcée’s yearning for real and enduring intimacy, something he does not experience with his wife, who is glad to be away—from him and from their marriage bed. This may be because Clarisse, though she loves Alcée, is content to avoid “their intimate conjugal life” while she can. That she does not miss their marriage bed may suggest that she does not enjoy the sexual aspects of their relationship as much as he does and would explain Alcée’s amazement at the “generous abundance” of Calixta’s sexual responsiveness.
