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An Hour Freedom

1008 Words5 Pages

A moment of freedom "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin discusses about the conflicting feelings a woman have after finding out about her husband 's death. This feeling of happiness about her husband’s death goes against society 's expectations which contributes to the main character’s personality. The main character, Mrs. Mallard, goes through a sequence of events that guides her to become an autonomous woman. Even in such a short piece, Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard through series of imagery, underlying messages, and going against society that makes her a unique character that the reader can relate to. Mrs. Mallard, the main character in this short story, is described by the narrator as “afflicted with a heart trouble, great care …show more content…

She shouts “Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door – you will make yourself ill” (553). Not only is Josephine concerned about her sister’s condition but she also represents society who is trying to convince her to get rid of the idea of independence. Society is trying to detract her from her thoughts which goes against the norms during that time period. Mrs. Mallard responds by stating, “Go away . . . Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own” (553). She imagines what her future has to offer and is looking forward to living life without limitations. However, her daydreams gets a reality check when she and her sister walks down the stairs to find her husband, Brentley Mallard, at the front door. The reader would think that Mrs. Mallard would be happy about her husband’s appearance but what happens next is unexpected. Suddenly, her freedom and independence is immediately taken away which ultimately leads to her death. The reason for her death was “the doctor came they said she had died of heart disease – of joy that kills” (553). The shift of a heart condition from the beginning of the story to heart disease provides to the extent of her internal conditions. A heart condition indicates that there was a problem with her heart but heart disease shows that there were problems with her

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She learns of her husband’s death in an accident and falsely finds a renewed joy for life as she is free from the burden of marriage. Tragically she goes to the front door as it is being opened with a key, to find Mr. Mallard still alive, causing her to die of heart

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Since Louise is afflicted with heart trouble, her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richards told her this news about Brently (her husband) very gently. Supposedly, he died in a railroad disaster. Once hearing this news, Louise could not bear it. She began to change her mood very quickly. “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms.”

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“The Story of an hour”, a reflection of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We all experience our own struggles in the battle we call life. Although it can sometimes feel like you’ve been dealt a bad hand, life is what you make it. Unfortunately, often time we do not realize life 's magnificence until we are forced to face its fragility. This was the case for Louise Mallards, an old woman faced with the death of her husband.

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The irony within this is Mrs.Mallard is looking forward to the days which are going to be her own and to live them without her husband by her side. Consequently, conveying that her husband’s death positively affects her. After hearing the demise of a loved one, it is typically expected to have a yearning for companionship however, it is ironic because Mrs.Mallard is relieved to be alone. Louise was not relieved because she hated her husband, but because she felt suffocated by her marriage with Mr. Mallard, and her lack of personal identity. As Mrs.Mallard rejoices her new freedom, she begins this process of “awakening” to her new life alone as an independent woman.

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Mallard’s death is inevitable, she rebels to societies standards by embracing her newfound freedom, which makes her character symbolic of women during this time period as well as the institution of marriage. Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble becomes an imperative symbol to her decision to rebel against society’s expectations as well as her emotional distress ultimately resulting in her demise. The heart is often a symbol of love as well as marriage, but we find in the first sentence of this story that Mrs. Mallard’s heart is periled with trouble both literally in a physical capacity as well as metaphorically in an emotional capacity. For example, Chopin states, “Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble” which explains the reason that news of her husband’s death must be broken “gently” to her (Chopin).

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The reader soon discovers, this feeling that comes to Mrs. Mallard is joy and relief, she feels this because she can now finally be her own person. Mrs. Mallard comes to the realization that her husband had been oppressing her for years, “There would be no powerful will bending..”, and she was finally free of that. Before the passing of her husband, Mrs. Mallard was scared of living a long life because of the treatment she received from him. After his passing she had a much different outlook, “There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself.” This shows that Mrs. Mallard was excited to now live her own life without being told what she was to do.

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Then, finally, since Mrs. Mallard had a weak heart she died from over joy, and that 's why my theme statement that I have picked is “death is a moment of grief and

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Mallard, and the girlfriend want to communicate how they feel and do not want to be constrained. Chopin was a feminist which encouraged her to write The Story of an Hour. Women do not want to feel possessed and want to be self-asserted (Chopin, 2004). Women are told to respect their marriages and must abide to society. Mrs. Mallard feels free of duties when she understands that her husband has deceased.

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Chopin’s novel and short story provides awareness of the lack of independence and individuality that women are granted in that era. Chopin’s voices how Louise and Enda becomes accustom to living according to what the man of the house desires. “Then would be no power will bending hers in that blind persistence” (The Story of An hour). With Louise husband being gone, he would no longer interfere with her actions or even overrule what she has to say. Louise would be completely free from his authority.

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Although there is no clear statement that shows Louise to have an oppressive marriage, there are ambiguous statements about the marriage that show she feels caged. During the event of finding out about Brently’s death, Louise did not respond “as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden wild abandonment” (Chopin), due to Brently’s death she is finally able to let out emotions that she has held in for so many years of being a dutiful wife. Once Louise is left alone to grieve she reflects upon her feelings and her marriage. The narrator points out that Louise knows she will cry again for him when she sees his funeral, remembering his “kind, tender hands...the face that had never looked save with love upon her” (Chopin).

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Hour of Freedom “The Story of an Hour” is a short story written by Kate Chopin. It details a wife named Mrs. Louise Mallard, who struggles with a heart condition. After learning of her husband, Brentley Mallard’s death in a railroad accident, Mrs. Mallard deals with grief in many stages. Chopin incorporates many literary devices throughout “The Story of an Hour,” but imagery is the most evident.

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Therefore, this short story indirectly emphasizes how women were suppressed in their marriages and wanted freedom, independence, and self-identity. A literary element which serves as great significance to the story is symbolism because it contributes to the actuality that Mrs. Mallard did not love her husband, but was only adhering to society’s norm. Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble serves as a symbol of anguish because as her heart is trapped inside her body, likewise, she feels oppressed in her marriage and is unhappy with the restricted freedom and lack of independence. After hearing about her husband’s death, she did not experience any heart trouble; however, you would expect her to since she lost her significant other.

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